Ready – Set – Grow!

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SEED TREATING

Treating seed that gets put into the ground to grow a crop is nothing new.  Seed treatments have been utilized for many centuries. What is new in the game is applying nutrient seed dressings. Ensuring that the seed has the proper nutrients available early in its life cycle allows for maximum early season growth for that plant.

In the past, the biggest limitation to expanding seed treatment options has been the application of multiple products on seed.  With todays modern seed treaters and product formulations, we have the ability to apply up to 5 or 6 products at one time on the seed.  This has opened the door to expanding our seed treatment options into applying not only fungicidal and insecticidal seed treatments but also applying nutrients and bio-stimulants.

SEED PRIMING

Nutrient seed priming is a topic that has been explored now for a few decades.  There are a couple reasons that seed priming has become a popular topic of discussion.  The agronomical benefit of seed nutrient priming ensures that critical micronutrients are close to the seed and available for quick uptake.  This will ensure quick germination. Allowing the plant to get its first leaves established and taking in sunlight for photosynthesis.  Increasing plant size early on in the growing year will allow that plant to better handle stress.

One of the popular nutrients for seed priming has been zinc.  Zinc applied on seed for early season uptake has shown great success in giving the crop a jump on germination and early season growth. As yields increase, there is recorded dilution of seed nutrients occurring.  This can cause concern in germination vigor of the seed.

If we examine the economics of seed priming, it usually requires a significantly lower investment when compared to soil applied nutrients.  This is especially true when the grower is already treating the seed with a fungicidal seed treatment.  Here in western Canada, true micronutrient deficiencies are incredibly variable across our soil and it’s a challenge to apply products just to the affected acres.  One way to get around this issue is utilizing seed priming and applying nutrients right to the seed.

To get more information on the benefits of seed treatments, please give your local SynergyAG rep a call and find out how we can work with you to get your crop off to the right start.

Fall Herbicide Application

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From the cab of your combine, it is the perfect time to start thinking about next year’s crop. Fall herbicide applications can be a reliable way to help keep fields clean of those winter annual and perennial weeds that will be tough to control the following spring. 

When determining to do a fall herbicide application, consider the history of the field and plan for the following growing season. 

Scouting

When you’re out harvesting this fall, take a good look at the field for small, germinated weeds. Asses the species, health, and size of the weeds present, making sure they are actively growing and have enough leaf surface to actively take the product in. Questions you may want to consider: What were some of the troublesome weeds throughout the season? Are any of those weed species perennial or winter annuals? 

Winter Annuals

Fall germinating winter annuals are controlled effectively in the fall because the plants are small and susceptible to the herbicide. These weeds will continue to grow through the fall frosts and will resume growth in the early spring. Some examples of tough to control winter annuals include Narrow Leafed Hawksbeard, Prickly Lettuce, and Night Flowering Catchfly. 

 Perennials

In the fall, perennials are sending reserves down to the roots to overwinter and will carry the herbicide to the roots. For optimal control, it is important to ensure there is enough regrowth after being cut at harvest for the herbicide to hit its target. Some common examples of tough to control perennial weeds are Dandelions, Canada Thistle, Horsetail (commonly found around sloughs), and Foxtail Barley. 

Spray Conditions

Optimal weather conditions are preferred for an effective fall herbicide application. Ideally warm fall days, temperatures greater than +10 are when the plants are actively growing. Frost and continuous low temperatures will send the weeds into shut down. Making it best to wait a few days after cold temperatures, assess the health of the weeds, and apply an application only after the weeds start growing again. 

Tank Mixing

Tank mixing is another essential consideration when it comes to fall burn-off. Tank mixing allows for herbicide rotation, especially in instances where there is a presence of resistant weed biotypes that limit herbicide group options in-crop. Although a heavy rate of glyphosate may be a straightforward and cost-effective solution, it is important to incorporate a tank mix partner to get multiple modes of action, ensure effective control and mitigate the chance of resistance. Keep in mind any re-cropping restrictions. Heat LQ, Express and 2,4-D are common tank-mix partners to consider. 

A fall weed control application can reduce the spring workload, get your crop off to a weed-free start, and allow you to get into the field earlier. Contact your local Synergy AG agronomist if you need assistance identifying weed species or creating an optimal fall burn-off plan. 

