The federal government is investing $5,733,852 million in funding to advance soybean, corn and oat research and promote diverse crop rotations across Canada.
Feds invest in research to promote more diverse crop rotations
Controlling herbicide-resistant kochia requires some different strategies
While tillage in general can harm soil health, a strategic targeted approach can help bury the seed
Reading Time: 3 minutes It’s time for a new mode of action for kochia control, but not one found in a jug of chemical. “We’ve had several years in a row of favourable conditions for kochia growth. That also can contribute to selection pressure for resistance, when herbicides are some of the primary measures that we’re using to manage […] Read more
Stubble in crop rotations might surprise you
Reading Time: < 1 minute A new tool from Alberta Wheat and Alberta Barley can help producers with rotation planning. The tool, a table that uses 10 years’ worth of AFSC crop data, “provides a breakdown of the average percent yield of certain crops when seeded into specific crop stubble.” The table, which has 12 crops (six cereals, three pulses, […] Read more
Imagine you couldn’t grow canola, warns farm leader
Clubroot’s arrival in the Peace isn’t a shocker, but it’s another sign farmers are flirting with disaster, say canola experts
Reading Time: 5 minutes In the war between canola producers and clubroot, clubroot is winning. “The clubroot-infested area is spreading at roughly about 30 kilometres a year, and we’re only managing it at 20 kilometres a year,” said Dan Orchard, agronomy specialist for the Canola Council of Canada. “We got an appreciation this year for just how fast it […] Read more
Venture into sunflowers proves profitable
The Botts were told that sunflowers weren’t suitable for their farm, but that didn’t stop them
Reading Time: 3 minutes When someone told Roger Bott, he couldn’t grow sunflowers in his part of Alberta, he was determined to try. Eight years on, Bott and wife Bonita — and a lot of residents of Clearwater County — are glad they did. “People are also really enjoying looking at the sunflowers when they’re on the highway,” said […] Read more
The British are coming! And taking precision tillage to a new level
U.K. machine is pricey, but organic grain grower says it will easily pay for itself
Reading Time: 2 minutes Jeremiah Evans has a new high-tech hand helping him control weeds on his organic farm. Last fall, Evans took delivery of a custom-built U.K.-manufactured Robocrop InRow Weeder, which uses cutting-edge video image analysis to identify and target weeds, leaving the crop behind. After seeing what the cultivator could do to his wild oats, thistle and […] Read more
It’s a bit creepy, but ‘mystery syndrome’ is no cause for alarm
Buds on canola plants are doing things they shouldn’t — like turning into leaves or stems
Reading Time: 3 minutes If you’re seeing weird things in your canola — like buds turning into stems or leaves — don’t be alarmed. But what’s causing this “mystery syndrome” has Alberta experts scratching their heads. “You’ve got something that should be forming a pod, and it turns into a weirdly shaped leaf or a piece of stem or […] Read more
Tight rotations may not harm canola yields — but soil health suffers
A long-term study on diversity in rotations produced some surprises, but the benefits were also clear
Reading Time: 3 minutes Brian Beres wasn’t surprised to find more diverse rotations increase cereal grain yields, improve soil health, and increase microbial biomass. What surprised him was how canola fared under tight rotations. Quite well, as a matter of fact. “It was surprising to see that canola didn’t respond to diversity if you looked at crop response variables […] Read more
No hill of beans: fababean acreage soars, soybeans may be next
Faba bean acreage has increased tenfold in two years and could double again next year, with soybeans following suit
Reading Time: 3 minutes Every farmer knows a four-year crop rotation is best for good crops, healthy fields and managing pests. However, the four-year ideal often clashes with production reality: canola has been the big money-maker, and while legumes are good for nitrogen fixing, they usually pay less and can present big challenges with disease, standability and harvestability compared […] Read more
Root rot risk on the rise
Root rot symptoms are often confused with other crop problems, so early detection and accurate diagnosis is critical
Reading Time: 3 minutes Early-season root rots could be on the rise in areas of the province that had a cool, wet start to seeding. “In the past few years, we’ve seen a lot of root disease issues, and I would say they’re primarily driven by environment,” said Michael Harding, research scientist with Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development. “These […] Read more
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