Enhanced OMAFRA Extension Support (2020)
Principal Investigator: Joanna Follings, Ben Rosser, and Horst Bohner
Research Institution: Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs
Timeline: January 2020 – December 2020
Objectives:
- Enhanced Tech Transfer Efforts: through upgrades to websites, apps, videos, YouTube segments, PowerPoint presentations and print publications. Technology transfer will also be improved through the support of field diagnostic and plot day activities. Southwest Diagnostic Days, FarmSmart Expo, and the Eastern Diagnostic Days are excellent examples of “hands on learning” for farmers and agronomists.
- Improved Information Gathering: through the investigation of new management techniques (producer driven) or new developments in products or processes (agricultural industry driven). This would include searching out innovative practices abroad, identifying key players and bringing them to speak at Ontario meetings. Conducting searches of scientific literature, government publications and web-based materials to ensure a “state-of-the-art” position when formulating research proposals, writing extension articles, or interpreting Ontario data. Proper information gathering is essential to inform government policy to ensure practical solutions are created for Ontario farmers.
- Breaking Issues Support: throughout the growing season as challenges arise. Labour, travel, and lab costs associated with issues that develop (i.e., soil nitrate testing when weather is unusual, soy pest scouting, gathering, and testing of samples to monitor Fusarium levels in wheat or corn, wheat leaf disease surveys) will be supported with this funding.
Impacts:
- Ensure the ongoing competitiveness and sustainability of the Ontario grain sector through extension and technology transfer.
- Information provided to farmers and agronomists allows them to make the best management decisions possible in a particular growing season.
Scientific Summary:
Ben Rosser (Corn)
1. Field Crop News Support:
GFO Extension funding helps support expenses associated with maintaining and operating FieldCropNews.com. This platform allows OMAFRA staff (cereals, soybean and corn specialists and supporting disciplines – entomology, disease, weeds, soils, nutrients) to easily produce and post extension articles – general production information, but more critically, timely, breaking information (pests, disease, growing season risk) and annual survey activities etc. Collectively, page views would be in the 10’s of thousands by Ontario growers and those who support them (agronomists, crop scouts, salespersons). Without this platform, our ability to produce timely articles that can reach wide audiences in Ontario would be severely limited.
2. Ontario Soil Nitrate Survey:
Every spring, OMAFRA staff conduct a provincial soil nitrate survey just prior to traditional sidedress time to identify any meaningful deviations in soil nitrates and give corn producers an opportunity to make nitrogen rate adjustments should they be warranted. The survey is typically conducted the beginning of June. In 2020, the survey collected samples from 94 fields across the province from June 8 to 10th. Soil nitrate levels were slightly higher than what is typically observed. There was significant interest in N levels given very cold and very warm temperatures during the month of May. General recommendations were to apply similar N rates as normal, unless they felt normal N rates were quite high, or yield potential may have been reduced (plant stand issues with cool weather, crusting in 2020), in which case N rates could be pulled back. It was also a good opportunity to test reduced N rates on farm to see if pulling back in a year with high soil N would impact yields.
3. Demonstration Events:
Extension funding is typically used to support diagnostics activities at various demonstration events (supplies, analysis, posters, signs) such as Southwest Crop Diagnostics Days, FarmSmart, Eastern Ontario Crop Diagnostic Days and sometimes additional industry/soil and crop field days. In 2020, due to COVID, no in-person demonstration events were held. There was a joint effort from the main diagnostic day events to hold an online version, but no supplies or sampling were required for corn extension videos (managing poor corn stands).
4. Grower Extension and Extension Products
Extension funding was used to support analysis and supply costs associated with some grower calls in 2020. This is used to diagnose issues in fields, and sometimes confirm with small hand plots. These visits not only help provide service to growers but can also be used to produce extension products (articles or videos on field management issues, how to diagnose issues). One example in 2020 was creation of extension videos and articles on how to diagnose and manage low pH and high pH knolls in different parts of Ontario. These videos were developed from a grower call about some knolls that could not support corn or soybean growth (low pH sandy knolls).
5. Ear Mould and DON Survey:
Every fall, OMAFRA staff with industry support has completed an annual pre-harvest grain corn ear mould and DON survey. The purpose is to give a heads up to Ontario growers and industry in regards to what the crop looks like to allow pro-active management decisions to be made. In 2020, the survey was conducted from September 23 to October 2, and revealed DON levels that were similar to long term averages. While there were some hotspots in the province, most corn was able to move through the system without difficulty. This was promising given past years, particularly 2018. Survey results are posted to FieldCropNews, and often receive considerable interest from the corn industry. Support for the survey has typically come from GFO Extension funding, though plant health funding was available in 2020. This is not permanent and DON survey will be expected to return to using GFO Extension funding in the future.
Horst Bohner (Soybean)
The following research and demonstration trials were established using extension funding. Information from these trials was then used to make virtual diagnostic day videos as well as other virtual meetings.
