Inputs - by Top Crop Manager

Busy harvesting and planning for next season, September is a hectic time for farmers in Western Canada. This past year proved to be a challenging one for growers in the Prairies – whether it was dealing with fluctuating weather patterns, trying to maintain soil health for next spring or keeping machinery clean and working efficiently, growers have a lot on their plate right now.

In this episode of Inputs, Carmen Prang, an agronomy extension specialist with the Saskatchewan Wheat Development Commission, talks about some best practices when it comes to harvesting wheat in Western Canada, as well as some tips on how set yourself up for success next spring.

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According to surveys conducted between 2015 and 2017, 48 to 99 per cent of lentil and pea fields in Saskatchewan had moderate to severe root rot; heavily infested fields in Saskatchewan and Alberta reported complete yield losses. There are few tools to combat root rots available – long crop rotations or lowering the pathogen load in a field through control options applied to other crops in rotation are the most common ones to combat Aphanomyces euteiches and Fusarium avenaceum – two soil-borne root rots found across the Prairies – respectively.

In January, Sabine Banniza, a professor in the University of Saskatchewan's College of Agriculture and Bioresources, received funding from Saskatchewan's Agriculture Development Fund (ADF) and the Saskatchewan Pulse Growers Association for a four-year project to develop a multi-parent advanced generation intercross (MAGIC) lentil population that aims to have resistance to A. euteiches and F. avenaceum.

In this episode of Inputs, Banniza speaks with Top Crop Manager East editor Alex Barnard about the goals and intended methods of the MAGIC lentil project, lentil breeding and resistance genes in general, and the particular challenges created by A. euteiches and F. avenaceum.

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Support for this episode provided by Gowan Canada.

Keeping nitrogen where you want it is most beneficial for your crop, the environment and your wallet. Enhanced efficiency nitrogen fertilizers, or EENFs, are meant to do exactly that. But the different functions and varieties available can make it daunting to know what's the right choice.

Cheyne Ogilvie, an agrologist who recently completed her graduate studies at the University of Saskatchewan, spoke with Inputs co-host Dylan Sjølie about EENFs and her research on them. In this episode, she discusses what EENFs are and how the different varieties function, 4R nutrient management, and her graduate research on whether EENFs could reduce nitrous oxide emissions – specifically, in irrigated spring wheat in central Saskatchewan.

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• You can find Cheyne on Twitter at @cheyne_ogilvie
• Her thesis can be found here.

Support for this episode provided by Gowan Canada.

They may be hard to see, but don’t make the mistake of neglecting these tiny, green pests until it’s too late! Aphids can cause damage to several crops, particularly when high numbers descend on your field, as can lygus bugs, which can wreak havoc even in lower quantities.

In this episode of Inputs, John Gavloski, an entomologist with Manitoba Agriculture, and Rachel Evans, technical sales manager for the eastern Prairies with FMC Canada, talk about how to control aphids and lygus bugs, as well as what growers can expect this coming season.

Corn can be susceptible to several different pests throughout the growing season, and for farmers, understanding which BT traits they are using in their fields is vital for a successful control management strategy.

In this episode of Inputs, research scientist for field crop pest management at the University of Guelph’s Ridgetown campus Jocelyn Smith discusses the various pests that can impact corn growers in Ontario and Eastern Canada, as well as what farmers can do to mitigate the threat and help advance ongoing research.

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Support for this episode provided by FMC Canada.

Grasshoppers can make farmers a little jumpy this time of year, particularly when the weather is hot and dry. But, there are ways to manage these pests and keep their numbers under control.

 In this episode of Inputs, James Tansey, and entomologist with the Government of Saskatchewan, and Rachel Evans, technical sales manager for the eastern Prairies with FMC Canada, share their insights into what regions could see high numbers of grasshoppers this year, how to implement an ideal integrated pest management strategy and what growers can expect when using products that help mitigate these resilient insects. 

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Herbicide resistance is an industry-wide problem, which means everyone has a part to play in preventing or slowing the development of resistance. In this episode, Dale Ziprick, a product manager with Gowan Canada, discusses the benefits of herbicides old and new, slowing the development of glyphosate resistance in wild oat in Canada, and the importance of layering or rotating herbicides. 

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Support for this episode provided by Gowan Canada.

The recent snowfall might have put a damper on planting fervour, but we're closing in on the right time to put crops in the ground for 2023. But taking a little time to prepare what you can while you can will save time and headaches down the line, and starting clean can help set you up for success.

In this episode of Inputs, co-host Dylan Sjolie speaks with Ian Epp, an agronomy specialist with the Canola Council of Canada and active farmer, about preparing for the 2023 growing season. They discuss the lingering effects of the 2021 and 2022 growing seasons on the Prairies, what the new regulations for lambda-cyhalothrin mean for canola growers, and the early season pests and diseases producers should watch for.

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• Contact Ian at [email protected] or find your regional CCC agronomy specialist
• The Canola Encyclopedia
• Sign up for weekly Canola Watch emails

Support for this episode provided by Gowan Canada.

It's officially spring, which means planting time is fast approaching. What should Ontario corn growers keep in mind as they prepare for the 2023 growing season?

In this episode of Inputs, Ben Rosser, corn specialist with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA), recaps the 2022 corn season, shares some things to watch for in the coming season, and discusses a corn strip-till fertility trial going on at the University of Guelph.

Never miss an episode of Inputs by subscribing to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

• Visit gocorn.net for hybrid info, seasonal summaries, interactive tools and more.
• FieldCropNews.com posts helpful articles throughout the growing season.

Support for this episode provided by Gowan.

Insect pests are a fact of life each season; the big question is which ones are going to pose a greater problem than others. While it's not possible to know everything before the growing season kicks off in earnest, there are factors already at play which can provide some indication of what to watch for.

In this episode, Eastern editor Alex Barnard chats with Tracey Baute, field crop entomologist with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, discuss top insect pests from 2022, pests to watch for in 2023, and what to know about the loss of products containing lambda-cyhalothrin.

Never miss an episode of Inputs by subscribing to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Show notes

• Field Crop News: Field crop pest management in the absence of Matador, Silencer, Voliam Xpress and Endigo in 2023
• Podcast: Managing Bt-resistant corn rootworm

Support for this episode provided by Gowan.