Reading Time: 3 minutes An invasive perennial weed from the milkweed family, dog-strangling vine is extremely difficult to con-trol once it gets established (Figure 1). Progress has been made on biological con-trol of this weed in Ontario through the release of Hypena opulenta, a leaf-feeding caterpillar. However, integrated strategies that include both biological and chemical methods are often most effective […] Read more
Pest Patrol: Dog-strangling vine control with herbicides
#PestPatrol with Mike Cowbrough, OMAFRA
Pest Patrol: Why growing cereal crops is bad for weeds
#PestPatrol with Mike Cowbrough, OMAFRA
Reading Time: 3 minutes The benefits of growing winter wheat in a crop rotation have been well established. Long-term research at the University of Guelph has shown a 10 bu./ac. increase in corn yields and a five bu./ac. increase in soybean yields when winter wheat is grown. Other benefits, such as increased soil organic matter when cereals are grown, […] Read more
Pest Patrol: Controlling weed escapes in soybeans – Part 3
#PestPatrol with Mike Cowbrough, OMAFRA
Reading Time: 2 minutes Even the most consistent soil-applied herbicide programs in IP soybeans fail to provide season-long control. Weed escapes or second flushes are inevitable. Proper timing is the key to effective control. When I started with OMAFRA in 2002, the University of Guelph had done a series of trials with a post-emergent herbicide called “Cleansweep.” At the […] Read more
Pest Patrol: Best practices for weed control in identity-preserved “IP” soybean – Part 2
#PestPatrol with Mike Cowbrough, OMAFRA
Reading Time: 3 minutes Since 2010, the University of Guelph and OMAFRA have compared weed control programs in non-GMO soybeans. The key to picking the right herbicide program is simple in theory, but difficult in practice. A farmer needs to match the herbicide program with the spectrum of weed species in each field, which is easy if all they […] Read more
Pest Patrol: The importance of doing a ‘jar test’ with your herbicides
#PestPatrol with Mike Cowbrough, OMAFRA
Reading Time: 4 minutes Each year I get more questions about mixing the liquid fertilizer, ammonium thiosulphate (ATS), with herbicides. With reductions in atmospheric sulphur deposits, Ontario research has shown positive yield responses in some crops when sulphur fertilizers are applied, so it makes sense that farmers are looking at ways to add sulphur to their crop in an […] Read more
Pest Patrol: Best practices for weed control in identity-preserved “IP” soybean – Part 1
#PestPatrol with Mike Cowbrough, OMAFRA
Reading Time: 2 minutes his three-part series will examine best practices and common weed management questions asked by farmers producing food-grade, non-GMO soybeans. Best practice #1: Budget for two herbicide passes, and hope you only need one The past decade of research trials has shown that “one-pass” post-emergence herbicide programs have resulted in poorer weed control (by 12 per […] Read more
PHOTOS: Pest Patrol: Uncommon weeds, Part 3
#PestPatrol with Mike Cowbrough, OMAFRA: These uncommon weeds were found in Ontario field crops during the 2021 growing season
Reading Time: 2 minutes This is the last of a three-part series that highlights “odd” weeds found in Ontario field crops this past year. Star of Bethlehem (Ornithogalum umbellatum) Is this worth worrying about? If you do a quick internet search, most results focus on how to grow this plant. As a member of the hyacinth family, it’s valued […] Read more
Pest Patrol: Uncommon weeds, Part 2
#PestPatrol with Mike Cowbrough, OMAFRA: These uncommon weeds were found in Ontario field crops during the 2021 growing season
Reading Time: 2 minutes This is the second of a three-part series that highlights “odd” weeds that have been found in Ontario field crops this past year. Livid amaranth (Amaranthus Blitum) This pigweed species will catch the eye of scouts and agronomists with its distinctive cleft at the tip of the leaf blades. It also tends to have a […] Read more
Pest Patrol: Uncommon weeds, Part 1
#PestPatrol with Mike Cowbrough, OMAFRA: These uncommon weeds were found in Ontario field crops during the 2021 growing season
Reading Time: 3 minutes Each growing season, I get asked to identify weed species found in field crops that are not overly common but are of concern in fields where they are being found. Over the next three columns, I’ll provide a summary of what was identified and its importance. Loose silky bent-grass (called common windgrass in Michigan) Historically, […] Read more
Pest Patrol: Control of phragmites with herbicides and biological agents
#PestPatrol with Mike Cowbrough, OMAFRA
Reading Time: 3 minutes You will have noticed these tall grasses swaying in the wind along roadsides, especially near ditches. They are likely phragmites, also known as common reed (Phragmites australis L.). It is a very widespread weed and one of the world’s most common plant species. In North America, there is a native type of phragmites that has […] Read more
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