Reading Time: 2 minutes No one really seems to know for sure how fababeans will work in silage — but Robyne Bowness has a few educated guesses. “Fababeans should make a fantastic silage crop,” said Bowness, pulse research scientist with Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development. “Nutritionally for the animals, fababean is a very good option. It’s high in protein, […] Read more
Fababeans in silage? Give it a shot, says pulse researcher
Nutritionally, fababean silage is a good option — but the return on investment is a question mark
The big two irrigated crops seeing some competition
Forages and cereals still dominate irrigated acreage, but oilseeds and specialty crops are growing in popularity
Reading Time: 3 minutes Each year, Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development publishes a compilation of all 13 of the province’s irrigation districts’ data for the previous year. The latest figures show cereals and forages (pasture, hay and silage crops) still account for two-thirds of the 1,390,000 acres in the districts, but the trend is clear — forage production isn’t […] 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
Faba bean acreage is soaring — and so is knowledge about growing them
Herbicide sensitivity and heat susceptibility were two issues, and lygus bugs seem to find them tasty
Reading Time: 2 minutes Alberta is coming off of a pretty good year for faba beans and that brought with it some valuable lessons learned, says an Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development researcher. “This year we saw acreage go from 30,000 to close to 80,000,” said Robyne Bowness, pulse research scientist in Lacombe. “We had more farmers growing faba […] Read more
Monsanto rolls out fababean inoculant
Fababean growers in Canada in the market for a granular inoculant now have their first-ever option. Monsanto BioAg, the joint microbial marketing arm for Novozymes and Monsanto, announced Friday it will now launch TagTeam fababean granular inoculant, which picked up Canadian Food Inspection Agency approval last fall. The product’s CFIA registration covers its dual-action use […] Read more
Fababeans making more inroads on Prairies
CNS Canada — Fababean acres are on the rise in Western Canada, as the crop is seen as a good pulse alternative for producers seeking other options in their rotations. Better disease resistance and ease of harvest have been two selling points for the crop. “We’ve had significant uptake on fababeans,” said Leanne Fischbuch, executive […] Read more
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