EDE, Netherlands — Gerbert Oosterlaken feels tremendous satisfaction when he watches his sows and piglets eat together as a family in his newly built hog barn. “That is beautiful to see,” he said. Oosterlaken, who farms in northeastern Netherlands, took a giant leap forward last year when he and his wife, Antonet, built a 600 […] Read more
Tag Archives Special Report
Upcoming special report examines the future of glyphosate
Since the advent of Roundup Ready crops, glyphosate use has soared in North America, Australia and South America. It is a critical part of most farmers’ toolkit. But its popularity has caused problems. Where is it is overused is has led to a growing horde of resistant weeds. Also, glyphosate’s status as the king of […] Read more
Genetic science revolution offers precise solutions to agricultural challenges
The potential bonanza of rewards flowing from RNA interference (RNAi) technology, or gene silencing, has agricultural life science companies rushing to invest. Transgenic science takes a gene with a specific trait from one living thing and splices it into the genetic code of another organism to get it to express that same trait. RNA interference, though, turns off selected genes already in the organism, stopping expression of that genetic trait.
The spider mite is less than one millimetre in size but might be the peskiest pest on the planet. The tiny arthropod preys upon dozens of commercial crops, including soybeans, cucumbers, apples, peppers and corn, feeding on the underside of leaves and causing yield losses. It is also a common pest in commercial greenhouses and […] Read moreRNAi offers hope of permanent pest control
Molecular biologists and entomologists believe RNA interference could solve insect resistance because the technology silences specific gene sequences in crop pests. However, they offer conflicting responses when asked if insects can develop resistance to RNAi technology. Vlad Zhurov, a research associate at Western University in London, Ont., and a member of an international team studying […] Read more
RNA interference technology could be farming’s next big thing
Advancements in gene suppression | RNAi could be alternative to chemical pesticides
Monsanto’s chief technology officer hinted in a quarterly earnings call with financial analysts in January that the company might be onto something big. After running through routine updates on corn breeding, soybean yield improvements and other projects, Rob Fraley’s enthusiasm spiked when he began talking about Monsanto’s research and development work on RNA interference (RNAi) […] Read moreSARM calls for changes to crop insurance to prevent spread of disease in canola
The debate over whether crop insurance should play a larger role in controlling canola rotations is heating up in Saskatchewan. Disease pressure caused significant yield losses in the province this year, and there is also concern that clubroot will migrate into the province from Alberta. Meanwhile, producers enticed by high canola prices try to cash […] Read more
The prescription for disease: rest
Soil-borne disease tough to control | Stagger crop rotations with cereals to combat disease
As a consistent high profit generator, canola-seeded area has doubled in the past 10 years, mostly by reducing rotations from once every three or four years to once every other year or continuous. However, short rotations encourage development of fungi and weeds able to overcome disease resistance in crops and herbicides. With the right weather […] Read moreShort canola rotations pay out now, but collect from you later
Blackleg on the rise Superior genetics and pesticides make short rotations possible in canola crops, but can they be pushed too far?
As a consistent high profit generator, canola-seeded area has doubled in the past 10 years, mostly by reducing rotations from once every three or four years to once every other year or continuous. However, short rotations encourage development of fungi and weeds able to overcome disease resistance in crops and herbicides. With the right weather […] Read more
Grow more canola? Not so fast
Short rotations | Crop disease such as blackleg and clubroot show the folly of ignoring agronomics
As a consistent high profit generator, canola-seeded area has doubled in the past 10 years, mostly by reducing rotations from once every three or four years to once every other year or continuous. However, short rotations encourage development of fungi and weeds able to overcome disease resistance in crops and herbicides. With the right weather […] Read more
When potash comes to town
Managing the boom | Saskatchewan’s potash boom is unleashing enormous rural development. Existing mines are expanding and 20 companies are exploring potash deposits. Work has begun on two new mines, K+S Potash Canada’s Legacy project north of Moose Jaw, and BHP Billiton’s enormous Jansen Lake project southeast of Humboldt. They require road construction, hundreds of building permits and an unheard-of level of planning and oversight by local government. As The Western Producer’s Karen Briere learned, affected rural municipal governments are on a steep learning curve to keep up.
Saskatchewan’s potash boom is unleashing enormous rural development. Existing mines are expanding and 20 companies are exploring potash deposits. Work has begun on two new mines, K+S Potash Canada’s Legacy project north of Moose Jaw, and BHP Billiton’s enormous Jansen Lake project southeast of Humboldt. They require road construction, hundreds of building permits and an […] Read more
