Misconceptions of Chemical Use on Crops

Dec 07, 2022

Technology and research advancements have changed how farmers use chemicals on their crops. Even with these improvements, there’s a lot of misinformation out there amongst consumers about how chemicals are used on crops.

On the Dec. 14 episode of Seed Speaks, we’re taking a closer look at what the ag industry do to stop these rumours dead in their tracks. We’re joined by Ian Affleck, vice-president of plant biotechnology at CropLife Canada, and Stuart Smyth, an associate professor in the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics at the University of Saskatchewan (U of S).

Affleck works with domestic and international agricultural stakeholders and governments on the development of policies, regulations, and science related to plant biotechnology. Prior to CropLife Canada, he worked at the Canadian Food Inspection Agency for 10 years, focusing on the regulation of novel plants and new varieties. Affleck has a bachelor of science in agriculture from the Nova Scotia Agricultural College, and a master’s degree in agriculture from the University of Guelph.

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Video: Root Exudates, Soil Biology, and How Plants Recruit Microbes | Field Talk Friday

Field Talk Friday | Dr. John Murphy | Root Exudates, Soil Biology, and How Plants Recruit Microbes

Most of us spend our time managing what we can see above ground—plant height, leaf color, stand counts, and yield potential. But the deeper you dig into agronomy, the more you realize that some of the most important processes driving crop performance are happening just millimeters below the surface.

In this episode of Field Talk Friday, Dr. John Murphy continues the soil biology series by diving into one of the most fascinating topics in modern agronomy: root exudates and the role they play in shaping the microbial world around plant roots.

Roots are not passive structures simply pulling nutrients out of the soil. They are active participants in the underground ecosystem. Plants constantly release compounds into the soil—sugars, amino acids, organic acids, and other molecules—that act as both energy sources and signals for soil microbes.