Saskatchewan Agriculture

Fusarium head blight has appeared in wheat and barley in Manitoba and portions of Saskatchewan this year. “Growers with fusarium in their fields should adjust their combine louver openings and air velocities to blow the light-weight tombstone kernels out the back of the combine without blowing out too many good kernels,” said Michael Celetti, plant […] Read more

Saskatchewan Agriculture’s weed control specialist is concerned that improper use of pre-harvest herbicides containing glyphosate could lead to the chemical getting into the seed. Glyphosate is a systemic herbicide that moves throughout the plant to control perennial weeds, said Clark Brenzil. But, as plants mature, much of the energy resources in the plant are shuttled […] Read more

Many beef producers face low hay yields this year. It is usually cheaper to grow your own feed than to buy it, so producers should start planning winter feeding programs now. Roadsides, sloughs and waste areas can be cut for hay, and don’t overlook quackgrass. The feed value of slough hay is usually better than […] Read more

Canaryseed growers should start checking fields for aphids about mid-July, said Scott Hartley, pest management specialist with Saskatchewan Agriculture. Canaryseed is affected by the dark green bird cherry-oat aphid and the light green English grain aphid, said Hartley. “Often these aphids are not abundant enough to cause economic losses but, if airflow conditions are favorable […] Read more

Information on range and forage management is now available on a CD ROM from Saskatchewan Agriculture. The CD is available for viewing and for ordering, at no cost, at all rural service centres in the province. The compact disk, that can be read with a computer, has categories on sod seeding, annual forages, seed production […] Read more

Diamondback moth larvae have been found earlier than usual in some areas, says Scott Hartley, pest management specialist with Saskatchewan Agriculture. “The larvae were found by Agriculture Canada researchers who were monitoring for another canola pest. They also found a fair amount of parasitism in some of the samples, which is good news,” said Hartley. […] Read more

Herbicides are more effective when sprayed on young weeds, particularly when the weeds are stressed by drought. A study by the University of Saskatchewan and Agriculture Canada shows early spraying is best in most situations. The study was carried out from 1994 to 1997 by Rick Holm of the U of S plant science department […] Read more

Producers not already practising chemical fallow should consider it this year, or at least use chemicals to reduce the number of tillage operations, said Ken Panchuk, soil specialist with Saskatchewan Agriculture. “Chem-fallow conserves moisture by preventing weeds and volunteer crops from depleting the moisture reserves,” he said. Preserving residue cover prevents evaporation from the surface, […] Read more

Each year we hear complaints about pesticide use – usually from a producer unhappy with a product’s performance, or from a person claiming damage due to drift from a neighbor’s pesticide application. But individuals with complaints should realize they have responsibilities if a complaint is to be settled, said Trent Catley, pesticide inspector with Saskatchewan […] Read more

Serious problems due to herbicide-spray drift can be prevented, says Clark Brenzil, provincial weed specialist with Saskatchewan Agriculture. “For herbicides to do their intended job, they must reach the target weeds, not be lost in the air where they can move and harm neighboring crops and the environment,” Brenzil said. “And the key to effective […] Read more