Reading Time: 2 minutes Auto steer and real-time kinematics (RTK) that allow an operator to repeatedly get within millimetres of a target are, to me, the most obvious investment that you could make to improve the efficiency of mechanical weed control practices like inter-row cultivation. Operator fatigue and accidental damage to the crop would be greatly reduced by integrating […] Read more
Pest Patrol: What advances in precision agriculture would benefit weed control?
#PestPatrol with Mike Cowbrough, OMAFRA
Pest Patrol: What’s the best way to get rid of glyphosate-resistant fleabane?
#PestPatrol with Mike Cowbrough, OMAFRA
Reading Time: 2 minutes I’m seeing what I assume is glyphosate-resistant Canada fleabane all over the place. What is the best strategy to get rid of this weed in a corn, soybean and cereal rotation? CORN: Control of glyphosate-resistant Canada fleabane has been most consistent with post-emergence herbicide applications, but good control can be achieved with pre-emergence herbicides. Of […] Read more
Pest Patrol: A survey of weeds in corn, soybeans and winter wheat across six southwestern Ontario counties
#PestPatrol with Mike Cowbrough, OMAFRA
Reading Time: 2 minutes The last survey of weeds populating fields in Ontario was conducted in 1988. Therefore, I felt it was time to do another survey and compare the weed species populating corn, soybeans and winter wheat found in 1988 versus 2014 (see tables further down). In general, the abundant species identified in 1988 were also abundant in […] Read more
Pest Patrol: How do I control tansy ragwort in my pasture?
#PestPatrol with Mike Cowbrough, OMAFRA
Reading Time: 2 minutes By Kate Ayers University of Guelph, Ontario Agriculture College Tansy ragwort is a noxious weed most often found in pastures and hayfields. It is a biennial or short-lived perennial that reproduces through seeds and roots. Tansy is poisonous to livestock and can cause liver damage. Symptoms that may occur after plant consumption include: weakness, high […] Read more
PHOTOS: Pest Patrol: What is the best way to get rid of common burdock?
Seeds may be viable for up to three years so manage accordingly
Reading Time: 2 minutes Knowing how this plant reproduces will influence how you manage it. Burdock is biennial and reproduces only by seed. Following seed germination in the spring, burdock will grow into a large leafy rosette plant with a large taproot that allows it to overwinter. In the second year, burdock will flower and produce the burrs we […] Read more
Pest Patrol: Using the ‘Pest Manager’ app
Weeds and weed management information in the palm of your hand
Reading Time: 2 minutes We have good pest management information and research. The challenge can be to get that information to the farmers who need it. Earlier this summer, a smartphone app was launched called Pest Manager. Currently, only information on weeds and weed management is included, so I tell farmers it’s what you would get if a weed […] Read more
PHOTOS: Pest Patrol: Giant hogweed, and its look-alike that’s far more friendly
A farmer asks, “I’m worried about giant hogweed because I hear it causes severe dermatitis and blindness. How do I identify it?”
Reading Time: < 1 minute When plant parts of giant hogweed are torn open, the plant exudes a sap that contains light-activated chemicals known as furanocoumarins. When these compounds come in contact with the skin, they cause burn-like rashes and/or blisters, the severity of which will depend on how much sap you are exposed to. There is one very common […] Read more
Pest Patrol: Why are stink bugs in Ontario?
Stink bug damage found on two apple farms near Hamilton and Waterdown
Reading Time: 2 minutes Question: A couple of years ago there was a lot of talk about a new invasive insect, some sort of stink bug. I was told that it could take a few years before this insect reached populations that would negatively affect crops. What are populations of this insect doing in Ontario? For our answer, I […] Read more
PHOTOS: Pest Patrol: Be prepared for white mould on soybeans
Factors favouring white mould and what you can do to control it
Reading Time: < 1 minute In 2014, we saw a lot of white mould in the Ontario soybean crop, so I asked Albert Tenuta, our provincial field crops pathologist (on Twitter @alberttenuta) for the best way to minimize this disease for 2015 and beyond. Factors Favouring White Mould 1. High yield potential crop/field 2. Field history of white mould 3. […] Read more
Pest Patrol: Are there any promising new mechanical methods for weed control?
The Harrington seed destructor is one possibility to help avoid spreading weed seed
Reading Time: 2 minutes Ray Harrington, an innovative farmer from Western Australia was struggling with herbicide-resistant weeds, so he took matters into his own hands by using a cage mill from an old mine that he adapted to process the chaff coming out the back of his combine. A team from the University of Western Australia, led by Michael […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
