A weekly press release prepared by the staff of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. If you require further information, regarding this press release, please call the Elora Resource Centre at 519-846-0941. Office hours: 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. For technical information, call the Agricultural Information Contact Centre at 1-877-424-1300 or visit the OMAFRA Website: www.omafra.gov.on.ca
LACK OF WATER INDUCES NUTRIENT DEFICIENCIES
Doug Young, Univ. of Guelph Ridgetown Campus
The month of July has been dry over many areas of the province. Knolls, coarse textured soils and other spots in fields that traditionally run out of water are showing the effects of dry conditions. As conditions get drier, and hotter, the rest of the field may start showing the effects of dry conditions. From a crop nutrition standpoint what can we expect to see? Generally whenever water uptake to the plant is restricted, nutrient uptake is restricted as well. The addition of nutrients to correct drought induced deficiencies are usually ineffective. Sufficient water is the only real fix.
Nitrogen deficiency is one of the most common nutrient deficiencies you may see in corn. Corn plants will show nitrogen deficiency anytime, however, firing after tasseling is most common. Nodulated legumes do not normally show nitrogen deficiency symptoms, even in a drought.
Potassium deficiency may appear on several crops, especially if K soil test levels are low. Soybeans, alfalfa and corn may show K deficiencies in dry conditions, particularly if soil test K levels are relatively low.
Magnesium – In situations where soil K is high, soil Mg is low and the soil pH is below 6.0, Mg deficiencies may appear in corn crops more commonly when the soil is dry.
Boron deficiency is much more common in alfalfa when soils are dry.
Manganese – Mn deficiency may be more common in bean crops in dry conditions. In areas and crops where manganese deficiency is common, addition of foliar manganese may relieve some of the manganese symptoms, even when it is dry.
pH – When soil pH is low and lime has been applied, dry conditions do not allow the lime to react with the soil and pH changes do not occur as rapidly as wanted. Deficiencies induced by low pH (such as Mg deficiency) may appear.
Correcting deficiencies induced by dry conditions usually requires removing the stress. Adding more nutrients does not normally correct the problem. In dry conditions, the solution is sufficient rain or irrigation.
GROWING YOUR FARM PROFITS
by John C. Benham
The next GYFP workshop is planned for Friday, September 9th, to be completed on Friday, September 16th in the Elora OMAFRA meeting room at 9:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Lunch and refreshments supplied.
No costs! Lots of good information! Good comments keep coming in about these workshops. Assessing your farm needs in marketing, production and improving record keeping as well as succession planning and evaluating your farm business structure are all discussed.
Cost share money is available to help you achieve your farm business goals. Don’t miss out on this opportunity. If these dates don’t work for you, the next workshop will be held Thursday, November 3rd and Thursday, November 10th at 9:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. in the OMAFRA meeting room in Elora. For more information and to sign up, call 519-846-3394.
ENVIRONMENTAL FARM PLAN
by John C. Benham
Some facts are now in place about the applications for Cost Share in 2012. We have been assured that the applications will be available on Thursday, September 15, 2011. I have booked the Elora OMAFRA Boardroom for you to complete your Cost Share Application for this program that day. So be sure to mark the date and location so you won’t miss out since there is significantly less money available than for 2011. It is anticipated that the money will be all gone in one-day or less.
Please email me at wellington@ontariosoilcrop.org so that I can keep you up to date if you plan to attend Thursday, September 15. If email doesn’t work for you, a letter or a phone call at 519-846-3394 will suffice.
Keep in mind you must have a deemed appropriate Third Edition EFP Work Book in order to apply.
COMING EVENTS:
Aug. 5-7 Drayton Agricultural Fair, Drayton. Call 519-668-2950 or the website: www.draytonfair.ca.
Aug. 15 & 18 Waterloo Environmental Farm Plan Workshop at Linwood Community Centre, Linwood from 9:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Lunch on your own (bring it or buy it from the Corner Store in Linwood). Contact Franklin Kains, EFP Coordinator at 519-742-4591, to register.
Aug. 17 & 18 Ecological Farmers of Ontario Summer Crop and Livestock Tour. A chance to visit four innovative farms, in southwest Ontario and Michigan. See exciting examples of scaled-up ecological production, co-operative marketing & value-added processing – dairy, pork & field crops, Ridgetown, ON & Caro, MI. For details, go to www.efao.ca or call 1-877-822-8606.
Aug. 17 & 18 Hasting County Plowing Match and Farm Show – 2 Countryman Road, Tweed, ON. Free parking; $5 adults, children under 12 free from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Visit: http://www.hastingsfarmshow.com/; call 613-395-5177 or email jaciegunning@gmail.com.
Aug. 18 Wellington County Plowing Match – plowing begins at 10 a.m. For more information, call Ruth Darrington at 519-846-9210.
Aug. 24 & 25 Farm & Agriculture Emergencies Training – Grain Entrapment, Grain Bin Entry & Technical Rescue – Emergency Training Centre – Blyth www.estc.ca.
Aug. 24 Herb Demonstration Day – OMAFRA Simcoe Research Station, Simcoe. Call 519-426-7120.
Aug. 27 Tractor Pull at Grand River Raceway – (Raindate: August 28) starts at 4pm.; Tickets: TBA. For more information call Grand River Agricultural Society: tel: 519-846-8879 or info@grandriveragsociety.com or Marlin Stoltz 519-669-1561.
Aug. 30 Wellington County Farm Safety – regular meeting at Husky Farm Equipment, Alma at 8:00 p.m. sharp. For more information, call Walter Grose 519-846-5329.
