Digital Corner

One ofthe digital tools we utilize is Climate Fieldview. We have spoken in the pastconcerning connecting to equipment to capture machine data such as planter,sprayer and yield maps. Perhaps one of the most useful in season tools is thesatellite imagery presented as Field Health maps. The maps are based on anassessment of plant or canopy vigor. You can readily observe differences incrop growth across the field. The red areas are indicating lower crop health ora stressor of some type occurring in the field at the time the satellite passedoverhead. These maps alert you to areas that may need your attention. The mapsoffer no solution but rather identify and quantify the area involved and directyou to the spot so you or your advisor can perform some diagnostics. Collectinga plant tissue or observing disease incidence and severity and may lead you toa decision to take action to capture or preserve yield potential. Often theview from above can be very revealing. Patterns that are random are usually relatedto land form features or environmental conditions and patterns that emerge instraight lines often are of human origin.

Ask yourself how many times have you viewed your fields inseason from above? Let alone multiple times in season.

Signingup for Fieldview is free if you are a Bayer Value customer. You will need amobile device for viewing, most systems of IOS or Android will work to viewyour fields. You will need fields set up ahead of time. Often, we may alreadyhave your field boundaries and can import them into the system quickly and getyou started in observing your crops in season.

It may lead to insights beyond the obvious.

Reach out to Jess Roelofs to learn more

AGRIS myFS/FieldView Salesand Support

226-626-6418

JessicaRoelofs@agris.coop

Agronomy Strategy Manager and Senior Agronomist at AGRIS Co-operative

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Controlling Bluegrass

Annual Bluegrass

Glyphosate will control emerged annual bluegrass, but doesnothing for late emerging new seedlings. Ontario research has shown that byincluding soil-applied herbicides in your spray program you can reducelate-emerging seedlings and seed dispersal. Pyroxasulfone, the active found inFierce EZ, Zidua SC, and Focus, works well on controlling new seedlings. Theseproducts in Ontario trials showed 80% control, when tank mixed with Sencorcontrol was raised to 90% effective.

Zidua SC by BASF has recently added a post-harvest applicationfor annual bluegrass which coincides with germination of winter annualbiotypes. Trifluralin (eg. Treflan, Rival, Bonanza) is the only other herbicidewith annual bluegrass on its label. It can be used in soybeans, dry beans andcanola. 

Roughstalk Bluegrass

There is little to no research done in Ontario usingPyroxasulfone for control of seedling roughstalk bluegrass. Glyphosate ifsprayed early spring is affective at controlling roughstalk bluegrass, but thelater you delay application the control diminishes accordingly. In corn,nicosulfuron (eg. Accent) showed effective control. In soybeans high rates ofquizalofop (eg. Contender, Assure II, Yuma) also showed good control.

So, scout your fields this spring and if you see anythingunusual or new weeds popping up on the horizon be sure to contact your AGRISCo-op Crop sales specialist and we will be glad to assistance you. Have a safeand prosperous #plant2023.

Resource: Mike Cowbrough, OMAFRA  

Article by Mark McKerrall

Crop Sales Specialist, AGRIS Co-operative Thamesville

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Time to Talk About Your Weed Management Plan

As crop season grows, many factors can contribute to success or failure. Weed competition is one of them and will impact your business by:

1) Yield losses of up to 80%. Less product to sell.

2) Loss of fertilizer (and the money put on it) due to plant competition.

So, to keep more of your money in your pocket, you should think of a Weed Management Plan to help you better apply your resources.

A plan/program should include two parts:

1. The Scenario. The Weed Population in the Field.

Not every field has the same species or the same pressure. That said, you need to have a clear picture of your target. Field scouting will determine the species, density, and how they reproduce. This information will determine the strategies you will use.

Scouting should take place during the whole season. Today, Farmers have many digital tools that can help identify weeds. The Weed Identification Guide for Ontario Crops describes in detail each of the most important weeds in the province. Other tools like Google Lens and Bing Visual Search can help you identify a weed by taking pictures. And most important, use the help of your Crop Advisors at AGRIS Co-operative.

2. The Game-Plan.

Do not think of a one-year-only plan. Think ahead and describe what you will do in the next two or three years. The table below shows some tools you can adopt.

Crop Sales Specialist, AGRIS Co-operative Bridgen

References:

Weed identification guide for Ontario crops | ontario.ca

See it, searchit | Bing Visual Search

Google Lens -Search What You See

Agronomy Guide for Field Crops | ontario.ca