Glacier FarmMedia – The pace of plant breeding has quickened by leaps and bounds, from selective breeding to the use of transgenics. Still, the process of breeding seeds with desired traits, rechecking for trait and yield performance and increasing those numbers for commercial availability all takes more than a decade. Or does it? Why it
Plant breeding picks up the pace
Thirteen years of breeding and production can now be done in five
Solid footing for Manitoba’s winter cereal crops
The fall had some quirks, but an open seeding window boosted interest in the crop
Manitoba’s winter cereals are off to a good start. Anne Kirk, cereals specialist with Manitoba Agriculture, and Alex Griffiths, agronomist with the winter wheat program of Ducks Unlimited Canada, both report plenty of fields in good shape, particularly those seeded in the prime window in early to mid-September. “We have had some moisture this September,
Getting plants to do the tillage
Bio-strip tilling combines cover crop and strip-till philosophies
Nick Stokman and Ian McDonald have more than 80 years of combined experience in farming, research and extension. Yet they’re relative newcomers to the practice of bio-strip tilling, a means of replacing tillage implements with plants. Why it matters: Bio-strip till broadens the concept of a cover crop, clearing rows for planting and allowing crops to grow after a terminated
New seed treatment designed to boost cereals
Product centred on enhancing phosphorus solubility and improving early vigour
Boosting nitrogen use to reduce nitrogen-based fertilizer applications, has been a feature of several products in the past five years. Lalrise Start SC liquid inoculant aims to improve another key nutrient. The seed treatment designed to enhance phosphorus solubility has received full commercial registration and will be available in spring 2024 for spring wheat, oats,
The potential of mid-season corn tissue sampling
Early results look promising, but more data is needed
Glacier FarmMedia – Increasing yields while decreasing reliance on fertilizers and inputs is a balancing act of doing more with less. The good news is there are more farmers, agronomists, advisers and researchers measuring specific soil and plant needs, identifying what’s missing and recommending when and where to place inputs for maximum benefit. The 2022
Charting the return of silage hybrids
Many producers want a broader range of attributes for corn
Glacier FarmMedia – When assessing value in a corn crop, producers’ needs vary according to end uses. It’s been 25 years since genetically modified hybrids became the norm and some in the seed trade say dual hybrids serve grain and feed sectors equally well. However, livestock producers seek better digestibility, efficient feed use and palatability
Confusion remains about soil health
Producers get mixed messages on what they should do to improve their ground
Soil health is a catchphrase that has dominated the agri-food landscape for at least five years, but what does it mean? The term has been adopted and re-imagined by countless individuals, organizations and groups to support everything from organics to cover crops, reduced till or no till, carbon sequestration, sustainability and regenerative agriculture. Adding to
Soybean cyst nematode in crosshairs for food-grade soybeans
Future varieties will resist diseases SCN and white mould
Soybean cyst nematode and white mould are bad news for Canadian soybean growers and, although both are more of an issue to the east, SCN has been creeping into Manitoba for the last five years. In 2021, Manitoba saw its first field with symptoms, although the first finding of the nematode dates back to 2019.
Keeping your herbicides on target
Herbicide resistance, seed technologies add complexity to spray decisions
Glacier FarmMedia – Off-target movement of herbicides carries a risk to your crops, the neighbour’s crop and insurance premiums. With the arrival of Group 4 and Group 9 herbicide technologies, growers may think weed management is simpler. But resistant weed biotypes confound that notion and challenge growers and their advisors with tank-mix solutions and application
Safety risks lurk in rush to seed
It only takes a few seconds for things to go disastrously wrong
A few things usually herald the busiest seasons for Canadian farmers: Equipment starts to move on highways, producers rack up more hours in the cab and every farm safety organization in the country reminds farmers to keep safety in mind during the race to plant. In Manitoba, Keystone Agricultural Producers is no exception. Spring safety
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
