ONTARIO GRAIN FARMER AGRONOMY 11 continued on page 12 As with a lack of rain, disease development in the middle of the growing season was not as worrisome as in some years. Tar spot, DON, and others, while on the radar, were not huge topics of concern for many regions. The Crop Protection Network launched a new Crop Risk Tool, partially funded by Grain Farmers of Ontario, to enhance disease management decisions. Weatherbased forecasting and risk assessments are available for tar spot and gray leaf spot in corn, and white mould and frogeye leaf spot in soybeans. The Crop Risk Tool is an excellent addition to Ontario grain farmers' toolbox. As corn and soybean fields approached reproductive stages, development was affected in several regions by a lack of moisture. Corn cobs were shortened, with kernels either not pollinated or aborted. Soybeans showed flowers and pods aborting, with plants shutting down due to drought, well before what would be considered normal. A challenging year for some, as decisions were made on how to salvage the crop. WEEDS AND DISEASE With crop canopies not as lush as in some years and weed seeds able to germinate in some cases with very little moisture, throughout the growing season, waterhemp, fleabane, and Palmer amaranth were among the weeds seen in fields as they emerged mid-season. Palmer amaranth, a new weed identified in Ontario only a few years ago in a very limited location, saw this year an expansion in identification. As next season approaches, be sure to review the weed spectrum in the fields and plan to manage multiple herbicide-resistant weeds. Good scouting and identification, paired with a two-pass herbicide program that has multiple effective modes of action, with good residual activity, will be key for problematic weeds. And as always, a reminder to be drift aware when applying any crop protection product. Droplet size, height of the boom, and wind speed are just a few of the things to keep in mind when heading to the field to make an application. HARVEST Across much of Ontario, the start of the fall season saw incredible harvest weather, with warm temperatures, sunny skies, and low rainfall. However, that caused soybeans to dry down almost too quickly, and many were harvested dry or below dry for harvest moisture. Winter wheat planting saw many acres planted in ideal conditions, with warm soil temperatures and good soil moisture with timely rains. Much of the winter wheat also went in close to the optimum planting date, which helped it get off to a great start. Be sure to review the weed spectrum in fields and plan to manage multiple herbicide resistant weeds.
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