Farm management specialist Darren Bond (r) says a calculator on the MAFRI website can help calculate break-even costs.

To spray or not to spray for fungal disease

You don’t have to just pencil it in and spray anyway — there are tools to help make the decision

To spray or not to spray for fungal diseases? Will the extra yield offset the cost? In practice this decision is often made based on farmers’ comfort levels, but economics should always be considered, said Holly Derksen, field crop pathologist for Manitoba Agriculture, at this year’s Crop Diagnostic School in Carman. “You have to understand

July 16th FHB Risk Map

Fusarium head blight risk maps for 2018

[UPDATED: JULY 16, 2018] Fusarium head blight (FHB) risk maps are posted daily courtesy of Manitoba Agriculture. During the winter wheat flowering period up to the end of the flowering period for spring wheat, these risk maps will be provided for you here. Warm, humid conditions occurring when the crop is susceptible to infection (during flowering) are favourable to


Warm weather, rainfall advance crop development

Manitoba Crop Report and Crop Weather report for July 9

Southwest Region Heavy rains early in the week in parts of the Southwest. Newdale and Minnedosa received the highest amounts of 45 to 50 mm. Hot and dry weather during the remainder of the week advanced crop development, and may have resulted in some crop stress. Warm season crops are benefitting more from the warmer

Weather sees rise in crop development, dugout levels improve

Manitoba Crop Report and Crop Weather report for July 3

Warm conditions and rainfall over the past week welcomed and has advanced crop development. Herbicide applications are mostly complete. Fungicide applications occurring where disease risk high, crop stage correct and stands looking good. First cut of hay/alfalfa compete or underway with lower than average yields. Pastures and hay/alfalfa have good regrowth where rainfall occurring, dugout


Manitoba Pork swine health programs manager Jenelle Hamblin.

Hog sector biosecurity changes paint target on PEDv

PEDv has not reached the heights this year that gripped the pork industry during Manitoba’s historic outbreak in 2017, but the sector is still on high alert. Nine new cases have been reported in 2018 as of June 18, while 78 of Manitoba’s total 91 PED-positive cases were dubbed presumptive negative as of mid-May. This

Crops are stagey this year, making finding the right window for fusarium head blight fungicide applications an even 
tougher target.

Heads-up for fusarium head blight

With so many things in farming timing is everything

Early flowering is the time to apply a fungicide to suppress fusarium head blight in winter and spring wheat. But there are things to consider, including if weather conditions are right for the disease (moist and warm), and if the crop is worth investing in, says Manitoba Agriculture’s field crop pathologist Holly Derksen. Last week


Soybean seedlings (right) exhibit the suddenly pinched and thin stem that might indicate disease, compared to healthy seedlings on the left.

On watch for sick seedlings?

Sparse emergence might be more than a germination issue, Manitoba Agriculture warns

Poor emergence is a common story for crops caught by lack of rain this year, but seedling disease may be another culprit. Manitoba Agriculture field crop pathologist Holly Derksen says seedling disease may mimic a poor stand, particularly if infection came in on the seed or if the germinated seed is exposed before it breaks

Farmers and industry try their luck identifying seedlings in the weed garden during the western weed seedling identification day in Brandon May 25.

Early weed identification key for early management

Do you know which weeds are lurking in your fields? When they’re young, provincial extension staff warn it might be hard to tell

Manitoba farmers are well acquainted with redroot pigweed, with its common reddish tinge, and most would not balk at putting a name to the seedling, even with only a few cotyledons breaking ground. If you’re in one of the unlucky Manitoba municipalities to be ‘blessed’ with waterhemp however, it might not be redroot pigweed at


Soybean seedlings (right) exhibit the suddenly pinched and thin stem that might indicate disease, compared to healthy seedlings on the left.

Running down the risks of seedling disease

Sparse emergence might be more than a germination issue, Manitoba Agriculture warns

Poor emergence is a common story for crops caught by lack of rain this year, but seedling disease may be another culprit. Manitoba Agriculture field crop pathologist Holly Derksen says seedling disease may mimic a poor stand, particularly if infection came in on the seed or if the germinated seed is exposed before it breaks

Flea beetles are present in Manitoba canola fields every year, but this year’s infestation is worse than usual.

Worst year ever for flea beetles?

June 10 is the deadline for full crop insurance coverage in Canola Area 2

If you think flea beetles are worse this year, you’re not alone. “I haven’t done formal surveying, but I feel pretty confident in saying yes, it is absolutely worse this year,” Angela Brackenreed, the Canola Council of Canada’s eastern Manitoba agronomy specialist, said June 7. “From my personal experience, not that I am long in