Monitoring soil temperatures prior to seeding will provide an excellent guide for timing the start of seeding.  Seeding into soils that are too cool can delay germination and result in uneven or unsatisfactory seedling emergence.

Measuring soil temperature can be accomplished with an inexpensive soil thermometer.  Here are the steps to follow to get accurate readings:

1. Determine how deep you will be seeding.  Place your soil thermometer at that targeted depth.
2. When using a probe-style thermometer, digging a small hole and inserting the thermometer horizontally at seed depth will ensure you are at the right depth.
3. Take two readings daily, one at 8:00 am and one at early evening.  Average the two readings to determine the average soil temperature.
4. Take readings for two to three days to establish a multiple day average. Measure in a number of locations in the field to account for field variability.
5. Soil temperature data is also available from MAFRD’s Ag-Weather Program:  http://tgs.gov.mb.ca/climate/SoilTemp.aspx (Conditions and Reports, Current Soil Temperature).  This will provide a general guideline for an area.

Minimum germination temperatures for various crops are:

Wheat 4C

Barley  3C

Oats  5C

Corn  10C

Canola  5C

Flax  9C

Sunflower  6C

Edible Beans  10C

Peas  4C

Soybeans  10C

The potential for every crop lies in the seed.  Seeds carry the genetics that determine this potential. Unfortunately, seeds also carry the fungi which can cause seed and seedling diseases.  This is why seed care is such an important consideration in realizing the full potential of your crop.  There is no more important stage of your crop’s life than the seed.

Seed treatments have evolved into very effective tools for controlling seed and soil-borne diseases as well as insect pests.  By protecting seed from the early stresses caused by diseases and insects, seed treatments help make good crops better.

Some of the key benefits of treating your seed include:

• quicker and more even emergence
• larger and healthier root systems
• better stand establishment
• increased competition with weeds
• easier to stage herbicide and fungicide applications
• more even maturity
• higher yields and grades

The following includes some of the key brands available for seed care:

1. Vibrance Quattro, Raxil Pro and Insure Cereal FX – effective seed and
   soil-borne disease protection for cereals
2. Cruiser Vibrance Quattro, Raxil Pro Shield – combination disease and
   wireworm protection for cereals
3. Lumiderm and Fortenza – for cutworm control in canola.  Available with pre-treated seed
4. Visivio – new disease and insect seed treatment for canola which
   features an additional insecticide which is more active on striped flea beetles
5. Seed primers – these
   products can be applied with seed treatments for wheat
6. Commence – microbial catalyst that enhances nutrient release from
   soil and fertilizer, which then increases crop emergence, plant health and root
   structure.
7. Ascend SL – an optimal blend of 3 plant growth hormones which can
   result in vigorous early plant germination and emergence, as well as a robust
   root system. 

Book your seed treatment products early or have Shur-Gro treat your seed for you with one of our custom-treating units.

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by Dennis Rogoza, Sales Agronomist

1. Yield is determined by the following:  plants/ac, nodes/plant, pods/node and seeds/pod.
2. Yield is optimized when crop emergence is close to the same time for all plants.  This trumps earlier seeding or more growing space.
3. Higher speed of seeding will influence depth control and this may introduce variability in plant emergence.
4. Seeding depth of ¾ inch to 1 inch is ideal, 1.5 inches should be the maximum.  This will result in more consistent emergence and healthier seedlings.
5. Nodulation begins at the 3^rd to 4^th trifoliate.  The crop needs about 20 lb/ac N to get established.  If the top 6 inches is very low, this may need to be addressed with extra N fertility.
6. A strong inoculant program is very important coming off a dry year i.e. rhizobia in the soil may not have survived well.
7. Critical weed-free period is V1 to R1 for soybeans in Manitoba.  This is influenced by row spacing, final plant stand and variety.
8. Lamb’s quarters, wild buckwheat, volunteer canola and kochia are weeds that glyphosate can be weak on.  Control of these weeds may require a strong pre-seed program or add-in product to optimize weed control.  This will also help with glyphosate-resistant weed management.
9. Peak moisture draw by the crop is at the R1 to R6 stage at 0.2-0.3 inches/day.
10. Dry weather can reduce rhizobia performance which can decrease nitrogen fixation and potentially lower the protein level in seed.
11. Dry weather and high temperature during maturation can trigger green colour in seed because of reduced production of chlorophyll-breakdown enzymes by the plant.

Talk to your local Shur-Gro agronomist about additional production advice for your soybean crop.

