ONTARIO GRAIN FARMER 13 AUGUST 2023 For some growers, the response may be to apply a foliar fertilizer in this situation. Although this may be a good strategy in some growing environments, it is important to keep in mind what the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) states in their article Effectiveness of foliar applied nutrients in dry weather: 'Foliar applied nutrients can be a useful tool to compensate for nutrient deficiencies. However, during extended drier, hotter weather conditions, their effectiveness can be limited by changes in cuticle chemical composition, the passive uptake through leaf stomata and aqueous pores, and the drying of foliar applied nutrients.' RESEARCH ON ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS Holly Byker, agronomy manager, Northern and Eastern Ontario Crop Research Centres, University of Guelph, and Dr. Jocelyn Smith, The 2023 planting season across Ontario started with a blast of heat followed by cooler conditions and then a minor amount of rain in some areas. From planting until mid-June, the weather featured a mix of hot and cool temperatures. field crop entomology research scientist and adjunct professor with the Department of Plant Agriculture at the University of Guelph Ridgetown Campus, are working on several projects that examine the impact of environmental conditions on crop development. One of Byker's projects focuses on corn and soybean planting dates. One significant finding in spring 2023 was that the crop planted earlier emerged slower than the crop planted mid-spring. Furthermore, the crop planted from mid-spring to the final planting on June 8 was very delayed and slow to emerge due to the lack of moisture available. Dr. Jocelyn Smith and University of Guelph master's student Natasha Weppler are working on a project to evaluate economic thresholds for true armyworm in cereals. These studies are being conducted in Ridgetown and Kemptville in partnership with the Grain Farmers of Ontario and OMAFRA. The project focuses on the effects of cereal development and the timing of true armyworm invasion. Another aspect of the project is to assess the level of natural control of true armyworm in Ontario by beneficial insects such as parasitic flies and wasps. In 2023, the true armyworm flight counts in pheromone traps were not noticeably higher than in other years, but there have been many recent findings of armyworm populations in winter wheat in southwestern Ontario and some in seedling corn. Scouting for true armyworm was encouraged at the end of June into early July. There is hope that growers will not encounter this type of varied planting and early growing season conditions again. The good news is that research is being done to learn more about managing these issues. l
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