Desiccation of Pulses

Desiccation of Pulses

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Legumes (pulses) are more susceptible to weather damage than cereals, so a delay in harvesting can lead to loss of yield and deterioration of quality. To reduce the time from maturity to combining, field crops may be desiccated. Desiccation is the chemical termination of plant growth at the stage when all growth functions, seed size and yield have been set. It helps to minimize late disease development and harvest problems caused by late weed growth, uneven ripening of crops and crop lodging. It also makes for better control of harvest timing.

What are desiccants?

Desiccants are contact herbicides which are designed to quickly dry down the crop. They interfere with photosynthesis, causing plant cells to break down and release their liquid contents so they can dry down more rapidly than would have happened naturally. It is important to note that although glyphosate can desiccate a crop, it is not a true desiccant. It is a systemic herbicide which must be absorbed and translocated to growing points to kill plants, and therefore takes longer to dry the crop. Glyphosate is useful as a pre-harvest herbicide for weed control but when its application is incorrectly timed, there is a danger of herbicide residue ending up in the seed and exceeding maximum residue limits. Moreover, it should not be used on pulse crops destined for planting seed because of an increased risk of poor emergence.

When to apply desiccants

When applying desiccants, timing is important. Incorrect timing of pre-harvest herbicides can negatively affect crop maturity. Desiccants applied too early can interfere with the process of seed filling, resulting in yield loss. Research suggests that the best time to desiccate is when the seed has less than 30% moisture.

The decision to use a desiccant depends on the risk of the crop losing quality if left to dry down naturally in the field, and whether a producer needs to manage harvest workload and timing. Individual circumstances will determine if desiccation will provide financial and operational benefits. Your SynergyAG rep can guide you in making that call.

Things To Consider About Sclerotinia Application

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As we come to the start of July and look out into our canola fields, we are seeing beautiful cabbaging canola that is starting to bolt. One of the big questions we always have from our growers is whether or not it is worth spraying canola for sclerotinia. As growers are facing tight margins and pricey costs of application, the question always is, “Will we see a ROI from a sclerotinia application?”

Forecasting Tools Available to Growers

Growers have some great tools that can help them forecast the development of sclerotinia in their area. Some of these tools include: Risk assessment maps put out for the prairie provinces that are available on the Canola Council Website, a checklist based on environmental conditions, and our personal favourite, petal testing. There is no method that is 100% accurate, but these different tools can help us make an educated decision. 

Conditions Favorable for Sclerotinia 

For sclerotia germination, spore production and spore growth, we need to have favourable environmental factors such as rainfall and soil moisture.  Summers with wet, damp and humid conditions are the perfect weather for us to see high amounts of sclerotinia in the canola. Another condition that is favorable for sclerotinia is a dense crop canopy. When we have these dense heavy canopies, we see a lack of sunlight able to penetrate through and evaporate the moisture under the canopy. 

Ideal Bloom Staging

When we are looking at doing a fungicide application for sclerotinia, timing is critical. For application timing, we are looking at between 20%-50% flower, and prior to significant petal drop. Fungicide application needs to begin when it is at 20% flower – meaning, we see 15 open f lowers on the main stem. When the number of open flowers on the main stem exceed 20, we are at 50% flower, and this is a sign that our application window is closing for fungicide.  Canola fields will be at it most yellow during this stage.

For more question on Sclerotinia and fungicide options, please contact your local Synergy AG agronomist. 

Diagnosing Crop Nutrient Deficiencies

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One of the funny things about speaking with an accent is that you can sometimes be misunderstood. For example, my Google Nest Mini may try to order pizza when I’m asking to call my friend Peter. That is not as bad as the guy who I heard was praying to be bold and suddenly lost his hair and went completely bald!

Plants can be misunderstood too. When a plant is deficient of any essential nutrient, it communicates through symptoms. But deficiency symptoms can be misdiagnosed leading to poor recommendations. For example, nitrogen and sulfur deficiencies can look alike in certain crops. Moreover, multiple deficiencies may occur at the same time on the same crop. Also, some environmental stresses can look like nutrient deficiencies. As crops begin to emerge across fields in Western Canada, you might notice growth differences in patches across the field. What do you do about it?

Mobile and immobile nutrients

A first step in identifying a nutrient deficiency visually is noting where the symptom is showing up on the plant. Mobile nutrients (N, P, K, Cl, Mg, Mo) can move out of older leaves to younger leaves when the nutrient is in short supply. Therefore, visual symptoms of a mobile nutrient deficiency will first occur in the older or lower leaves. Immobile nutrients (B, Ca, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, S) do not generally move within the plant parts so deficiency symptoms will initially be seen in the younger or upper leaves. After this first diagnostic step, other characteristics (such as pattern and color) of the symptom can be used to identify the specific nutrient that is deficient, following some available guidelines. Visual diagnosis of plant nutrient deficiencies requires experience and is aided by knowledge of the field history.

