A little rain can do a lot of good.
In the first few weeks of the 2017 growing season, moisture conditions were a concern throughout many parts of the Prairies, including west-central Saskatchewan — home to Co-op’s Innovation Field Trial Xtreme outside Saskatoon.
With some well-timed rains in late June, however, crop growth was picking up.
“It was definitely a concern at the beginning,” said Danean Edgar, a Co-op Excellence in Ag student, who visits the site frequently to monitor and record the progress of dozens of plots and trials spread across 15 acres.
“It was dry. When I was doing plant stand counts, some seeds hadn’t even germinated because of lack of moisture, but it’s all caught up now and it’s looking really good. The canopy is closed, the crop is competitive and now it’s time to start thinking about fungicide application.”
- MORE: Excellence in Ag Program
Something for everyone
A long list of new crop varieties, inputs, technologies and agronomic practices are being showcased in Co-op’s Innovation Field Trial Xtreme. Among the rows at the site, you’ll find:
- Canola and wheat fungicide treatments
- Certified wheat varieties
- Certified soybean varieties
- Biological products
- Pre-seed Command® herbicide
- Fertilizer products and treatments
- 4R nutrient stewardship demonstration
- Variable-rate fertilizer demonstration
“I’ve been a part of trials in the past, but nothing to this extent with all the latest technologies, including brand new hybrids and experimental inoculants,” said Edgar, who has found the Command herbicide trial particularly interesting.
Pre-seed applications of Command, a Group 13 pre-emergent herbicide, provide extended cleaver control in all herbicide-tolerant canola systems.
“As they grow, the cleavers lose pigment around the outer leaves,” said Edgar. “So it was definitely interesting to go out there and actually see the cleavers being stunted and dying off.”
Sixty children from a Saskatoon elementary school visited the Co-op Innovation Field Trial Xtreme site in June, where they enjoyed hands-on learning about canola, peas and wheat.
Spotlight on soybeans
Edgar said soybeans are another highlight of the site. In these plots, soybeans were inoculated with a liquid product on the seed and granular product in-furrow.
“It is super cool. Our soybean block is double inoculated and so we’re setting up for better results,” said Edgar. “Soybeans are a new crop to Western Canada, so the right rhizobia bacteria are not necessarily abundant in our soils.
“Being at the forefront of what’s to come — it’s really exciting.”
Curious about what’s new in your neck of the woods? There are more than 80 Co-op Innovation Field Trials at locations across Western Canada. For more information, contact your local Co-op Grow Team member.