1. Soybean Planting Depth Trial:
Purpose: Some growers prefer to plant soybeans 2 inches or even deeper. This idea comes from the well-known fact that corn must be seeded at a good depth to achieve proper root structure. There has also been speculation that when planting very early, it may be beneficial to seed deeper to avoid air temperature fluctuations. The purpose of these trials was to determine the optimal planting depth for soybeans across various planting dates.
Results:
Table #1. Soybean Plant Stands at Various Planting Depths (plants/ac X 1000)
| Planting Depth | Planted April 22 | Planted May 22 | Planted June 10 |
| 1.0 inches | 132 | 142 | 165 |
| 1.5 inches | 134 | 135 | 159 |
| 2.0 inches | 122 | 111 | 153 |
| 2.5 inches | 95 | 117 | 130 |
No-till soybeans planted in 15-inch rows at 175 000 seeds/acre
Table #2. Soybean Yields at Various Planting Depths (bu/ac)
| Planting Depth | Planted April 22 | Planted May 22 | Planted June 10 |
| 1.0 inches | 62.9 | 65.7 | 51.6 |
| 1.5 inches | 64.1 | 66.3 | 50.8 |
| 2.0 inches | 60.8 | 60.1 | 49.8 |
| 2.5 inches | 59.5 | 60.9 | 47.1 |
No-till soybeans planted in 15-inch rows at 175 000 seeds/acre
Summary: The best plant stands were achieved from planting less than 2.0 inches deep, if adequate moisture was present. See Table #1. Lower yields were realized when seeding was 2.0 inches or deeper for the first two planting dates and 2.5” at the third planting date. See Table #2. A 1.5” planting depth seems to strike the best balance between getting good seed-to-soil contact and adequate moisture, but also placing seed shallow enough for quick emergence.
2. Soil Temperature Impact on Plant Stands and Yield:
Purpose: In late April soil conditions were ideal for seeding, but temperatures were extremely low. The purpose of this trial was to determine what impact cold soils would have on plant stands and final yields.
Results: Table #3 Soybean Plant Stands and Yields at Various Planting Temperatures
| Planting Date | Temp. at Planting (C) | Coldest within 12 hours (C) | Plant Stand (plants/ac) | Yield (bu/ac) |
| April 22 | 3 | -4 | 134 | 64.1 |
| April 25 | 13 | 0 | 148 | 63.4 |
| April 27 | 15 | 0 | 142 | 62.4 |
| May 22 | 23 | 10 | 135 | 66.3 |
| June 10 | 30 | 13 | 159 | 50.8 |
No-till soybeans planted in 15-inch rows at 1.5” and 175 000 seeds/acre. (plants/ac X 1000)
Summary: The April 22 planted soybeans endured 13 nights when temperatures dipped below freezing. Although plant stands were slightly reduced, yields were comparable to the May 22nd planting date. This trial shows that soybeans can endure very cold temperatures before emergence. Although planting in April was not detrimental to yield, it was also not beneficial in this trial compared to the May 22 planting. The success of this early planting date was likely due to the fact that conditions were also relatively dry. Soybean seed does not respond well to soils that are cold and wet.
3. Foliar Fungicide and Nutrient Yield Response:
Purpose: Applying foliar fungicides has become standard practice for wheat growers and is gaining acceptance in corn production. The purpose of this trial was to assess the possible yield benefit to a foliar fungicide application to soybeans even when no obvious white mould disease pressure is evident. A foliar nitrogen and potassium product were also tank mixed with the fungicide.
Summary: Although there was little foliar disease pressure evident, likely due to a dry June and July there was a 2.2 bu/ac advantage to spraying a foliar fungicide. Two applications of a foliar fungicide did not provide more yield. The addition of liquid K20S provided an additional 1.0 bu/ac yield.
4. Intensive Soybean Management:
Purpose: Achieving maximum yield potential through intensive management without irrigation has provided inconsistent results in previous studies. A combination of fertilizers that included N, P, K, Mg, S, Zn, Mg, and B were applied in these trials. Two foliar fungicide applications were also applied in combination with these fertilizers.
Results:
Summary: A significant yield boost was achieved with the combination of fertilizers and fungicides. The addition of nitrogen during the reproductive stages of plant growth showed no benefit on average. However, the addition of urea or AMS before planting in these no-till trials with relatively heavy corn stalk residue did show a small yield gain. At the Bornholm location an increase of 11.3 bu/ac was realized when all treatments were applied.
5. “Field Crop News” webpage:
Extension funding was used to update and maintain the Field Crop News webpage. The site now gets 125,000 users visiting annually. It peaks at about 20,000 users a month during May, June, and July. The majority of users are accessing information from their mobile device (60-40 split mobile to desktop compared to 2-98 when the site first started in 2011). 7:00 am to 10:00 am are the most active times of day for people to view information on the site. Field Crop News is a webpage dedicated to the production of over 8.5 million acres of field crops in Ontario and a forum for which producers, researchers and industry personnel can share information and ideas. The OMAFRA field crop technology team, faculty at the University of Guelph, and innovative growers work together to find ways to improve field crop production. The key learning and outcomes from these collaborations are captured on “Field Crop News.”
