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
Clubroot continues its march across prairie canola fields
So far nothing appears to have slowed the spread of clubroot, so some are suggesting it might be time to rethink our approach
Reading Time: 9 minutes Over the past dozen years the canola industry has poured an ocean of effort into halting the spread of clubroot around the Edmonton area. And while there have been advances such as new resistant varieties, one uncomfortable truth remains — the disease continues to spread. Dan Orchard, a Canola Council of Canada agronomist who discovered […] 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
Organic weed control, precision weed tillage via the ‘Robocrop’
Frustrated with lack of weed control, one organic farmer from Manitoba is impressed by a U.K.-made in-row cultivator
Reading Time: 3 minutes Jeremiah Evans has a new high-tech hand helping him control weeds on his organic farm. Last fall the Somerset-area farmer took delivery of a custom-built U.K.-manufactured Garford Robocrop in-row cultivator, which uses special software to identify and target weeds, leaving the crop behind. After seeing what it could do to his wild oats, thistle and […] Read more
Herbicide resistance, selection pressure, reducing options for weed control
Pay close attention to weeds that survive herbicide applications, says one U.S. farmer
Reading Time: 5 minutes Arkansas has been ground zero for herbicide-resistant weeds. For instance, the state is second only to Australia in the amount of herbicide-resistant ryegrass in wheat. “We’re actually running out of herbicides, making it difficult for us to even grow wheat in Arkansas, because of the levels of resistance that we have,” said Dr. Bob Scott. […] 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
Controlling crop weeds with beneficial insects
Flea beetles that eat leafy spurge are only the first wave of biological weed control
Reading Time: 5 minutes What is it about weeds? No matter how hard you try to eradicate them, they always come back. Worse still, each method of weed control has its drawbacks. Spraying with herbicides can lead to weed resistance if the same product is used continuously. Tillage can result in soil erosion (remember the Dirty ’30s?), and although […] 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
New research shows how your crop gets a sneak peek at weeds
It turns out your crop sees and reacts to weeds before the crop even emerges
Reading Time: 6 minutes Weed science is constantly evolving and adapting as it learns more about the basic interactions of crops and weeds in the field. Now, get ready for another evolutionary rethink. Early in 2014, Dr. Clarence Swanton, a professor and researcher with the department of plant agriculture at the University of Guelph, brought to light new research […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
