Crop Management
Wild buckwheat, or polygonum convolvulus becomes a problem when later season rain interferes with post emergent spraying or arrives after spraying. In those years, the weed can make seed and interfere with crops and harvestability. Its wiry stems rise up through the crop seeking sunlight. Unless treated with glyphosate or another preharvest herbicide, it can […] Read more
Crop Management
P&H field trials test new varieties, new products
Parrish & Heimbecker will conduct field-scale variety and crop input trials at nine locations across Western Canada beginning this year. Seed and crop protection manager John Devos said the new trials, known as Field Intelligence Trials, will involve professional agronomists and farmer co-operators. The trials will test a variety of products, including new and existing […] Read more
Manitoba seeding nearing completion
Seeding operations continued across most of Manitoba last week before interruptions caused by rain in the last days of May, said Manitoba Agriculture’s weekly crop report issued June 3. Seeding progress by region varied from 80 to 95 percent complete, with some areas within the regions not as advanced due to heavier rainfall amounts. Producers […] Read more
Maestro delivers accurate corn seed placement at 10 m.p.h.
BRANDON — Improving methods to more accurately place seeds of high value crops has become a precise science. Now, Horsch, formerly known as Horsch Anderson, says it has what many producers are looking for in its Maestro corn planter, which can plant corn at 10 m.p.h. on a well-prepared seed bed. The Maestro officially entered […] Read more
Weed of the Week: wild mustard
Most wheat crops used to have a yellow phase in late June or early July when wild mustard came through the crop. Before herbicide tolerant canola, the weed was a yield robber and a contamination threat to canola and rapeseed growers. The aggressive plant, formally known as Sinapis arvensis, can be found in most of […] Read more
Tote box delivers crop uniformity
Seed totes | Speed King retains seed integrity and uniformity from seed cleaning plant to field planter
A pretty decent crop could be expected if every seed going into a specific field was uniform in size, weight, shape and quality. Seed uniformity within a field means that everything should happen at the same time if Mother Nature is kind: germination, emergence, application of crop protection products and harvest. Uniformity is possible and […] Read more
Vegetables could improve canola performance
Hybrid crop | Alberta scientist believes genes from vegetable crops could improve disease resistance and yields
EDMONTON — Cabbage, cauliflower, rutabaga and brussels sprouts may hold the key to improved disease resistance and higher canola yields, says a University of Alberta plant breeder. Habibur Rahman said he hopes the thousands of genes locked into vegetable crops and other members of the brassica family will help him develop more genetic diversity in […] Read more
Weed of the Week: foxtail barley
Foxtail barley has become a perennial problem in minimum tillage fields across Western Canada. But how did it get this way? The plant is a poor competitor and can be killed with a variety of herbicides. Tillage is the most effective control, but most producers no longer use it. Hordeum jubatum thrives where there has […] Read more
New 2,4-D and glyphosate product approved
The Pest Management Regulatory Agency has approved a new 2,4-D and glyphosate formulation for use on corn and soybean crops. The seeds that will be resistant to Dow’s new Enlist Duo formulation were approved last fall. However, Dow says it won’t sell the new system in Canada until approval is received in the United States. […] Read more
Growers should be motivated by more than science
We often hear that we should make decisions based on science, which seems to be the logical and smart approach. Science is a strong tool that provides a rigorous way of answering questions and can identify correlations and sometimes cause and effect. However, like all tools, science has its limitations. Science cannot answer questions such […] Read more
