Even a small field has variability from one end to the next. With more variability or larger fields comes the opportunity to vary input levels to better match the yield potential of each unique part of the field. Deciding on how many zones to split a field into and what the deciding factor for each... Read More

Legumes, such as alfalfa, trefoil, and sainfoin, are a great feed source, are excellent for soil health, and play a role in sequestering carbon in the soil. According to emerging research by Dr. Bart Lardner, legumes in the bovine diet also lowers methane emissions, one of the components being measured in an on-going research project... Read More

A non-winter for much of Ontario and a milder-than-average early spring for parts of Western Canada has got farmers and entomologists on high alert. Parts of Ontario are as much as two or three weeks ahead of the 10-year average for growing degree accumulation, and because insect development is driven by heat, those first crops... Read More

Intercropping is the practice of growing two or more crops seeded at the same time (in one pass or two) that are then also harvested at the same time. The seeds are separated post-harvest, and the yield can, at times, out yield what each crop would have yielded on its own. But not all crops... Read More

There’s no data better suited to a farm than data derived FROM that farm. Designing and executing an on-farm field trial can be incredibly valuable for informing changes in production practices, but it’s key that the trial be designed to deliver solid data. To tackle what it takes to get the most out of on-farm... Read More

Soybean cyst nematode is a tiny but very destructive pest of soybean. It’s so damaging, that its presence can cause up to 25 per cent yield loss before symptoms are visible. Once SCN is in a field, it won’t ever go away — for Manitoba and points west, there’s still a chance to keep this... Read More

Wheat is a crop that sets yield potential very early in the season, so it’s imperative that the crop get off to the best start possible. Once plant stands and tillers are off to the races, splitting nitrogen can manage risk and help reach full yield potential. What’s more, late N can also bump protein... Read More

When it comes to phosphorus, having early availability close to the seed is of utmost importance to support early seedling development. Too much phosphorus too close can also cause seedling toxicity and death. What’s the right amount for starter fertilizer? There’s no one right answer, but there are several considerations for phosphorus management at seeding,... Read More

Nitrogen fertilizer can be lost through volatilization, leaching, or denitrification depending on conditions. Farmers can adapt application practices and timing to minimize loss, and they can choose to have nitrogen fertilizer treated with an enhanced efficiency product. For a discussion on losses, loss management, and what product to use and when, this episode of The... Read More

Clubroot is a persistent, destructive, soil-borne disease of canola that lurks in soil waiting to be carried by equipment, boots, wheels, or even wind to a new field. First found in an Alberta canola field over 20 years ago, clubroot is now found in each of the Prairie Provinces and some of the northern American... Read More

There are aspects of soil that are unchangeable — the amount of sand, silt, and clay, for example. But many other measures of soil can be nudged, either to the good or bad, when it comes to soil productivity and health. Organic matter, porosity, and bulk density are all changeable, but how do they impact... Read More

Soybean prices aren’t the shiny prize they were a year or so ago, and that has plenty of farmers sharpening the pencil on cropping plans. If input dollars are scarce (and they always are), where do you spend and where to do you save? For that conversation, when it comes to the most important pass,... Read More

Orange wheat blossom midge — or simply, the wheat midge — devastated spring wheat yields in the ’90s. Since then, wheat breeders have been working hard to build protection into wheat varieties. To help with tips to scout for the pest, why spraying is a limited option, how Field Heroes help, and what’s new in... Read More

For years, even decades, one crop’s boost in productivity because of following a different crop was put down as the “rotation effect.” As we begin to unravel what the rotation effect actually is, it’s clear that rooting depth and type, root exudates, and microbial population shifts all play a role in contributing to the bigger... Read More

Biological products, such as inoculants for pulses and soybeans, have been around a very long time, but the ever-expanding world of biological products now means that growers have options for hundreds of products that are supposed to do everything from stimulating root growth, to helping plants recover from hail, to fixing nitrogen. To help evaluate... Read More

Cover crops are not magic. It’s important to first understand the goal of using a cover crop and then measuring up each species and season to see if it’s a match. Farmers from east to west are using cover crops to accomplish several things: reducing erosion, cycling nutrients, fixing nitrogen, and fighting weeds, but that... Read More

Canola is an elastic, amazingly resilient plant, but it starts as a very tiny seed and emerges under threat of certain death by very hungry flea beetles. Setting up this crop for great yield is the typical combination of establishment, nutrition, and crop protection, but in this episode of The Agronomists, we dig in to... Read More

What drives maximum corn yield? We kick off a new season of The Agronomists talking about the king of them all — corn. To tackle the topics of hybrid selection, the planting pass, disease considerations, and fertility, host Lyndsey Smith is joined by Paul Sullivan of Sullivan Agro, Mark Foster of Jockbrae Farms, and Nicole... Read More

It’s time to wrap up this season of The Agronomists, tackling the top agronomy lessons of the year. From extreme dryness in parts of Alberta and Saskatchewan, to a mixed season in Manitoba, and a dry-to-very-wet season in Ontario, we’ve got three agronomists to unpack the worst and the wins of 2023. For this episode... Read More

Dealing with herbicide resistant weeds or trying to control weeds without access to certain herbicides really equates to the same thing — finding alternative means to control weeds. For attendees at Agritechnica, that meant a focus on iron, from inter-row and around the plant cultivation, to precision tillage, but also into the spot-spray realm. To... Read More

The topic of tile drainage can get a little controversial — moving water has always been. When digging in to the ins and outs of tile drainage, however, it’s clear that at least some of the sticking points are based on myths. To get the real talk on tile, host Lyndsey Smith is joined by... Read More

Once nitrogen fertilizer lands on or in soil it may be at risk of loss — through leaching, volatilization, or denitrification. Management choices can minimize losses, through split-application, deep banding, or choice of product, but adding an enhanced efficiency fertilizer product can guard against loss, too. How the products work, when to use which, and... Read More

Small variances add up when it comes to data — a few percentage point difference could mean choosing the wrong variety or leaving huge bushels on the table. But what makes for strong data and why does it matter so much? From trial designs and reps, to site selection, and the importance of calibrating equipment,... Read More

Like the Christmas decorations coming out at Costco, it feels like the variety and hybrid line-up decision keeps moving earlier and earlier each year. For some farmers, early decisions are vital in order to secure the exact variety, treatment, and trait package, but that decision is sometimes made before the current-year’s data is compiled. To... Read More