Inputs - by Top Crop Manager

Dec. 5 marks the annual World Soil Day, which for 2023 will celebrate the theme of “soil and water: a source of life.” To recognize the importance of soil health to the farming community and the environment as a whole, Dr. Benjamin Ellert, research scientist and biogeochemistry and the agroecosystem science team lead with AAFC – Lethbridge, will join Inputs podcast host Dylan Sjolie to discuss sev...

Drones are a hot topic in the agriculture world right now, with spraying, mapping and seeding all at the top of a long list of tasks that would be incredibly beneficial to farmers. As the technology continues to improve, people like Bob Hoffos, a GPS/GIS instructor for the land and water resources program at Werklund School of Agriculture and Technology at Olds College of Agriculture and Technolog...

With all of the technology implemented in modern agriculture, automation and robotics is likely the next logical leap – but it can feel like an exceptionally large one for many. Between the economic, technological, and reliability considerations, there's the added difficulty of knowing which machine might work best for your operation, and whether it can do what it's supposed to. In Ontario, the Ag...

In mid-September, thousands of Ontario aggies descend on Woodstock, Ont., annually for Canada's Outdoor Farm Show (COFS) to see the latest (and biggest) equipment and machinery, innovations and technology. One of the elements that the pandemic put into perspective was the value of conversations held at events like this – whether at a booth, watching a demonstration, or in the beer tent, having a c...

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...

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 rotatio...

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, s...

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...

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 cor...

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...

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.  Nev...

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...

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 stri...

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...

Looking to spice up or lengthen your rotation? For the past five years, the Diverse Field Crops Cluster (DFCC) has been working to make the decision to include special crops in your operation easier. Led by Ag-West Bio and with funding from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s Canadian Agricultural Partnership (CAP) program and industry partners, the DFCC is supporting research and development of fl...

Pea seed-borne mosaic virus (PSbMV), first identified in Canadian field pea breeding lines in 1974, is an economically damaging pathogen affecting pulse crops, including field pea, lentils and fababeans. Its symptoms on pulses include mosaicked leaves, delayed or uneven crop maturation, and various forms of seed and pod deformation.  Dr. Sean Prager, entomologist and associate professor in th...

The Living Laboratories initiative, introduced by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada in 2018 and implemented in several provincially organized labs in the intervening years, has been reframing the relationship between research and innovation. A collaborative effort between producers, industry groups and researchers, Living Labs projects examine practices in the field and emphasize evolution over rep...

Insect pests are a fact of life in agriculture. Having an idea of what coming in the season ahead is just one of the benefits of tracking what's in your fields and knowing what's happening in the fields a town – or a province – over. Thanks to a group of entomologists and ag collaborators, the Prairies are being kept well-informed. In this episode of Inputs, co-host Dylan Sjolie speaks with Meghan...

What information do canola growers need to improve their crop? The Manitoba Canola Growers Association set out to answer this question in 2022 through a survey and coordinating trials led by research manager Sonia Wilson. Wilson joins co-host Dylan Sjolie in this episode to share details about her goals and position within the association, and insights about the trials conducted in 2022. With thre...

Farming is an innovative business, and managing resistance is one area where that shines especially bright. Many farmers who deal with resistance – whether herbicide-resistant weeds, insecticide-resistant insects, or fungicide-resistant diseases – have developed some method of coping that works for them – and might for others. But aside from the local coffee shop or deep-diving on Twitter, ho...

Plot2Farm looks to ask agronomic questions and conduct discussions about best management practices with the goal of helping farmers make better decisions. The project, led by the Alberta Wheat and Barley Commissions and co-ordinated by Jeremy Boychyn, agronomy research extension specialist, is a producer-driven program with the framework and support for producers to conduct their own research prog...

It's the most wonderful time of the year – to look back on the previous season and start planning (or finish planting) for next year! Given some challenging conditions during fall 2021 and summer 2022, how did the winter and spring cereal crops fare? In this episode of Inputs, Sophie Krolikowski, acting cereals specialist with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA),&n...

Palmer amaranth is a term that makes farmers and agronomists shudder a little each time it's mentioned. Native to the United States, it's an invasive weed that has been on the radar in Canada for several years due to its ability to develop herbicide resistance so quickly. As Kim Brown-Livingston states, it grows quickly and causes incredible economic damage, making it a super (concerning) weed. In...

Soils at Guelph wants to get the science-backed, sustainable word out about soil health. Led by the ag research power trio of Kari Dunfield , Laura Van Eerd and Claudia Wagner-Riddle as co-executive directors, it serves as a multidisciplinary, collaborative knowledge hub for researchers and industry stakeholders to bring together their expertise and questions about soil. In this episode of Inputs,...

Pulse crops have made waves in Western Canada in recent years, and for good reason – they're high in protein and pull their weight in a rotation by fixing nitrogen. Like any crop, there are agronomic challenges, but there's growing potential. In this episode, Robyne Davidson, pulse crop specialist and research scientist at Lakeland College in Lacombe, Alta., shares agronomic insights about how wel...