Certified seed guarantees varietal purity, but specialists recommend testing all seed for germination, vigour and disease
Does certified seed mean guaranteed seed? Not necessarily, says a seed testing expert. Certified seed goes through a battery of tests to ensure vigour, germination and disease-free status, but every seed – certified or not – should be tested for the basics before it goes in the ground, says the lab manager of an Alberta […] Read moreTag Archives Dale Risula
Green lentils surge as eating habits change
Farmers continue to grow more reds, but higher global demand provides a strong market incentive to switch to greens
SASKATOON — Canada’s green lentil acres are likely on the rise, but industry officials differ on the magnitude of the increase. “I think the greens could catch up and maybe even overtake the reds in the next year or two,” said Dale Risula, pulse crop specialist with Saskatchewan Agriculture. Related stories: India looking at large […] Read more
Management best bet for pulse success
Crop rotation, seeding depth and rate and root characteristics all play a role for pulse crops going into a dry year
There’s a farmer adage that goes, “we’ve never lost a crop in the middle of winter.” In other words, there’s no point speculating on what the growing season is going to be like before the first rainfall. That said, it’s looking more and more likely that 2024 will be another dry year. For many pulse […] Read more
Finding the best pulse for a dry year
Although it’s too early to tell for sure, trusted sources are suggesting drought conditions on the horizon for 2024. According to Agriculture Canada’s Canadian Drought Monitor in its December 2023 drought assessment, 100 percent of the prairie region at month-end was classified as abnormally dry or in moderate to exceptional drought. This includes all of the […] Read more
Forage seed sector faces challenges
Markets were an important issue for producers and experts at the Saskatchewan Forage Seed Development Commission’s annual general meeting in White Fox, Sask., held last month. Members from different growing regions across the Prairies and from around the world spoke about what the markets were like for producers in their areas. Dale Risula, provincial specialist […] Read more
