On the Prairies, we are fortunate that we don’t have many insects to deal with when it comes to our corn production. The most prevalent insect is the European corn borer (ECB) and the pressure we see varies by year and location. The following is a summary of the lifecycle of the ECB, how the…
There are a lot of wheels in motion this year when it comes to nitrogen management in corn. Here are some of the key questions: Question 1. If I have unlimited nitrogen supply, should I reduce N rates on corn regardless, because of high nitrogen prices? Answer 1: High nitrogen prices alone, are not a…
The following are some tips and ideas on how to avoid key corn planting mistakes. If you have other thoughts you would like to add to the discussion, please e-mail us at info@maizex.com. Missed the First Planting Window. This is a result of not having the planter prepared for an early planting window. Here are…
The 2021 Agronomy Summary is now available thanks to the work of the Maizex Seeds agronomy team and the cooperators and companies who worked with them throughout the 2021 growing season to make this booklet possible.
For a number of years, I have been planting my dryland grazing corn with my air drill because that is the equipment that I had available, and I didn’t know if spending the money on a custom planter would be worth it. My ‘target’ plant population with the air drill was 32,000 plants per acre…
Recent silage testing has shown that corn silage maturities are advancing quickly. Tests in Southwestern Ontario averaged 68% moisture this week. That puts us into ideal silage moisture content for harvest as early as next week. We normally expect corn to drop around 0.5% in moisture a day or around 3% a week. Note that hot,…
The corn plants are at a very critical time right now in Western Canada. Most tassels have emerged (VT stage), and the pollination/silking process (R1 stage) has started. A corn plant drops pollen from the tassel to pollinate ear silks, and there is one silk for every kernel on a corn ear. A captured pollen…
This summer has brought several challenges to farmers in western Canada—drought, hail, extreme heat, and wildfire smoke. This isn’t the first time that we have seen wildfire smoke hang in the air for extended periods of time; both 2015 and 2018 were record years for the hours of smoke recorded across Alberta. Unfortunately, 2021 might…
Every year is different, and 2021 is no exception. With record high crop prices, an early planting window across most of Canada, and now a wet July in Eastern Canada, it has never been more favourable for a fungicide application for your corn silage crop. In our Maizex agronomy work over the last number of…
Gone are the good ol’ days and the simplicity of glyphosate-tolerant or conventional soybeans. Today, we have numerous platforms—what does it all mean, and why should you care? Well, the simple answer is herbicide-tolerant weeds. It began back in 2010, when the first glyphosate-tolerant Canada fleabane was found in Essex County. All of a sudden,…