Manitoba corn growers shouldn’t be in too much of a hurry to plant into cold soils in the spring if they want good, uniform stand establishment. And they might want to consider seed treatments to help plants through germination and emergence, when they can be vulnerable to pests and disease. Those were some of the key messages
Don’t plant corn too early into cool soils
This ‘tender’ crop won’t emerge well and you may be better off waiting for warmer conditions
Soybean cyst nematode: Managing the ‘silent yield robber’
This soybean pest can be impossible to spot but can take a big bite
Soybean cyst nematode (SCN) is a new-to-Manitoba soybean issue that’s the No. 1 soybean pest in North America, and one a U.S. specialist calls the silent yield robber. Soybean cyst nematode (SCN) is a microscopic roundworm that attacks the roots of soybean and is the No. 1 soybean pest in North America. John Wilson, extension
Targeting plant stands for optimum yields
Knowing plant stand targets can determine seeding rates, and help make decisions about reseeding if things go south
A good plant stand is essential to boost yield, so it’s important to use seeding rates that will provide the optimal number of plants per acre or square foot. Optimal plant density depends on crop, intended end use (i.e. grain, silage or forage), growing region and growing conditions (i.e. average rainfall). High plant densities have
Keep your farm team in the loop
An agronomist can be a valuable resource when buying equipment
Should more farmers consult with their agronomist before they make equipment decisions? That was the topic posed to a panel at the Manitoba Agronomists Conference in Winnipeg last December that included a Manitoba farmer, a consulting agronomist and an agronomist with an equipment manufacturer. Jeff Strukoff, a professional agrologist with Bourgault Industries in Saskatchewan, said
Manure: The gift that keeps on giving
Not all manure is created equally when it comes to field applications
How long can manure provide value to farmers’ fields after application? The short answer is that it depends on what you mean by ‘manure,’ and how and when you’re applying it, according to a 10-year study from the University of Manitoba’s National Centre for Livestock & Environment (NCLE). NCLE has been evaluating the short- and
Wet enough for you?
Bringing weather data into your crop planning decisions can be a powerful tool
If you want to know if you should top dress fertilizer in season, a great place to start is with just how much soil moisture is available. Knowing the answer to that question will tell you if there’s any opportunity still out there to be captured, says Ryan Hutchison, of South Country Equipment. South Country’s
Trial and no errors
Planning ahead can make on-farm trials run smoothly
A successful on-farm trial doesn’t just appear out of thin air. It takes communication, collaboration and commitment. Those are the lessons a local farm equipment dealer and global life science giant have learned over the past few years as they’ve teamed up and begun taking research to commercial fields in Manitoba. Representatives of BASF and
On-farm research can best answer producer questions
Good things happen when farmers take field research into commercial farms
For most people agriculture research starts and ends with the small-plot work of research scientists and plant breeders at places like the Brandon Research Centre. Passing by their fields along the Grand Valley Road during the growing season reveals a patchwork quilt of small plots looking at everything from disease resistance to trait expression. There are some good reasons for the
Year in review: Keep an eye out for these critters in 2020
Entomologist John Gavloski says these should be on your radar
Based on what went on in Manitoba fields this past season, producers may want to be on the lookout for several insects in 2020 that could potentially make a reappearance. At the top of the list are flea beetles, cutworms and grasshoppers, according to Manitoba’s provincial entomologist, John Gavloski. Speaking at the recent Manitoba Agronomists
The Manitoba clubroot advantage
So far the transmission pattern for the disease suggests farmers in this province still have time to act
It looks like clubroot is moving just a bit differently in Manitoba and that could be good news for producers trying to slow or stop its spread. Bruce Gossen, a research scientist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC), told the Manitoba agronomist conference earlier this winter there’s a clear pattern in the other Prairie provinces
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
