It’s the last Wheat Pete’s Word of May! Very quickly are the growing months going to fly by… On this episode of Wheat Pete’s Word, host Peter Johnson discusses wild weather, why talking to the public matters, the importance of not beating yourself up, and so much more. Have a question you’d like Johnson to… Read More
It’s mid-May, but you almost wouldn’t know it by looking at seeding progress in Manitoba and parts of Saskatchewan. Super-dry Alberta and suddenly-warm Ontario bookend the seeding and planting progress and average things out (what does average really tell us, anyway?). On this episode of Wheat Pete’s Word, host Peter Johnson brings us up to… Read More
If your idea of a beneficial insect is one that sits back and waits for dinner to crawl on by, you’ve likely never heard about the secret lives of lacewings. Green lacewings are nothing short of ferocious, and, as Dr. Tyler Wist of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada explains, they’re more like aphid-hunting lions than laid-back… Read More
On this episode of The Agronomists we’ve brought in two guests who know all there is to know about the pesky pests that seem to inevitably find their way into your crops. We are talking about the infamous wireworm, flea beetles that can wreak havoc on canola crops, and cutworms that, let’s face it, are… Read More
Every year, dry bean growers wrestle with insects and the impact they have on yield and quality. Some of the pests arrive early in the season, some of them come later. Some do damage above ground while others do their business under ground. On this episode of RealAgriculture’s Edible Bean School, OMAFRA canola and edible… Read More
Waterhemp, the invading resistant weed, often misidentified as redroot, green, or smooth pigweed, continues to build resistance against herbicide control in Ontario. University of Guelph weed scientist Dr. Peter Sikkema and his research team have now confirmed waterhemp resistance to Group 27 herbicides in the province. He shared the news earlier this week during a Ridgetown/Simcoe… Read More
With over 30 species of wireworms across the Prairies, the chances of you seeing some in the springtime are pretty good. For the most part, it does get narrowed down into three main species of wireworms that seem to cause the most issues in our cereal crops: the bicolor, the destructor, and the californicus. Lyle… Read More
Can you tell an armyworm from a hover fly larva? What about a helpful pirate bug from a lygus? The trouble with insect identification is that it’s actually incredibly difficult, especially when you’re looking for adults but find nymphs, or are nervous about a pest species and a look-alike pops up. John Gavolski, entomologist with… Read More
A cool, wet spring has slowed fieldwork and dreams of early planting appear to be disappearing as the calendar turns to May. But the backward conditions have not stalled weed growth in fields across Ontario. That means growers will need to keep a close eye on winter annuals and mounting weed pressure in soybean and corn… Read More
Biology is forever adapting — to tillage, to cropping systems, and to selection pressure of herbicide applications. The advent of herbicide resistance has created a huge challenge for farmers across North America. Some of the worst weeds include kochia, fleabane, wild oats, waterhemp, and Palmer amaranth. Managing these weeds and delaying more resistance requires a… Read More
Mitigating pests will always be a top priority for many, but how much of a role can Mother Nature play in that process? In our season premiere of the Pests & Predators podcast, we’ll be talking about the relationship between unwanted pests and insects. This time we’re adding in a third element: weather. Host Shaun… Read More
After a methodical march north from the Corn Belt, tar spot has now gained a foothold in Ontario. Last year, the yield-robbing leaf disease was confirmed in five counties in the southwestern, stretching from Essex to Simcoe. Characterized by tar-like speckling on the upper surface of corn leaves, the fungal pathogen has been delivering yield… Read More
When it comes to talking insects — like many other aspects of agriculture — the threat level can be quite regional. What are the weather conditions like? What’s the soil type like? What’s tillage like? What’s the rotation history? The list goes on and on. Wireworms are no different. However, as discussed on the April… Read More
When it comes to insect pests, most of us feel quite strongly about them. Wireworms are no different; they are an insect we love to hate. To talk about all things wireworms, we go to our experts, and this time, we have three! Join in for the fun and informative session on all things wireworms… Read More
When you think insects and drought…it can be a tricky combination. After the drought across the Prairies in 2021, there are many farmers asking the question: what are grasshopper populations going to look like in 2022? Parts of Manitoba have fortunately experienced large amounts of snowfall this winter, enough that the ditches could be underwater… Read More
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