Crop Management
New Fhb7 varieties of wheat with better FHB resistance may be available in a few years, developed in North Dakota
Plant geneticists the world around are devoting billions of dollars and centuries of accumulated time trying to breed better fusarium head blight resistance into wheat. Some fail. Some succeed. One of the most promising endeavours is the discovery and cloning of a gene that has been named Fhb7. The gene reduces FHB by detoxifying mycotoxins […] Read more
Crop Management
It’s not always the neighbours with resistant weeds
It was an unscientific poll of farmers on a webinar, but it was telling nevertheless. About 53 percent of respondents said they have herbicide-resistant weeds on their farm. And 82 percent said their neighbours do. Charles Geddes, Agriculture Canada research scientist in weed ecology, was not surprised by those contradictory results. They do show, however, […] Read more
Scoular makes investment in bird seed plant in Manitoba
Sunflower acres were expected to increase in the province this spring because of solid demand and stronger prices
Manitoba sunflower growers had a reason to celebrate on Canada Day. Scoular, a U.S. company with more than $4 billion in annual sales, has invested in its bird food manufacturing plant in Winkler, Man. The expansion of the facility means sunflower growers have a reliable buyer for their crop. “At Scoular, we think of ourselves […] Read more
Hemp processing gets boost
Hemp is versatile. The plant can be used to make cat litter, shopping bags, skin cream, paper and cardboard, diapers, shoes, concrete, garden amendments, jeans and bioplastic. Companies and entrepreneurs could convert hemp into a longer list of consumer goods, but one piece of the puzzle is often missing: processing. “All of those industries … […] Read more
Weed survival not always resistance issue
Herbicide resistance isn’t the first thing to blame if weeds persist after herbicide application. There are a few options to consider before making that leap, said Agriculture Canada weed ecologist Charles Geddes. Scouting is essential to accurate determination of why herbicides fail. Successful application is determined by favourable soil moisture, good fertility, moderate temperatures, high […] Read more
Get used to growing fructans, they’re better for growers and consumers
The new genetic line includes winter wheat with high-fructan levels plus tolerance to salinity, cold
Plant breeders typically focus on one factor at a time. They might look for better resilience to harsh conditions, or for better nutritional values. Occasionally, a breeder does both. Such is the case with a hardier more nutritious wheat that combines enhanced nutritional values along with increased resilience. The new wheat strain, developed by Cornell […] Read more
Major oat buyer to ban pre-harvest glyphosate
UPDATED – Thursday July 9, 2020 – 1020 CST – updated to include comments from Richardson Milling – Starting next year, Richardson Milling will no longer purchase oats that have been sprayed with pre-harvest glyphosate or any type of desiccant. Richardson informed producers of its new policy last month in an email to oat growers […] Read more
Tornadoes, hail decimate southwestern Sask. crops
Derek Tallon was busy assessing the state of his crops the day after a tornado and hail storm tore across his farm at Lafleche in southwestern Saskatchewan on Saturday. “Probably about 60 percent of the farm has seen some of it and 10 to 20 percent of the acres are pretty close to a right […] Read more
Sask. program to replace bridges
About 100 rural bridges will be replaced in Saskatchewan municipalities over the next four years. Funding will come from the Rural Integrated Roads for Growth program, which replaced the Municipal Roads for the Economy Program. Projects are eligible for a maximum of $500,000 each. The federal government will contribute 17 percent and the province will […] Read more
Value added market for pulses pieces explodes
Not that long ago, pulses were consumed either whole or split. These days, they are being processed and incorporated into all sorts of foods, according to a panel of speakers assembled by the Global Pulse Confederation. Alexandra Londono, global head of Buhler’s pulse and local grains business segment, said annual pulse flour production has rapidly […] Read more