Joanna Follings (Wheat)
The following research and demonstration trials were established using extension funding in northern Ontario. Information from these trials was then used to make virtual diagnostic day videos as well as other virtual meetings.
1. Demonstration trials in northern Ontario:
Extension funding was utilized to setup demonstration trials in northern Ontario to support growers in that region. These trials included performance trials as well as sulphur demonstration trials. The information obtained from these trials were then used to update the northern Ontario performance data on the OCCC website. The information was also used to create videos that were shared on YouTube by northern Ontario research station staff. Results were also shared through various virtual meetings and will be used to update OMAFRA nutrient recommendations and publications including the Agronomy Guide. The results from these trials indicate that there is very little response to sulphur when applied to spring wheat in the region (Table 1). This information may negate the need for growers to apply this nutrient on every acre every year, improving their profitability.
| Sulphur (kg/ha) | Yield T/HA | TSTW | TKW |
| S0 | 4.3 | 67.5 | 41.1 |
| S10 | 4.4 | 67.1 | 41.6 |
| S20 | 4.4 | 66.6 | 42 |
| S30 | 4.6 | 68 | 40.6 |
Table 1: Spring wheat response to sulphur in 2020 was not statistically different amongst rates ranging from 0-30 kg/ha. This was consistent with the response seen in 2019.
2. Host OCCC Research Update in 2020:
Funds were utilized to host the OCCC Research Update in 2020. The event attracted over 40 researchers, grain millers, breeders, industry, and government representatives. The purpose of the event is to highlight the latest research in Ontario cereal crops and encourage collaboration and information sharing. The event is an effort to keep everyone up to date and avoid any duplication of research efforts.
3. Maintain GoCereals.ca website:
Extension funding was used to do updates and maintain data on the GoCereals.ca website as well as the Field Crop News Blog. In 2020, the GoCereals site had 6,000 users on the site (up 1,000 users from 2019) with 32,000 page views (up 7,000 from 2019). The most commonly used pages include the performance pages for all cereals as well as the head-to-head feature which allows growers to compare specific varieties and characteristics that may be best suited for their operation. GoCereals.ca is home to all Ontario cereal performance data and cereal production related information.
4. Maintain Field Crop News webpage:
Extension funding was used to update and maintain the Field Crop News webpage. The site now gets 125,000 users visiting annually. It peaks at about 20,000 users a month during May, June, and July. The majority of users are accessing information from their mobile device (60-40 split mobile to desktop compared to 2-98 when the site first started in 2011). 7:00 am to 10:00 am are the most active times of day for people to view information on the site. Field Crop News is a webpage dedicated to the production of over 8.5 million acres of field crops in Ontario and a forum for which producers, researchers and industry personnel can share information and ideas. The OMAFRA field crop technology team, faculty at the University of Guelph, and innovative growers work together to find ways to improve field crop production. The key learning and outcomes from these collaborations are captured on “Field Crop News.”
5. Evaluate nutrient removal:
In collaboration with growers, agronomists and labs, extension funds were used to generate and collect information on nutrient removal from barley, hybrid rye and winter wheat straw given the changes in management, varieties and changing weather patterns. All straw samples were analyzed at SGS labs in Guelph. The project looked at fields that did not receive rainfall as well as those that did to compare the impacts on nutrient leaching. Results showed that average nitrogen values across all fields were 0.51%, phosphorus values were 0.06% and potassium values were 0.76%. However, when we separate out those sites that received rainfall compared to those that did not, we found that the average nutrient values were lower in the sites that were rained on. The average nitrogen value was 0.50%, 0.05% for phosphorus and 0.61% for potassium while those fields that did not get rained on averaged 0.52% for nitrogen, 0.07% for phosphorus and 1.01% for potassium. These results demonstrate the impact that rainfall events can have on nutrient leaching from straw particularly as it relates to potassium. These results have been shared through virtual grower meetings and will be included in the 2020 CropAdvance project summaries. Results indicate that the current OMAFRA guidelines for nutrient removal in all cereal crops are still relevant, but rainfall events need to be taken into consideration when making nutrient replacement recommendations.
| Sample ID | Crop | Rain Event (Y/N) | N – Critical 2.00 | P – Critical 0.10 | K – Critical 1.00 |
| 1 | Winter Wheat | Y | 0.6 | 0.02 | 0.58 |
| 2 | Barley | N | 0.61 | 0.06 | 0.55 |
| 3 | Winter Wheat | Y | 0.51 | 0.05 | 0.69 |
| 4 | Winter Wheat | Y | 0.52 | 0.03 | 0.67 |
| 5 | Barley | N | 0.53 | 0.11 | 1.76 |
| 6 | Barley | Y | 0.43 | 0.08 | 0.35 |
| 7 | Barley | N | 0.43 | 0.05 | 0.73 |
| 8 | Hybrid Rye | Y | 0.45 | 0.05 | 0.78 |
External Funding Partners:
None.
Project Related Publications:
None.