Crop Management
It may be a few years before opti-electronic sensors manage individual canola plants, but scientists are already using this new technology in plant breeding programs. Texas A&M is developing sorghum varieties for bioenergy production. They’re selecting for a long list of characteristics, including yield, drought tolerance, plant height, leaf size, nitrogen efficiency, time to maturity […] Read more
Crop Management
Breeders first to use lightning fast electronic sensors
Producer uses smaller fan to aerate bigger bin in horizontal system
One of the big hits on big bins is they do not lend themselves to aeration. They’re made for efficient storage of grain that’s already in good condition. Gavin Green farms near Portreeve in southwestern Saskatchewan, where he has two of those 65-foot tall 50,000 bushel bins. They measure 33 feet in diameter and 65 […] Read more
In late, wet year, prairie producers are finding time for fall seeded crops
Flooded acres in June are now mostly dry and hold good potential for winter wheat. Seed grower Robert Mastin said his phone has been busy with farmers that are new to the crop. “But there are some old hands that already know their way around fall planted cereals too,” he said. “There is lots of […] Read more
Looking at grain aeration sideways
Push air horizontally | Air tube design lets air take the path of least resistance
Cereal kernels are elongated and stack horizontally like cordwood. So isn’t it logical to blow air sideways from the bin walls instead of up from the floor? It’s simply the next step in the process of re-thinking grain aeration, says Gary Schreimer, inventor of the Gatco Grain Air Tube and owner of the company. Although […] Read moreAlberta crop report
SOUTH Crops are rapidly progressing, but some are under heat stress. Continued hot and dry conditions are beginning to effect yield potential. Spotty hailstorms were reported. Harvest of winter wheat and fall rye has begun with about five percent in the bin. About five percent of swathing is done for dry peas, spring wheat, durum, […] Read more
Harvest Operations In Early Stages In Saskatchewan
Winnipeg – Some harvest operations have begun in Saskatchewan. In the southern regions of the province, some combining of winter cereals had been done as of August 11, according to the latest crop report from the provincial agriculture ministry. Across the province, pulses were being desiccated and canola was being swathed. Many crops are starting […] Read more
Alberta canola at high risk for lygus bugs
BROOKS, Alta. — It is time to start sweeping canola fields for lygus bugs. This summer’s heat, with temperatures at or above 30 C, is encouraging faster reproduction of the damaging insects, said Scott Meers, an entomologist with Alberta Agriculture. “This year will be a high risk for lygus. You should start sweeping,” he said. […] Read more
Swede midge gains ground
Return engagement | Biological, conventional controls being explored
Swede midge, the new bug on the Prairies since 2007, is back once again this year. Jeff Smith, a crop adviser in the Prince Albert-Nipawin area of Saskatchewan, has checked about 10,000 acres of canola and every field has had varying degrees of swede midge in it. However, there are fewer than last year and […] Read more
Canola DNA test may one day help with spraying decisions
BROOKS, Alta. — Testing the DNA of spores on canola petals could tell farmers when and what fungicide to spray. Canola petals are collected and examined for sclerotinia spores using a quantitative polymerase chain reaction to identify and differentiate the DNA traces. Known as a PCR test, it can yield results in about five hours […] Read more
Hot weather blessed soybeans, blasted canola
Yields vary with temperatures | Weather conditions over the last several years seem to indicate soybean yields are more stable than canola, at least in Manitoba
Without a doubt, 2012 was a challenging year for canola growers in eastern Manitoba. With an average daytime high of 29.3 C in July, temperatures above 30 C were the norm that summer. The near record heat combined with minimal rain blasted canola crops during flowering, causing yields to crash to 15-20 bushels per acre […] Read more