A better way

But diagnosing nutrient deficiencies by visual observation alone is risky. That is because by the time visual symptoms appear, crop yield may have already been compromised. Plant tissue testing is a great way to identify plant nutrient deficiencies and determine appropriate corrective measures. A good tissue test can detect ‘hidden hunger’ before symptoms appear. Tissue testing and soil testing complement each other. While a soil test tells you how much of a nutrient is potentially available to your crop, plant tissue testing tells you how much of that potentially available nutrient is actually being taken up by the plant. Tissue testing is a useful activity to incorporate into your cropping program early in the season to ensure that deficiencies are caught in time, and yield is protected.

– Ikenna Mbakwe, PhD, PAg

  Head of Research

How plants respond to stress and how you can help them!

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Like other living things, plants can be stressed too. But unlike animals that can move away from adverse environmental conditions, plants must stay where they are, rooted to the spot. As a result, plants have had to develop mechanisms to cope with stress as much as possible. Unfortunately, this adaptation to stress usually means that something else must be sacrificed.

How plants respond to stress

Generally, plants are considered to be under stress when the environmental conditions around them are not ideal for growth. It is estimated that key agricultural crops may only be producing about 30% of their genetic yield potential due to environmental stress.

Environmental stress can reduce crop productivity directly such as when poor growing conditions like drought and salinity limit water uptake and inhibit cell expansion; or when cold conditions lower the activity of important enzymes that control growth.

But plants that are experiencing stress can also intentionally slow their growth through stress-triggered cell signaling. In this way, plants divert energy and resources away from normal growth processes and towards mitigating the stress. For example, in response to lack of water, plants can reduce stomatal opening in order to conserve water. This in turn, decreases the rate of photosynthesis and slows growth. Plants may also increase the size of certain organs to adapt to stress. For example, under dry conditions, plants can increase root length to search for moisture. In doing this however, they may sacrifice the growth of other important organs linked to yield and quality.

What you can do

Good nutrition is important for overall plant health, but current scientific research is also discovering the usefulness of biostimulants in mitigating plant stress. The European Biostimulant Industry Council describes a plant biostimulant as “a material which contains substance(s) and/or microorganisms whose function when applied to plants or the rhizosphere is to stimulate natural processes to benefit nutrient uptake, nutrient efficiency, tolerance to abiotic stress, and/or crop quality, independently of its nutrient content.” Last year, our team conducted trials with several biostimulants including plant hormones, fulvic acids and seaweed and generally saw positive results on yield and ROI. With high fertilizer and crop prices along with challenging climatic conditions, biostimulants can be a great addition to a cropping program. Your SynergyAG rep can discuss suitable options for your farming operation.

– Ikenna Mbakwe, PhD, PAg

  Head of Research

Improving Crop Productivity in Saline Soils

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Dealing with saline soils is one of the most challenging problems in crop production both locally and globally. A recent report by the FAO with information from 118 countries shows that more than 424 million hectares (more than 1 billion acres) of topsoil and 833 million hectares (more than 2 billion acres) of subsoil are salt-affected. It is estimated that more than 5 million acres in the Canadian Prairies are impacted by some degree of salinity. With the current challenge of feeding a growing population with limited agricultural land, finding solutions that can improve crop productivity in saline soils is critical.

What causes soil salinity?

Soil salinization occurs when water-soluble salts accumulate in the soil. This usually happens due to a combination of several factors:  the parent rock from which the soil is formed is rich in soluble salts, there is a high water table, a high evaporation rate and a low annual rainfall. Generally, if the water table is within two meters (six ft.) of the soil surface, capillary movement will carry water and dissolved salts to the surface. And if evaporation exceeds infiltration, the salts will remain in the upper layers of the soil where they can negatively affect plants.

How saline soils affect crops

Excess salts make it difficult for plants to take up water. This is because water moves into plant roots through the process of osmosis which is influenced by the difference in the salt levels of the soil water and the water contained in the plant. If the salt level of the soil water is high, water will move from plant roots to the soil instead of from soil to plant. With time, the plant will become dehydrated, growth is limited, and the plant might die. In salt-affected soils, seed germination will be poor because of low imbibition of water and salt toxicity.

