A weekly report prepared by the staff of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA). If you require further information, regarding this report, call the Elora Resource Centre at 519-846-0941. Office hours: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
For technical information, call the Agricultural Information Contact Centre at 1-877-424-1300 or visit the OMAFRA website: www.ontario.ca/omafra
Winter wheat can often be found to survive short freeze thaw events throughout the winter. However, there are concerns about crop damage and survivability, particularly in those fields that were planted late last fall and those fields that were covered in ice for prolonged periods.
When making assessments for winter survival, fields are typically walked after a week or two of warm weather. This usually occurs in late April to early May after growth resumes, with the replant decision to another crop being made as late as possible.
Fields that should be prioritized include: those that were planted shallow, had frost heave problems (planted too shallow!) planted with a variety that has poor winter hardiness, were planted late or had ponding and ice throughout the winter.
When evaluating wheat stands you need to count the number of plants per foot of row.
It is also important to assess the health of the plants themselves to determine whether plants are actually going to survive or not.
Are the plants well anchored into the ground or is the seed lying on the soil surface with the plant holding on by a single root? If plants are not well anchored, do not include them in your stand counts as they are less likely to survive.
When making assessments do not focus on bad spots in the field. Conduct a number of stand counts and plant health assessments throughout the entire field to get a broader perspective of what is happening.
If 5% of the field is in poor condition and the remainder of the field is in good condition, do not take the wheat out. Also, be sure to consider the planting date. If the wheat was planted early, it has more yield potential.
For complete article with charts and figures, please visit website – fieldcropnews.com/2019/03/assessing-for-winter-wheat-survival/
By Joanna Follings,
Cereals Specialist, OMAFRA
Halton Region agricultural forum
Driven by rapid advances in technology, Canada’s agriculture and food sector has more opportunities than ever before to shape a sustainable future.
The 7th annual Agricultural Forum explores new research and agri-tech that is helping reduce carbon emissions and protect the environment for future generations.
Who should attend? Farmers, food processors, other agri-product processors and related associations and organizations.
Location: Country Heritage Park (Puslinch Town Hall) 8560 Tremaine Road, Milton, Ontario.
When: Thursday April 11, from 7:00 to 9:00pm.
To register on-line, see halton.ca.
For more information, contact Anna DeMarchi-Meyers at 905-825-6000 ext. 7574 or email Anna.DeMarchi-Meyers@halton.ca.
