Reading Time: < 1 minute The Barley Grain Feed Industry Guide is a new publication from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada in conjunction with Alberta Barley. The 34-page guide was compiled by ruminant nutrition expert Tim McAllister of Ag Canada’s Lethbridge Research Centre and post-doctoral researcher Sarah Meale. It features work of leading researchers in feed barley breeding, processing, and feed […] Read more
New guide to feed barley for producers
New developments in forage-breeding research
One of the more recent offerings is hybrid bromegrass, which offers high first-cut yields and fairly rapid regrowth for grazing
Reading Time: 3 minutes Cattle producers across Western Canada rely on perennial forage grass species to provide their livestock with ample nutrition during the grazing period and for hay. Mother Nature provided these grasses with winter hardiness and reasonable drought tolerance needed to prosper in the Prairie climate — but University of Saskatchewan researchers have done their part, too. […] Read more
Soil bacteria may offer weapon against late blight in potatoes
Potato producers may soon have a new ally in their battle against late blight, and it’s right under their feet. Researchers have discovered bacterial strains in the soil that show promise as disease controls. Some bacteria suppress or inhibit late blight by over 90 per cent, according to an Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) release. […] Read more
Brace yourself — winter annual weeds worse than usual this year
Dry conditions earlier this spring gave winter annuals an edge and for some growers, it’s too late to manage them
Reading Time: 2 minutes The dry conditions of early spring could lead to a spike in winter annual weeds. “Winter annuals could be a problem,” said Neil Harker, research scientist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. “We really haven’t had a lot of spring moisture, so the ones that were already established, like stinkweed and flixweed and winter annual cleavers, […] Read more
Watch for herbicide-resistant weeds
There are 21 resistant weeds on the Prairies and 38 million acres have at least one of them
Reading Time: < 1 minute The first few weeks of the growing season is a great time to police fields for suspicious weeds. Look for weeds that survived pre-seed burn-off or post-emergent sprays while others of the same species have died. These few weeds could be resistant, and it would be good to nab them early. “It takes 14 to […] Read more
Crop pest and disease watch for 2015
Some of the usual suspects could be back this year, especially if you are pushing your rotations
Reading Time: 6 minutes The new growing season is underway, with a combination of old and new challenges and opportunities. Alberta Farmer reporter Alexis Kienlen asked some experts about things that producers should look out for this growing season. Here’s what they had to say: Plant diseases It’s difficult for plant pathologists to predict the possibility of diseases, said Kelly […] Read more
Pick the right tool for the job when creating cover crop blends
Using a diverse blend of cover crops — including cool- and warm-season grasses and broadleaf crops — covers the bases while targeting soil issues
Reading Time: 3 minutes When it comes to choosing the right cover crops for your farm, one size definitely doesn’t fit all. “Growers need to have an objective in mind in terms of what they want to get out of a cover crop,” said Bob Blackshaw, a research scientist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. “You have to choose the […] Read more
Stripe rust update for southern and central Alberta
Reading Time: < 1 minute Stripe rust continues to be reported in southern and central Alberta. Eric Amundsen at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada in Lethbridge surveyed winter wheat fields for stripe rust last week and reported finding the disease in five of 12 fields (two in Cardston County, one field in each of Lethbridge County, County of Warner and M.D. […] Read more
More acres this spring for nearly all crops: AAFC
Canadian farmers are expected to take area out of summerfallow this spring for more acres of almost all major grains, oilseeds, pulses and special crops, the federal agriculture department said Friday. Canada’s total 2015-16 crop production is forecast to rise, due mainly to higher seeded area, due in turn to lower area in summerfallow and […] Read more
Streamlined variety registration system set to launch in 2016
A streamlined system would allow new varieties to hit the market sooner, but less performance testing sparks concerns
Reading Time: 3 minutes A new variety registration system could be in place and fully operational by next year — if the players in the value chain can agree on doing away with the current three-part system. “The system needs to be efficient, it needs to be transparent, and it needs to be predictable,” said Erin Armstrong, director of […] Read more
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