Search
Better Farming OntarioBetter PorkBetter Farming Prairies

Better Farming Ontario Featured Articles

Better Farming Ontario magazine is published 11 times per year. After each edition is published, we share featured articles online.


Crop Scene Investigation - 25 Solved: The case of the 20-foot header

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

by BERNARD TOBIN

The majority of Allan's soybean field turned yellow due to a potash deficiency. However, the strips that could be found every 20 feet across the field were not potash-deficient and, as a result, produced healthy, green soybeans which led to this strange pattern in the field.

"When the soil tests came back, they revealed that the potash levels in the yellow areas were down in the 60s and the potash in the green areas was in the high 80s and 90s," explains Keith Reid, soil fertility specialist for the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.

"The case really came together when we linked the pattern in the field to Allan's combine and the fact that he left the straw on the field for six weeks," says Reid.

Basically, all the potash taken up by the wheat accumulated in the straw and chaff which was sitting in those swaths. With six weeks of wet weather, the potash leached out of the swaths and into the ground below before Allan had a chance to bale the straw. That left the strips with sufficient potash to produce a healthy plant, while the rest of the field was deficient.

Reid notes that potash deficiency tends to show up more in dry years, especially in Harriston loam. These soils tend to be more susceptible to drought stress, which reduces potash availability.

"The message here is that growers need to use soil tests to manage soil nutrient levels before deficiencies show up," says Reid.

"This will be a really important consideration as we move into bio crops and removing residues. If they are harvested fresh, they remove a huge amount of potash from the field. If they sit and dry and weather in the field before they are harvested, most of that potash gets returned back to the system."

Congratulations to Michael Strang, Exeter, for his correct answer. BF
 

Current Issue

February 2025

Better Farming Magazine

Farms.com Breaking News

Canadian tech leads the way for egg gender testing

Friday, February 7, 2025

Photo by Erol Ahmed on Unsplash Canadian Egg Technologies and MatrixSpec Solutions Inc. have announced that their technology is delivering accurate in-ovo gender determination for white and brown eggs as early as the fourth day of incubation. Called a transformative breakthrough for... Read this article online

Farmers—protect yourself from fraud

Thursday, February 6, 2025

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay It can happen to anybody. It doesn’t matter how safe you are or how smart you are; there’s always a chance you are going to get scammed over something. And the agricultural community is no exception. One of the latest instances involves... Read this article online

Nortera celebrates $25M expansion

Wednesday, February 5, 2025

Nortera, a North American leader in frozen and canned vegetable processing, has celebrated the $25 million expansion of its Wright Street frozen warehouse in Strathroy, Ontario. This investment directly supports the local economy by sustaining over 270 jobs and strengthening... Read this article online

Profitable Pastures 2025 webinar series

Wednesday, February 5, 2025

The Ontario Forage Council (OFC) has announced that its is back, providing best management practices for pasture and grazing managers. There will be three webinars airing daily from 7:30 pm to 8:30 pm EST over March 4-6, 2025. Registration is required, but there is no cost to... Read this article online

BF logo

It's farming. And it's better.

 

a Farms.com Company

Subscriptions

Subscriber inquiries, change of address, or USA and international orders, please email: subscriptions@betterfarming.com or call 888-248-4893 x 281.


Article Ideas & Media Releases

Have a story idea or media release? If you want coverage of an ag issue, trend, or company news, please email us.

Follow us on Social Media

 

Sign up to a Farms.com Newsletter

 

DisclaimerPrivacy Policy2025 ©AgMedia Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Back To Top