Dennis Rogoza, Sales Agronomist

The Manitoba Canola Growers Association (MCGA) is offering its members one free diagnostic test for each of the following crop pests in canola:   clubroot, blackleg and glyphosate-resistant kochia.  The total value of the testing is $450.  Testing will be done by the Pest Surveillance Initiative (PSI) lab in Winnipeg.  It is the hope of MCGA that getting tested will help growers maximize their net income on the farm.

There is a step-by-step process for collecting samples and submitting to PSI for testing, along with claiming a member code from MCGA.  Please visit www.mbpestlab.ca for complete details of this special offer from MCGA.

Clubroot has been found in Manitoba and can cause significant economic yield losses as spore levels multiply.  PSI uses DNA testing that can detect low levels of clubroot, before symptoms may be visible.

Blackleg is a serious disease of canola and yield losses can occur when disease isolates in the field overcome the genetic resistance of the variety grown.  Testing will identify the race of blackleg in the field, so that canola varieties with resistance gene(s) to that race can be selected.

Glyphosate-resistant (GR) kochia is an emerging threat in Manitoba canola fields.  Kochia is a prolific seed producer and very competitive with the crop.  PSI uses a DNA-based test for GR kochia that analyzes green material to test for resistance.  Growers should manage resistant plants before seed is set and spread.

Please visit with your Shur-Gro agronomist for more information about these canola pests and advice on management strategies.

by Dennis Rogoza, Sales Agronomist

New cases of clubroot have been confirmed in Manitoba in 2018, with the latest distribution map for the province available at www.gov.mb.ca/agriculture/crops/plant-diseases/clubroot-distribution-in-manitoba.html.  Plants with suspicious symptoms can be sent to the Manitoba Agriculture Crop Diagnostic Centre and soil samples can be sent to the Plant Surveillance Initiative Lab in Winnipeg (go to www.mbpestlab.ca for information on submitting a sample).  Soil samples should be taken near approaches to fields where equipment would usually enter.  These are also the same areas where the first plant symptoms are most likely to occur.

The resting spores of clubroot can survive for as long as 20 years in soil.  Disease development is enhanced by moist conditions and soil temperatures in the 18 to 25⁰C range.  Spores can survive in soils with pH from 4.5 to 8.1.  Roots of infected plants form club-shaped galls which turn from white to brown as they mature.  Above ground symptoms are characterised by wilting, stunting, yellowing and premature ripening.

Clubroot spreads through the movement of infested soil.  Reducing soil movement on and between farms is crucial to limiting the spread of clubroot.  Good sanitation for farm equipment should be utilized.  A rough cleaning to remove loose and clinging soil is a good first step.  A wire brush and compressed air will assist with cleaning.  This will remove as much as 90% of soil, and an additional pass with a pressure washer will remove almost 99% of soil and debris.  Spraying farm equipment with a 1% bleach solution is the most intensive level of sanitation.  Working infested fields last, not working fields when the soil is wet, and asking custom operators to practice good sanitation will help reduce field-to-field soil movement.

A crop rotation of at least 3 years between canola crops and good control of alternate hosts such as wild mustard, stinkweed, and shepherd’s-purse will decrease the chances of clubroot establishing in a field.  Clubroot resistant canola varieties add another tool to an integrated management plan for clubroot.

Please visit with your Shur-Gro agronomist for more information about clubroot and advice on management strategies.

If not “Weed of the Year” in 2018, kochia certainly is a strong contender.  With a relatively dry spring and hot dry summer, conditions were ideal for kochia growth.  Not only is kochia a very competitive weed, it also has developed widespread resistance to Group 2 herbicides and increasing concern for resistance to glyphosate (Group 9) and auxin-based herbicides (Group 4).  In addition, kochia is a very prolific seed producer.

Selecting an effective chemical treatment, especially one based upon multiple modes of action is an important consideration to achieving good kochia control.  Use recommended rates with high water volumes for best coverage.  Reducing the sprayer speed and lowering the boom height will ensure the proper rate is applied and that weeds and/or soil are well covered.  Make certain to practise herbicide rotation to allow for different chemistries and modes of action to be used.  This will help delay the onset of weed resistance.  Utilize herbicide layering i.e. apply a soil-active herbicide that kills weeds as they emerge followed by a foliar in-crop product that controls growing weeds.  Several pre-seed products are also now available that offer a combination of unique modes of action.