Lab experiment on the effect of salinity on canola growth. Soils in the red pots were made saline by adding sodium chloride (table salt) which affected germination and growth

How to detect salt-affected soil

Saline patches in a field are often characterized by poor crop growth. For very salty soils, a whitish precipitate of salt may appear on the soil surface, especially after a long dry period. Some salt-loving weeds such as Russian thistle, Kochia and foxtail barley may also colonize the area. A routine soil test can more accurately identify the level of salinity and what kinds of salts are present.

What are some solutions to improve crop productivity in a saline soil?

Reclaiming saline soils can be difficult and expensive. Reclamation methods usually involve installing drainage and then leaching the excess salts out of the soil using sufficient rainfall or irrigation. In dryland farming, this may not be practical or economically viable.

Therefore, efforts are being directed towards more feasible alternatives. Breeding salt-tolerant varieties and developing seed treatments that help plants overcome stressful conditions are two options that are available to improve crop productivity in saline soils. A good seed treatment can complement breeding efforts and boost plant health in the early stages. Moreover, several microorganisms, phytohormones and biostimulants have been shown to enhance plant defense mechanisms and help crops thrive under abiotic stresses such as salinity. These can be incorporated into a cropping program either at seeding or as foliar applications during the season. Variable rate application of fertilizer is also useful to ensure that input is allocated to more productive areas and that saline areas are not further salinized by too much fertilizer. Long-term management of saline areas may also involve seeding them to salt-tolerant perennials that root deeply to use up a lot of the excess water thereby reducing the upward movement of dissolved salts to the soil surface.

– Ikenna Mbakwe, PhD, PAg

  Head of Research

More Than A Crystal Ball!

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How digital agriculture can improve efficiency on your farm

My heart sank when I scrolled through some Facebook photos and discovered a classmate had aged rather too quickly. But on reading his update, I was relieved to notice that the photo was of his “future self”. My friend had used the photo editing app that predicts what a person might look like when they are old. The idea of seeing my wrinkled face at 92 doesn’t particularly excite me (hopefully before then somebody would have invented a better anti-aging cream)! However, I am excited about using digital technology to predict and manage important aspects of a cropping season. Now, that would be useful!

What is digital agriculture?

In general, digital agriculture includes tools that are used to collect, store, analyze, and share data and information in agriculture.  These technologies aim to provide information to make better decisions and improve productivity. The rise of digital platforms in agriculture has been called the “Digital Revolution”, the latest of the major revolutions in agriculture.

How digital agriculture can enhance efficiency on your farm

There are several examples of how digital agriculture can improve farm efficiency and resource management. Digital agriculture includes precision agriculture techniques that use sensors, GPS guidance, satellite imagery, and soil sampling to identify unique characteristics of different areas of a farmer’s field so that the farmer can allocate the right amount of resources to the right place at the right time. This is particularly useful under the present situation of high input costs. Digital agriculture also includes tools that use mathematical models developed from the relationships between complex variables, to guide farming decisions. For example, crop yield potential throughout a growing season can be predicted from variables such as available soil moisture, accumulative rainfall, and expected precipitation, giving farmers the information they need to decide whether adding more input during a growing season is justified. Furthermore, software that help record, store and manage farm and field activities are also part of digital agriculture, and can greatly enhance the efficiency of farm and field operations.

In conclusion…

There seems to be an app for everything these days, and the choices can be dizzying. Our world is suddenly looking like the Planet of the Apps! But changes in weather patterns, new and emerging pest and diseases, as well as market uncertainties mean that we can no longer rely on past and personal experiences alone. To remain profitable, farm management decisions must be data-driven using the right technologies. At SynergyAG, we evaluate various digital agriculture platforms and work with those that can bring value to our customers. Our approach is to combine eyes in the sky with boots on the ground. Please, talk with your SynergyAG rep to understand how our digital/precision agriculture platforms can help improve efficiency on your farm.

– Ikenna Mbakwe, PhD, PAg

  Head of Research

  SynergyAG

Dealing with Possible Herbicide Carryover in 2022

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None of us need reminding how difficult 2021 was for farming in Western Canada because of the severe drought experienced in most places, along with the disruptions of a global pandemic. If it were possible, I would have asked my high school bully if that offer to slap me into next year was still on the table! But at last, here we are in 2022, looking forward to a much better year. However, like a boxer ready to step back into the ring, we may still be carrying a few scars from our last fight. One of those scars could be herbicide carryover.

