The year 1989 marked my first spray drift trial under the watchful eye of Dr. Raj Grover and John Maybank. We evaluated the performance of several spray shrouds, Flexi-Coil, AgShield, Brandt, and Rogers, and wanted to measure just how effective they were. But in my heart I wasn’t interested in drift. I wanted to study […]
This work was performed with Albert Tenuta (OMAFRA) and David C. Hooker (University of Guelph, Ridgetown). Objective Gibberella ear rot is a significant disease that reduces the quality of grain corn, especially with the accumulation of mycotoxins (such as Deoxynivalenol (DON)) produced from the causal pathogen(s). Infection occurs through the corn silk channel when ideal temperatures […]
Liquid-Filled or Dry? Small-plot agricultural sprayers should have a pressure gauge on the wand or boom to ensure accurate application rates. Most are added after-market and the operator has the choice of buying liquid-filled or dry gauges. Glycerine- or silicone-filled gauges are preferred because they dampen pressure spikes, pulsation and mechanical vibration. Compared to dry […]
In 2021 we were invited to participate in an episode of The Vegetable Beet podcast on the Great Lakes Vegetable Producer’s Network. As well as providing excellent agronomic information for vegetable producers, the hosts and producers were talented entertainers. Many of their episodes end with a mock sponsor reel that rivals Saturday Night Live. We […]
Never fail, as spring turns to summer we get questions about algal growth in water tanks. There are lots of suggested solutions, but questions about pH antagonism and phytotoxicity seem to linger. In 2021/22 we ran trials to explore how well home-grown algicides like copper, bleach, and ammonia work, and whether they cause antagonistic responses […]