Reading Time: 5 minutes The chance to gain a bird’s-eye view of a growing crop is one of the biggest attractions of precision agriculture, but the degree of precision depends on the tools. So far, growers and advisors have had a choice of either satellite images or those from drones or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Each has advantages and […] Read more
Taking crop imaging to a new level
A pilot project in Ontario is collecting images from manned aircraft at 10,000 feet
Getting it right at planting time
Boost your wheat yields by managing down-force, row width, spacing and depth this fall
Reading Time: 6 minutes Winter wheat’s challenges are well known. The crop has the most demanding planting season. Genetic gains in the past 25 years have been small relative to corn and soybeans. And most growers use some form of drill technology instead of a planter. But that doesn’t mean the crop is stuck in neutral. Last fall saw […] Read more
Get more with wheat
Wheat deserves more credit for the great outlook on Ontario farms
Reading Time: 6 minutes In formulating their crop plans for a year, growers cite a blend of influences, from climate and planting conditions to commodity pricing, fertility plans and weed and disease management strategies. All play a part in the decision-making process because there has to be some give in those hard-and-fast rules on rotations. Sometimes you have to […] Read more
Better wheat varieties ahead
Genome editing and CRISPR technology are scoring bigger wins in shorter time frames for cereal breeding
Reading Time: 5 minutes Last November, the 10+ Genome Project and its international team of researchers were hailed for their role in sequencing the genomes of 15 wheat varieties from around the world. It was an astounding accomplishment with great potential for cereal breeding, particularly for a sector that struggles to keep up with the investments being made in […] Read more
Crunching the numbers on cover crops
The economics can be a challenge, but passionate farmers believe the longer you stick with covers, the more they’ll pay
Reading Time: 6 minutes In the past five to 10 years, few topics have been as polarizing as cover crops. Advocates praise their benefits. Detractors cast doubts. And in the midst of it all, there’s a flood of technological change, whether that’s something simple, like switching from red clover to a different species like oats, or whether it’s going […] Read more
The next step to GMO wheat
Argentina has approved a drought-resistant GMO variety. Will it come to Canada?
Reading Time: 5 minutes Bioceres, an Argentine biotech company, has released a genetically modified wheat variety that is both drought-tolerant and resistant to glufosinate-ammonium. Known as HB4, it was approved late in 2020 although it still faces a number of significant hurdles, first of which is convincing Brazil, Argentina’s largest export market, to accept the innovation. Also, of course, […] Read more
Sudden death syndrome threat in soybeans is climbing
SDS is attracting more attention as a companion of soybean cyst nematodes
Reading Time: 7 minutes In the list of pests and diseases affecting soybean production in Eastern Canada, there are widespread culprits — like soybean cyst nematode (SCN) — and regionalized, almost annual challenges, such as white mould in Eastern Ontario. Nor to be forgotten are diseases like Phytophthora and Rhizoctonia root rots, which have been less frequent in the […] Read more
A new tool to market grain
Here’s a new app and website service that promises more efficient marketing
Reading Time: 6 minutes In the course of a growing season, farmers face even greater challenges to be as efficient as possible. Time is a rare commodity and rapidly consumed by planting, managing, spraying and harvesting crops, tending to animals, making repairs and more. Any process or device that promises to save time gets a close look. But, of […] Read more
Always adjusting, always learning
Agriculture’s diversity demands accepting change and making it work to your advantage
Reading Time: 4 minutes In agriculture, diversification thrives when it’s encouraged and nurtured. It not only helps spread risk, it can open the door to new directions and to new ventures that supplement the conventional or create new opportunities. Adam Garniss understands this about as well as anyone. A grower and entrepreneur, he oversees a diversified operation on the […] Read more
Aiming for better, faster farm improvement
This P.E.I. project is pioneering a new way of helping farmers and researchers work together instead of apart
Reading Time: 4 minutes Farming on Prince Edward Island is unlike farming anywhere else in Canada. Rolling hills, a moderate climate and sandy red soil provide unique opportunities for farmers, but also challenges for the environment. Now there’s a collaborative effort to help the island’s agri-food sector generate innovative solutions to issues such as climate change and water contamination […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
