September 21, 2017 | Kris Cherewyk
One of the more common practices amongst grain producers, is the use of cereal crops harvested in the fall for seed to be planted in the spring. A grower’s own grain to be used for seed is commonly known as bin-run. Despite the many benefits of using certified cereal seed purchased from registered seed growers, many producers use bin-run as a means of reducing costs in their operations. Even if the sample from the bin-run seed is graded well at the elevator, it is very important to have grain tested by a lab in order to properly determine quality, germination and vigor which are all critical elements in the success of a cereal crop.
Quality testing is used to determine the amount of disease that is on the seed. For example, fusarium graminearum spores can still be present even with no fusarium damaged kernels (FDK) in the sample. If the bin-run quality does not meet the minimum requirements, the seed should not be used for planting. Germination testing determines the …
September 13, 2017 | Kris Cherewyk
Harvest time across the prairies means a lot of quality time in either the combine, tractor or grain truck cab with the radio on. Over the previous month, radio commercials from canola seed companies have been filling the airwaves. While the primary focus is to complete harvest in a timely and safe fashion, it’s also …
August 31, 2017 | Kris Cherewyk
Over the course of the last number of months we have discussed how using Seed Hawk technology during seeding can assist other areas of a farming operation. The common theme among these topics is that the results would be most recognizable during harvest time, in terms of crop yield and quality. This year, a …
August 17, 2017 | Kris Cherewyk
It’s an exciting time on the prairies as harvest is getting underway. The satisfaction of bringing in a year’s worth of planning and hard work is one of the biggest reasons growers love what they do. For some producers, it also means the beginning of the 2018 crop year with the planting of winter wheat. …
July 19, 2017 | Kris Cherewyk
When it comes to harvest time, producers are always looking to increase both efficiency and yields. An increasing trend amongst canola growers in recent years has been the use of straight cutting technology to harvest their crops. New canola varieties with pod-shatter resistance, combined with improved technology in straight-cut headers has led to more acres …
