by Walt Vermunt
on 10/22/2007Please click on the above PDF link to view graph.
While rainfall varied f…
by Walt Vermunt
on 10/22/2007Please click on the above PDF link to view graph.
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by Jim Barclay
on 07/27/2007Wheat: Wheat harvest is well on the way, and initial yield reports are…
by Rick Vandewalle
on 07/19/2007The dry bean crop in the province looks tremendous despite the below normal…
by Jim Barclay
on 07/16/2007Winter Cereals Harvest has begun! Yields range from slightly below average … | Showing: 1 to 5 of 19
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 OMAF Crop Update
By: Jim Barclay, July 16th, 2007
Winter Cereals
Harvest has begun! Yields range from slightly below average (80 bu/ac) to extremely disappointing (40 bu/ac), with the odd report of a field still breaking 100 bu/ac. Poorest yields are on sandy soils with virtually no rain, while best yields are from early planted fields. Quality appears good, with shrunken kernels affecting some samples.
Spring Cereals
Eastern Ontario crops are progressing well, with rainfall July 7th and 8th arriving just in time. South western crops continue to struggle, with the lack of precipitation causing poor grain fill and blasting. Straw is incredibly short in all spring cereals, 30 cm (1 foot) shorter than normal in most areas.
Armyworm is present in most fields, with hotspots over thresholds across the province. SCOUT! Walk fields in the evening, looking for four larvae per square foot that are less than 3.8cm (1.5”) long. Control of larger armyworm, or parasitized armyworm, will not provide economic return.
Corn
Earliest planted fields have started to tassel. Continued low rainfall in many areas of the province combined with recent high temperatures is placing many corn fields under severe stress. The exceptions are eastern Ontario and localized areas that have received thunderstorm activity. Leaf rolling, discoloration and increasing unevenness are now present in many fields. On soils with the lowest available water content (sands and heavy clays), wilting is now persistent through most of the day.
The impact of the dry weather on potential yield hinges on two factors; 1) the severity of the moisture stress in the corn plant, and 2) the developmental stage which the crop reaches before stress is relieved with rainfall. A crop is under severe stress if leaves are rolled throughout the entire daytime period. Seven days of this type of stress before tassel emergence, will result in yield losses that may be limited to 10-20%. If however, the crop continues to be under stress through tassel emergence and ear growth expansion in preparation for silk emergence, yield reductions may reach into the 20-45% range. The most critical stage for moisture stress is the next phase, where the silks emerge from the ear and pollen is shed from the tassel. Failure to relieve moisture stress during this window can cause yield reductions to climb up to or beyond 75%. Plants that continue to explore soil moisture reserves and are wilting only for portions of the day may experience yield reductions much less severe than these.
Soybeans
The Ontario soybean crop varies from excellent to poor depending on the region and the field. Fields that were planted early and have received sporadic showers are in excellent shape. Late planted fields and those on sandy ground or heavy clay have suffered the most from moisture stress. Although extended hot, dry conditions can influence yield at any stage of development, it is the reproductive stages that are most susceptible. Soybean varieties grown in Ontario have an indeterminate growth habitat. This means they have overlapping vegetative and reproductive growth stages. The result is that indeterminate varieties have an extended flowering period. This extended flowering period gives added built-in protection against stressful conditions like moisture deficit. Yield that may be lost due to flower abortion early in the reproductive stage can be compensated for by flowers and pods that will be produced later. In addition, stress at this stage may result in an increase in the number of beans per pod and weight per bean, which also help compensate for the aborted flowers and young pods. A substantial soaking rain before early August could still produce an excellent yield in many fields.
Soybean aphid numbers are building across a wide geography. A number of fields have reached threshold and have been sprayed. Some fields have been sprayed twice. The highest populations continue to be found between London, Kitchener and Listowel. Earliest planted fields generally have the highest aphid populations. Evaluate each field individually. Populations may increase or decline quickly within a field. Once aphids have been found regular scouting will be necessary. If aphid levels reach 250 per plant and are increasing in number, a foliar insecticide treatment is recommended. Do not spray too early. Insecticides also eliminate aphid predators which can lead to a quick re-bound in aphid numbers. If this occurs, subsequent spray applications may be required. Weekly soybean aphid scouting observations are posted on the Ontario Soybean Growers website at www.soybean.on.ca
Forage
First-cut horse hay and beef cow hay is now finished, while some dairy farmers have completed second-cut. Second-cut regrowth has been extremely slow in some areas due to lack of moisture, particularly in later cut fields. Where the crop has reached the bloom stage without adequate volume for harvest, there won’t be a lot of additional growth even if the field receives rain. In these cases, clipping the top growth will release the buds on the crown to put out new growth, resulting in an increase in forage yield.
Potato Leafhopper
Potato leafhopper (PLH) damage to alfalfa is high in many parts of the province, particularly in the Lake Erie counties. New alfalfa seedings are very susceptible and can be permanently damaged. Dry weather compounds the problem. Alfalfa displays the characteristic “hopperburn” symptoms of a yellowing V-shape on leaf tips. Economic losses occur before plant symptoms develop, so it is important to scout with a sweep net. Refer to OMAFRA Publications 811, Agronomy Guide and 812, Field Crop Protection Guide or www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/crops/pub812/4plh.htm for more information, including threshold levels and insecticides for control. Farmers in high risk areas should consider the use of recommended PLH resistant varieties.
Poison Pasture Weeds
Drier summer conditions and reduced pasture growth can result in overgrazing. This is the time of year that livestock often consume poisonous plants. Poisoning can range from minor irritations and slightly lowered animal performance to severe cases where the animal is in a great deal of distress and may die. Scout your pastures for the many poisonous weeds. Consult your veterinarian if you suspect poisoning. For information refer to the OMAFRA Factsheets “Poisoning of Livestock By Plants” and “Common Weeds Poisonous To Grazing Livestock (Parts A & B)”, also available on the on the OMAFRA Forage Website at http://www.gov.on.ca/OMAFRA/english/crops/field/forages.html.
Regards,
Jim Barclay
Hensall District Cooperative
Food Products Division
519-262-3002
"Proud to be farmer owned"
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