Don’t overlook cultural control practices in your battle with kochia.  Kochia does very well in alkaline or saline soils where moisture carries salinity to the soil surface.  Consider forages in these areas to use up moisture and compete with kochia.  Use narrower row spacing for your crop as this will help suppress kochia growth.  Try to cut out kochia patches before they produce viable seed.  Baling patches after seed becomes viable may result in seed dispersal during manure application.

Please contact your local Shur-Gro agronomist for assistance in developing a strategy for kochia control in your crops.

Growers should consider “herbicide layering” as a strategy to help manage herbicide resistance.  This practice involves using a pre-emergent herbicide prior to an in-crop herbicide application. This program allows for multiple modes of action to be utilized.  In addition, pre-emergent weed control gets the crop off to a fast, clean start to help maximize yield potential.

Avadex MicroActiv, Fortress MicroActiv and Edge Granular pre-emergent herbicides add 6 – 8 weeks of residual control, giving control of flushing weeds and a layer of protection in case post-emergent herbicide application gets delayed.  Control of any escapes is also made easier.

Avadex MicroActiv is a Group 8 granular pre-emergent herbicide that can be used for spring wheat, barley, canary seed and peas.  The product controls wild oats including Group 1 and Group 2 resistant biotypes.  Other benefits include reduction in early-season weed pressure and more flexibility with timing post-emergent herbicide application.  Avadex MicroActiv can be applied in fall after Oct. 1 and when soil temperature at a depth of two inches is 4 °C or less and within 3 weeks of soil freeze-up.  A single heavy harrow pass is sufficient incorporation in minimum or zero-till fields.  Avadex MicroActiv can be used in conventional tillage, but should be applied after fall tillage then incorporated with a single harrow pass.  Fall rate is 12.5 to 15 lbs/ac.

Fortress MicroActiv is a Group 3 and Group 8 granular pre-emergent herbicide that can be used for spring wheat, barley, canola and flax.  The product provides control of wild oats, green and yellow foxtail, as well as suppression of kochia, redroot pigweed, wild buckwheat, lamb’s quarters, and Russian thistle.  Fortress MicroActiv can be applied in fall after Oct. 1 and when soil temperature at a depth of two inches is 4 °C or less and within 3 weeks of soil freeze-up.  A single heavy harrow pass is sufficient incorporation in minimum or zero-till fields.  Fortress MicroActiv can be used in conventional tillage, but should be applied after fall tillage then incorporated with a single harrow pass.  Fall rate for wheat and barley is 10 to 12.5 lbs/ac.  Fall rate for canola and flax is 12.5 to 15 lbs/ac.

Edge Granular, a Group 3 pre-emergent herbicide can be used for soybeans, canola, peas, dry beans, sunflowers, alfalfa (establishment) and hemp.  The product will provide early weed removal and residual control of grassy and broadleaf weeds.  Edge Granular will control kochia, wild buckwheat, redroot pigweed, lamb’s quarters, cow cockle, chickweed, purslane, corn spurry, barnyard grass, as well as green and yellow foxtails.  Weeds suppressed include wild oats, cleavers, hemp-nettle, lady’s-thumb, Russian thistle, and volunteer wheat and barley.  Edge Granular can be applied in fall after Oct. 1 and when soil temperature at a depth of two inches is 4 °C or less and within 3 weeks of soil freeze-up.  For zero or minimum-till, a surface application and light harrowing will provide optimum control.  Fall rate is 20 to 25 lbs/ac.

(For conventional tillage Edge Granular can be applied starting on September 15^th.  Edge should be applied before the tillage operation and the worked in with a disc or cultivator to your normal working depth.  A second incorporation should be done on a right angle either a minimum of 3 days later or the following spring to ensure even distribution through the top of the soil.)

Tips for successful application:

• Product rates are determined by % organic matter of the soil.
• Complete any fallwork in the field. Harrow heavy trash or large clods before application.  Do not apply on burnt fields.
• Apply using a floater or Valmar and incorporate using a heavy harrow.
• Harrow again in spring if time allows. This helps to warm the soil and provide a uniform treated layer.
• Apply pre-seed glyphosate to address early emerging weeds.
• Plant the crop, followed by post-emergent control (if necessary).
• Please refer to specific product labels before use.

Please visit with your local Shur-Gro Sales Agronomist to learn more about the advantages of pre-emergent weed control.

by Dennis Rogoza, Sales Agronomist

We would like to encourage our customers to book their fall soil testing early, so that we can get on fields right after combining.  Sampling at this time gives the best quality sample and the best data.

