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: 8:30am to 4:30pm. For technical information, call the Agricultural Information Contact Centre at 1-877-424-1300 or visit the OMAFRA website: www.ontario.ca/omafra.
OMAFRA FIELD CROP REPORT
Cereals
Winter wheat harvest is winding down and yields have been above average in the majority of areas with good quality and very little Fusarium/DON reported. The dry conditions did however, impact winter wheat yields in very sandy or sand gravel bottom fields. Stripe rust, especially in Essex/Chatham-Kent areas, did have an impact on yields in those fields planted with a susceptible variety and no foliar fungicides applied. Spring wheat harvest is still a few weeks away. Once the wheat is off, growers should use this opportunity to manage weeds especially glyphosate resistant weeds such as Canada fleabane to avoid them going to seed. One Canada fleabane plant can deposit 30 million or more seeds per acre. Review your fertility program and replace nutrients which have been removed over the past three years as well as consider planting a cover crop such as oats.
Corn
The majority of the crop ranges from tasseling to silk browning and rainfall during this time is critical. In areas which have been severely dry, corn growth has been impacted significantly and growers are contemplating using the corn for feed or removing the crop. Recent rains have helped but again growers are encouraged to continue to assess their fields in these regions.
If the crop is to be used for feed, monitor quality and nitrate levels. For those fields which may be removed, is wheat an option? Yes, but remember Fusarium head blight risk always exists when planting wheat after corn.
Management practices are available to help reduce the risk. Start by selecting a good FHB and disease tolerant variety which has a fungicide seed treatment. Manage the corn residue by either chopping or incorporating into the soil as soon as possible.
Plan to use a FHB foliar fungicide next year. There is an opportunity to plant wheat earlier in these affected areas but remember wheat planting date in Ontario begins second week of September.
Northern corn leaf blight symptoms can be observed in some fields although at lower levels. Gray leaf spot, common rust and eyespot are present but again at very low levels.
Thrip injury on lower leaves is apparent in some areas which have had prolonged dry conditions.
Peak moth flight for western bean cutworm is occurring in southwestern Ontario and visit http://goo.gl/yDz9wn to view the interactive trapping map. Download the pestmanager app (www.pestmanager.ca) to have access to management options for this and other insects, diseases and weeds.
