Edible bean growers are being warned the western bean cutworm is headed their way. “You’ve never heard of it, and I hope you never do,” agronomist Chris Gillard told attendees at the recent Manitoba Special Crops Symposium. “But I think it’s coming.” The cutworm, an ongoing pest problem in the southeast corner of Nebraska for
Scary Bug Likely Headed Our Way
Agronomy Growing Focus Of National Sunflower Association
The National Sunflower Association of Canada is upping its agronomy game with the addition of a new staff agronomist. Even though Ed Stroeder, who’s based in Gladstone, is barely a month into his new job, he was front and centre this week at the Manitoba Crop Symposium. Agronomy is a challenge for the Canadian industry
World’s Worst Soybean Disease Hasn’t Arrived Here Yet
Soybean cyst nematode is the worst of the lot when it comes to crop diseases that thrive in soybean crops. It infects the roots of soybean and eventually becomes a cyst. It can cause a variety of symptoms including chlorosis of the laves and stems, root necrosis, loss in seed yield and general suppression of
Two New Sunflower Crop Protection Products In The Works
Manitoba sunflower growers can expect to add two new products to their crop protection arsenals over the next couple of seasons. DuPont representat ive Frances Boddy told sunflower producers at last week’s Special Crops Symposium that the fungicide Vertisan is pending approval from the PMRA, the federal regulatory body that registers farm chemicals. The product
Study Says Upping Inputs Could Drive Down Profits
From their perch at the University of Minnesota, graduate students Wade Kent and Landon Reis have seen a clear trend emerge over the past few years. Higher prices have soybean growers throwing everything they could find – higher seeding rates, more fertility inputs, and more crop protection products – at their crops in order to
Potato Market Outlook: Bad, Better, Then Outstanding
A bear. Then two bulls. That’s how Idaho-based potato economist Joe Guenther sees the North American potato market shaping up in the short, medium and long term. It’s the current crop that’s still in the storage he’s most bearish on, Guenther told the recent Manitoba Potato Days meeting. Last year’s spud acres rose about one
Late Blight Travels In Unusual Ways
“It’s a community disease – it spreads far and fast. Don’t try to hide it.” – GARY SECOR The U. S. potato industry was confronted with a widespread outbreak of late blight in 2009 that originated from a surprising source. “It was from some tomatoes that were being distributed in the field to big box
Proper Storage Takes Planning
Apotato storage is a home, not a hospital.” That was the central theme of potato storage specialist Duane “Sarge” Preston’s recent presentation at Manitoba Potato Days. Preston, a now-retired extension specialist, told growers that getting conditions right before, during and just following harvest would trump anything they could do once the crop was put up
Wireworm Control A Looming Problem
Wireworm control could become a troublesome issue for Canadian potato growers in the next couple of years, says a research scientist from AAFC’s Agassiz Research Centre in British Columbia. But Bob Vernon told the recent Manitoba Potato Days meeting that the best control tool on the market is about to disappear, which could leave Canadian
Shareholders Pressure Companies For Change
“I think all agriculture products are going to face this challenge, not just potatoes.” – YVES LECLERC It all began with a filing at the U. S. Securities and Exchange Commission. A group of unlikely McDonald’s Restaurant shareholders – including a college investment fund, an ethical investment adviser and a labour group registered a “shareholders’
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