What is herbicide carryover?

Herbicide carryover happens when a soil residual herbicide does not break down completely over the summer and leaves residues that may harm the next crop. Herbicides break down more quickly in warm, moist soils due to increased microbial and chemical degradation under those conditions. Therefore, the extremely dry conditions experienced in many areas during last year’s growing season have increased the potential for crop damage from herbicide carryover in 2022. In general, areas that received less than 125 millimeters (about 5 inches) of accumulated rainfall between June 1 and August 30 may be at risk, especially if the soils are sandy, have low organic matter, and soil pH is lower than 6.5 or higher than 7.5.

How to detect herbicide carryover before the start of the cropping season

A simple way to assess suspected herbicide carryover is to do a bioassay. This involves growing the intended crop or a sensitive crop in pots containing soil from a treated field and a ‘’check” soil from an untreated area close to the field. Seeds should be planted not later than a day or two after the soils are collected to minimize herbicide degradation of the soil samples under favourable conditions, which will skew the results. Place the pots in direct sunlight or under a suitable light source, at about room temperature. Water as needed but avoid waterlogging. Observe the plants 2 – 3 weeks after emergence and note any visual differences in plant height, root density, and overall plant health.  Plants experiencing herbicide injury will show symptoms of poor health when compared to the check.

How to manage herbicide carryover

Accurate record-keeping that indicates the type of herbicides and amount of rainfall a field received is important to assess potential herbicide carryover risks. Pay attention to rotational restrictions by the herbicide manufacturer and consult with the manufacturer for additional guidance in abnormal situations such as after the drought of 2021. If herbicide carryover is confirmed, the safe thing to do would be to seed the field to a crop with tolerance to the herbicide group that has been carried over, taking other essential farm management plans into consideration. Your SynergyAG team will be happy to provide the necessary agronomic guidance for a successful 2022 season.

– Ikenna Mbakwe, PhD, PAg

  Head of Research

  SynergyAG

The Herbicide Resistance Battle Is On!

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Herbicide resistance in the prairies has been rapidly increasing overtime. Currently in Saskatchewan 57% of the fields have herbicide resistant weeds, and Alberta is sitting at 59%. This means that it is more likely for a field to have herbicide resistance than not. There are many causes to consider when assessing possible herbicide resistance, some of which are associated with the genetics of a particular weed species while others are more correlated with weed control practices. Given the facts, spreading awareness of this important topic is critical in the agriculture industry going forwards. Educating and reminding producers about the issue will inspire farmers to seek advice. 

There are many points to consider when forming your 2022 weed management plans. Farmers have a wide spectrum of pre- emergent and post- emergent chemicals to look at when making these plans. Repeating the use of similar herbicides year after year will trigger resistance. Below is a list of best practises and guidelines to help prevent resistance while still upholding weed control:

  1. Use crop rotation to your advantage. Rotating through a wide range of crops allows for different herbicides to be used year after year. The more years you can offer a break from the use of a specific MOA, the more likely you are to avoid weeds resistant to it. 
  2. Use multiple modes of action through the use of tank mixing. Hitting weeds with numerous modes of action reduces the risk of herbicide resistant weeds escaping and setting seed.
  3. Follow the herbicide labels in order to use the right herbicide, in the right field, at the right rate and apply at the right time to avoid cutting herbicide efficacy and increasing the weed seeds in the soil bank. 
  4. Implement some integrated weed management practices on your operation. This allows for herbicides to not carry such a ‘heavy weight’ on your farm. Management strategies can include cover crops, higher seeding rates, and narrow row spacing. You may also want to consider increasing the competitiveness of the crop itself with proper fertility, seed treatments to protect against stresses, and pre-seed weed control. 
  5. Record-keeping is another essential tool to use on your farm. Keep track of all operations such as seeding and spraying across all acres to ensure herbicides are well managed and aren’t being over-used. 

SynergyAG is taking this opportunity to combat herbicide resistance in the local area. We are proud to introduce “Defy Resistance”, a strategy designed to build awareness and help producers slow down or reduce the negative impact of herbicide-resistant weeds. Through launching the campaign, we are hoping to bring the issue to the forefront, making it a top priority for all growers. The Govan, Lumsden, and Provost locations are deemed the “Defy Resistance Headquarters”, where you will find trusted experts on all-things herbicide resistance. 

The battle against weed resistance is on. Contact your SynergyAG rep for more information.