Manitoba’s crop diversification centres are well on their way to harvesting another crop of data from trials at their respective sites. Seeding is all or nearly complete at all diversification centres.
Staff faced the same wet-weather challenges as many farmers throughout the province. The centres, located in four different climatic zones, all experienced wet and cold conditions in early spring. The higher-than-normal precipitation prevented soil from draining ahead of planting and as a result, planting was delayed by at least two weeks.
However, the rate of germination and crop emergence was helped by sufficient soil moisture. In most trials, centres report good germination percentages.
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At the July 6 edition of Manitoba Agriculture’s Crop Talk webinar, representatives from each of the four centres were invited to outline current research and promote their field days.
The first of those events is at the Westman Agricultural Diversification Organization (WADO) in Melita on July 20. Attendees will tour the centre, and there will be hands-on presentations at trial sites.
The presentations will include a rundown of WADO’s quinoa variety and seed date trials, delivered by Percy Phillips of Phillex. It will also include an overview of trials that focus on intercropping (canola, oats and barley) with peas.
Gord Finlay will talk about a dry bean nitrogen and phosphorus fertility study and Kristen MacMillan will discuss the centre’s dry bean inoculant project. Amir Farooq and Dennis Lange from Manitoba Agriculture will discuss soybean variety trials and agronomic considerations.
Manitoba Agriculture’s Dane Froese will be on hand to talk about flax trials and Bruce Brolley from Roquette and Scott Chalmers from WADO will break down the Roquette pea trials at the centre.
To register, call the WADO centre at 204-522-5415 or email [email protected].
Next up is the Prairies East Sustainable Agriculture Initiative Inc. (PESAI) crop tour on July 26 in Arborg. The format is similar to that of WADO and will consist of a guided tour of the site with presentations.
The first presentation will look at biostimulants in cereal crops, hosted by Tim Dyck of Canadian Agronomics Inc. Terry Buss from Manitoba Agriculture will talk about trials on growing soybeans and peas in a wet year.
Pam Iwanchysko from Manitoba Agriculture will deliver a presentation on annual forages and mixtures for forage production and quality and Scott Beaton from Understanding Ag will be discussing regenerative agriculture.
To register, call 204-391-3623 or email [email protected].
On July 27, the Parkland Crop Diversification Foundation (PCDF) will hold its field day near Roblin. Manitoba Agriculture’s Elizabeth Nernberg will discuss forages and silage production. Laura Schmidt from the Manitoba Pulse and Soybean Growers and Amir Farooq from Manitoba Agriculture will be looking at PCDF’s pulse and soybean trials.
PCDF’s James Frey will discuss intercropping for grain, forages and pollinators. And finally, Jeff Kostiuk will talk about hemp for grain, fibre and CBD.
To register, call, 204-247-0346 or email [email protected]
The Canada-Manitoba Crop Diversification Centre (CMCDC) will host the last field day for the centres on Aug. 9 in Carberry. The sandy soils in the region lend themselves to potatoes, so potato trials dominate research at this site.
The day begins with a look at best management practices in potato applied research that examines nutrient management impacts on marketable potato yield; living root research; cultural control of black dot disease in potatoes; and mustard as a biofumigant for potatoes. The afternoon programming consists of discussions on crop diversification and potato rotational options. Darren Bond will discuss farm risk-assessment tools. Anne Kirk will talk about high value row crops.
Dennis Lange will talk about growing peas for profitability and Shawn Cabak will discuss integrated crop-livestock systems.
To register contact Garth Christison at 204-834-2007 or email [email protected].
Manitoba’s Crop Diversification Centres conduct applied production research trials in collaboration with provincial crop and livestock specialists, industry stakeholders, academic institutions and local producers to develop and support sustainable agronomic solutions for cereals, corn, oilseeds, pulses, special crops, forages and potatoes.
