“We lost money with most advanced agronomic practices. Most things actually resulted in a net economic loss.”


Fungicide application offers best bang for your buck — in the right conditions

Expert says fungicides paid off big for wheat in wet conditions, 
but plant growth regulators and extra nitrogen weren’t worth the cost

Reading Time: 3 minutes You know the old saying: In order to make money, you’ve got to spend money. But spend it wisely, says an Alberta Agriculture research scientist. “There’s a lot of different agronomic practices out there that you can spend money on — but which ones are going to make you money?” Sheri Strydhorst asked attendees at […] Read more

black, ergot-infected cereal grains spelling the word "ergot"

Expert advice for ergot control

There’s no silver bullet for combating ergot, but mowing grasses 
near fields and good agronomics can make a big difference

Reading Time: 3 minutes Ergot is a rising threat on the Prairies, and plant researchers are trying to figure out the best way to combat the disease. “Everyone is concerned with fusarium head blight, but ergot is right up there in terms of danger,” said Jamie Larsen, a research scientist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada in Lethbridge. Rye and […] Read more


On-farm research can pay big dividends but “no data is better than bad data,” says Farming Smarter’s 
Ken Coles.  Photo: Jennifer Blair

On-farm research done right can save producers big bucks

It takes time and effort, but doing research on your farm means you’re 
‘not just flying blind’ when buying costly inputs

Reading Time: 3 minutes There really wasn’t much scientific about Kevin Auch’s first foray into on-farm research almost 30 years ago. “It was basically a visual display of micros being applied by hand in a severely eroded area — there was no measured-out pounds per acre or anything like that,” said the Carmangay-area mixed grain farmer. “All it would […] Read more

Preliminary results of Michael Harding’s night-spraying research show that morning may be the best time to spray fungicides.

Spray fungicides before breakfast and herbicides at lunch

Morning may be best for spraying fungicide, but save your herbicide application for midday

Reading Time: 3 minutes Time of day counts when it comes to spraying for weeds and diseases, a study being conducted by Farming Smarter suggests. “If we have a better understanding of which herbicides work better under different conditions, we might be able to come up with a schedule that will maximize our efficacies,” said Ken Coles, the Lethbridge […] Read more