It was previously believed that additional N would be converted to nitrate in the fall, as grain straw decomposed.  We now know that because of the high carbon content of small grain straw, it takes a long time for straw N to convert to nitrate.  In reality, soil nitrate levels after small grain harvest are quite stable through the fall.  Sampling right after harvest will provide accurate soil N data to develop recommendations for next year’s crop.

Some other advantages for earlier sampling include:

• A more consistent sample core can be obtained before fall tillage. This will result in a more accurate analysis for P, K, Zn and % organic matter.
• Getting results back early to develop fall N fertilizer rates.
• Assessment of soluble salts and carbonates to guide field selection for soybeans.
• Ensuring fields get done and not missed due to weather issues in the fall.

Please call your local Shur-Gro Agronomist now, to book your fall soil tests “right behind the combine”.

Pre-Harvest Weed Control Tips

Pre-harvest weed control with glyphosate is very effective for the control of perennial weeds such as Canada thistle, perennial sow-thistle, quackgrass and dandelion.

Pre-harvest weed control also provides significant harvest management benefits such as quicker drydown, more uniform maturity, increased combine efficiency and earlier harvest.

Registered crops include wheat, barley, oats, canola, flax and peas.  Application to crops should occur when moisture content is 30% or less.  In cereals, this is at the hard dough stage when a thumbnail impression will remain on the kernel.  In flax and peas, the majority of bolls and pods are brown.

Best weed control is achieved when Canada thistle and perennial sow-thistle are sprayed at or beyond the bud stage.  Quackgrass control is best when there are 4 to 5 or more green leaves.  To control dandelion, plants should be actively growing and at the bud to bloom stage.  (Dandelion may be more effectively controlled with a post-harvest treatment due to better coverage and translocation.)

Post-Harvest Weed Control Tips

Post-harvest weed control is another great opportunity to clean up fields and prepare for next year’s crop.

Glyphosate is commonly used in post-harvest weed control programs, however with the increasing concern for glyphosate-resistant weed development, growers should be utilizing multiple modes of action.

Glyphosate tank-mixes with Express SG or Inferno allow recropping to cereals, canola, flax and soybeans next season.  For residual control of broadleaved weeds, Express Pro tank-mixed with glyphosate or PrePass XC will be effective.  Only cereals can be recropped next spring after the application of these two products.  Paradigm is another option for post-harvest application which offers “Just Go” benefits and multiple modes of action, mix Paradigm with glyphosate,  recrop to wheat or barley next spring.

New options for post-harvest weed control include Heat or Distinct tank-mixed with glyphosate.  These products provide different modes of action and broad-spectrum control.  Check product labels for recropping options as these vary by the date of the post-harvest application.

With weed and disease control generally being completed on most fields, growers have an excellent opportunity to do some “Crop CSI”.  Field observations made at this time of year can help uncover any problems and direct future improvements to crop production strategies.  Some of the key areas to pay attention to include:

• Stand Establishment: Are your crops even and uniform?  If not, perhaps adjustment to seeding equipment may be required.  Possibly seed quality or not using a seed treatment is the issue.
• Fertility: Are there yellowy streaks or areas of poor crop development?  Fertilizer application or rates may be in question.  Be sure to check for good nodulation in soybeans.
• Weed Control:  Have all herbicides performed well or are there escapes?  Do the escapes occur in patterns i.e. suggesting problems in application.  Get the escaping weeds identified, so that a better herbicide option can be used.  Check suspicious patches for development of weed resistance and make arrangements for seed collection to do a resistance test.  Make note of potential weeds that should be looked after in a pre-harvest application.  Keep fall timing in mind for post-harvest herbicides such as PrePass, Avadex, and Edge.
• Disease Control: Compare sprayed areas with any checks to verify level of control.  You may be able to detect fusarium head blight or sclerotinia symptoms especially in a bad disease year.  Be sure to check plant roots in suspicious areas for presence of root rots or clubroot.
• Insect Scouting: Summer months can bring unwanted guests to your fields such as Bertha armyworm, diamond-back moths, and lygus bugs in canola.  Soybeans may be threatened with aphids or spider mites.  Do regular checks to monitor for outbreaks.
• Varietal Performance: Keep notes on plant stature i.e. height, tendency to lodge, podding height.  Are there differences in susceptibility to disease?  These observations can help guide you with future varietal selection.

Remember to keep good records and notes of your field observations so that you can act upon the issues you have identified.  Good luck with your Crop CSI and please contact your local Shur-Gro or Munro agronomist for assistance with your investigations!