Thrips Control in Cut Flowers – A Good Try

In August, 2016, we were contacted by a cut-flower grower specializing in Dahlias. There are photos in this article, but they don’t do justice to this beautiful perennial flower. Imagine a chrysanthemum crossed with a zinnia: lots of tight petals in the bloom. Unfortunately, they’re a perfect place for insects to hide. Those that buy […]

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Disease Control in Berry Crops

In the spring of 2016, the Ontario Berry Growers Association (OBGA) conducted a survey of its membership to poll how fungicides were being applied. The results were very interesting. Fungicide basics Generally, fungicides registered for berry crops are contact products, so coverage and timing are very important. The fungicide has to be distributed evenly on the target before […]

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Fungicide Application in Cereal, Pulse, and Oilseed Crops

Get ready for a busy fungicide season. If your growing conditions have been good, your crop is dense and vigorous, and soil moisture is adequate, you have yield potential to protect.  A bit of moisture and warm temperatures at a critical time, and disease is likely to develop. Before we delve into how to apply fungicides, […]

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Strategies to Spray the Top of a Canopy

The original Munckhof deflectors were reversed, and a larger set of extensions were fabricated and attached.

Orchardists, nurserymen and hop growers share something in common – they want to get spray to the top of a tall plant canopy with as little waste as possible. The tops of trees, for example, are a primary site of infection as they filter spores from the air, so fungicide coverage is critical. Spraying the […]

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When is Fungicide Coverage Critical? Always!

Strawberry anthracnose. Photo by Pam Fisher, OMAFRA.

Introduction A local strawberry producer was just beginning his harvest when the entire field was suddenly stricken with anthracnose. He would have done almost anything to save it, but he could only watch in frustration as the disease quickly devastated his crop. While he was telling me this story, he was wringing his hands; I’m […]

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