About 30 per cent of Ontario’s corn has been planted, according to OMAFRA

May 18, 2017

OMAFRA warns to scout for black cutworm as plants emerge

About 30 per cent of Ontario’s total corn crop has been planted, according to OMAFRA’s May 18 Field Crop Report.

Corn planted in early April is at the two-leaf stage, but most of the early-planted corn is struggling to emerge, OMAFRA says.

But the corn that has emerged is susceptible to damage from black cutworm.

“Larvae will cut off the plant just below ground level and patches of affected plants will appear wilted from hollowed out stems,” says OMAFRA’s Field Crop Team. “Cutworm larvae can be found near affected plants below the soil surface.”

And recent weather means producers are planting corn into less than ideal conditions.

“The calendar is pushing some planting to occur in soils that are wetter than ideal,” writes OMAFRA’s Field Crop Team.

Soybeans

Soybean planting is progressing across the province, with crops planted three weeks ago knuckling but not quite emerging.

Planting will increase with warmer weather, OMAFRA suggests.

Producers should monitor slow-emerging fields for seedcorn maggot damage, especially where manure or cover crops have been placed.

Winter Wheat

Recent cool and wet weather has slowed the rate of wheat development to five to seven days ahead of normal.

Most crops are at the flag leaf sgatge, but development ranges from 1^st node to heads emerging, OMAFRA says.

If fields are showing sulphur deficiency, consider applying nitrogen.

Stripe rust has been spotted in Oxford, Chatham-Kent, Elgin and Bruce Counties.

Canola is about 20 per cent planted across the province, OMAFRA says.

Video: Dicamba Returns for Georgia Farmers: What the New EPA Ruling Means for Cotton Growers

After being unavailable in 2024 due to registration issues, dicamba products are returning for Georgia farmers this growing season — but under strict new conditions.

In this report from Tifton, Extension Weed Specialist Stanley Culpepper explains the updated EPA ruling, including new application limits, mandatory training requirements, and the need for a restricted use pesticide license. Among the key changes: a cap of two ½-pound applications per year and the required use of an approved volatility reduction agent with every application.

For Georgia cotton producers, the ruling is significant. According to Taylor Sills with the Georgia Cotton Commission, the vast majority of cotton planted in the state carries the dicamba-tolerant trait — meaning farmers had been paying for technology they couldn’t use.

While environmental groups have expressed concerns over spray drift, Georgia growers have reduced off-target pesticide movement by more than 91% over the past decade. Still, this two-year registration period will come with increased scrutiny, making stewardship and compliance more important than ever.