Most insects observed in the field are either beneficial or benign. Relatively few insects cause damage to crops. A significant number of insects are predatory on pest insect species. Other insects are parasitic on pest insects and feed on them from within. These predators and parasitoids help to control populations in non-outbreak situations. Predators include […] Read more
Production — page 91
Friendly bugs boost yields, make bigger berries
New Products
Mower conditioner MacDon Industries Ltd. recently introduced the 2620 mower conditioner to its Premier lineup of harvesting equipment. Engineered to deliver uniform, fast-drying windrows, Premier’s 2620 pull-type mower conditioner permits farmers to begin baling as quickly as possible after cutting, reducing the risk of weather-related damage. The Premier 2620 is designed to provide gentle conditioning […] Read more
Nozzle body stops spray run-on
REGINA – When today’s high-speed, high-pressure sprayers reach the headlands and the operator shuts off the nozzles to turn, there’s often a bit of spray run-on until the pressure winds down inside the boom and the diaphragms in the nozzles close them off. Arnie Josephson, sales and marketing manager with Brandt Agricultural Products in Regina, […] Read more
Winter cereal sector forms commission
WINNIPEG – Winter cereal growers in Saskatchewan will soon be part of a development commission, designed to give them a major say in how their crop develops. “We need to advance our research in winter cereals if we expect our industry to continue expanding. One of the main winter wheat breeders is about to retire […] Read more
Use hardy seed for forage success
Establishing a forage stand can be tricky. While there are no guarantees for success, Saskatchewan Agriculture food forage development specialist Al Foster says steps can be taken to remove much of the risk. It starts with selecting varieties that are winter hardy and adapted to a producer’s particular soil conditions. “The seedbed should be firm […] Read more
Weevils attack southern Alberta peas
A new insect pest is feeding on young pea and alfalfa seedlings in southern Alberta. Robert Phillips, owner of Phillips Fertilizer in Lomond, Alta., said farmers and agronomists first noticed damage from pea leaf weevils in fields near Lomond around mid-May. “Most of our peas are in the two to three node stage. The weevils […] Read more
Sprayer performance boils down to nozzle
EDMONTON – Fusarium headblight sparked an interest in double nozzles, leaving farmers with key questions about sprayer technology. At the FarmTech conference this winter, Tom Wolf, a research scientist with Agriculture Canada in Saskatoon, talked about sprayer issues including single and double nozzles, the direction nozzles face, droplet size and how water volume affects spray […] Read more
Roll land to smooth out pulse harvest
Land rolling can ease harvest operations and help produce a high quality pulse crop. The steel cylinder land roller is the most common roller, but a harrow-packer draw bar is a viable option if the land does not have rocks. Harrows, both tooth and tine, can break lumps and firm soil, but do not push […] Read more
Grain moisture reader stands test of time
The 919 moisture meter has been a common sight in prairie grain elevators for more than half a century. Anyone who has sold grain has likely had their product pass through the cup of the venerable 919. Producers also buy the 919 to check grain moisture on the farm before loading the truck. Although the […] Read more
Polymer rings make dockage sieves useful again
On-farm dockage sieves used to estimate dockage before hauling to the elevator have been available to prairie farmers since the 1940s. The sieve holes are the exact same sizes as those used at the elevator, so the dockage estimate is usually accurate. The main problem, however, is that the all-metal construction doesn’t always stand up […] Read more
