The Growing Point Podcast

In this episode, we chat with Dr. Charles Geddes, a weed research scientist at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada in Lethbridge. Geddes discusses with us the challenges of managing kochia and some tactics producers can implement to fight back. Geddes discusses the impacts of different crop types as well as cultural practices that can push back on kochia pressure.

In this episode, we chat with Edgar Hammermeister. Edgar is the Manager of Professional Agronomy at Western Ag. I chat with Edger about what the birch effect is, how it works, and how it affects farmers nitrogen decisions. We discuss the impacts that variable nitrogen release from soil organic matter has on nitrogen planning and what producers can do to be more accurate with their decisions.

In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Mario Tenuta, the Senior Industrial Research Chair in 4R Nutrient Management and Professor at the university of Manitoba, to discuss strategies for optimizing nitrogen use in farming. Dr. Tenuta outlines nitrogen losses and the benefits of enhanced efficiency fertilizers, such as urease and nitrification inhibitors. He provides advice on application techniques and timing, tailored to different soil types and environmental conditions. By integrating the "4 Rs" framework—right rate, source, timing, and placement—Dr. Tenuta discusses how to balance environmental concerns with the economic realities of modern farming.

In this episode, we discuss tools being investigated for future wheat midge control, featuring entomologist researcher Dr. Tyler Wist, from the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Saskatoon. We talk through current pest biology, impacts, and distribution as well as what is currently being researched to assist with future pest control. We discuss what the research looks like and what kind of insights we’ve gained so far.

We speak with Dr. Kelly Turkington (AAFC Lacombe) about late-season diseases. Specifically, we discuss sooty moulds and other disease with similar features. We discuss disease for producers to watch and what management practices help mitigate their impacts. 

Explore the issue of wild oat resistance management in Western Canada in this podcast episode, highlighting the work of the Resistant Wild Oat Action Committee. Hear from Dr. Breanne Tidemann (Co-Chair and Research Scientist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada), Nathan Eshpeter (Project Manager), and Kelly Boles (Co-Chair and Business Owner at Center Field Solutions Ltd.) as they discuss the committee's formation, achievements, and impact on the industry. Learn about their future plans, resource development, and community initiatives aimed at improving wild oat resistance management. This episode offers valuable information for agronomists and farmers interested in staying informed on resistance management strategies.  

In this episode, we discuss the Alberta Regional Variety Trials (RVT) for wheat and barley, with guest Dr. Sheri Strydhorst, the RVT Coordinator. We explore the role of RVT data in guiding wheat and barley growers in Alberta to make informed decisions. Dr. Strydhorst provides an overview of the RVT process, from trial location selection to variety inclusion and data analysis. we run through scenarios of how to interpret key performance indicators such as yield, disease resistance, maturity, and quality, while understanding regional adaptations and performance. This podcast will help you leverage RVT data to select the most suitable varieties for your farm, and use trial insights to refine agronomic practices and long-term crop planning.  Don't miss this opportunity to unlock the full potential of wheat and barley production in Alberta.

Dr. Cuthbert shares his knowledge of the history and challenges surrounding breeding for stem solidness and wheat stem sawfly resistance in spring wheat. He discusses how solid stemness breeding compares to fusarium head blight advances. Cuthbert also discusses genetics that may be available for producers to help manage wheat stem sawfly challenges in the near future.   Richard can be contacted at Richard.Cuthbert@AGR.GC.CA

Today we chat with Dr. Sheri Strydhorst. Sheri shares insights into crop rotations on the prairies. We discuss the results of a recently completed research project led by Dr. Kui Lui (AAFC Swift Current) that investigated various types of rotation (Control, Diversified, Intensified, Market Driven, High Risk, and Soil health)and how those rotations impact yield, yield stability, nitrogen use efficiency, and, net revenue.    Results of the research can be found here: https://wgrf.ca/resilient-rotations-factsheet/   More information on the research can be found here: Strydhorst, S. and Lui, K. 2023. Comparison of integrated crop rotation systems in western Canada. Crops and Soils Magazine.   Sheri Strydhorst Twitter: https://twitter.com/sheristrydhorst?lang=en

We chat with Dr. Charles Geddes of Agriculture and Agri-Food (Lethbridge). Geddes shares the results of the recent kochia resistance survey in Alberta, why kochia is such a challenge, and management tactics to mitigate resistance, among other things. More details on the results of the survey can be found here: https://canadianagronomist.ca/multiple-resistant-kochia-continues-to-spread-in-alberta/

In this episode of The Growing Point podcast, we chat with Sherwin Santiano, a malting and brewing technician of the Canadian Malting Barley Technical Centre and Peter Watts, the managing director of the Canadian Malting Barley Technical Centre. We discuss what malt barley is, what the malting process looks like, as well as the impacts that malting quality and farm management can have on the process. This podcast is chalked full of information about the malting process so enjoy!

In this episode of The Growing Point Podcast, we chat with Peter Watts, the managing director of the Canadian Malt Brewing Technical Center (CMBTC). We chat with Peter about the current status of the malt barley market, where the majority of Canadian malt barley is sold, and where there are future opportunities for malt barley market growth. We also discuss some of the new malting varieties available for malt barley growers and why growers need to take a keen look at new variety options.   Links for further information: CMBTC: https://cmbtc.com/   New variety information videos: Better Malt Better Barley: Pre-harvest in St. Albert Alberta: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sWC7M1W7-Cg Better Malt Better Barley: Pre-harvest in Westlock Alberta: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SqhoiYd3bG8 Better Malt Better Barley: Early season in Westlock Alberta: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3d7uG2yda1Y

In this episode, we speak with Dr. Jeff Schoenau, Professor of Soil Science at the University of Saskatchewan. Dr. Schoenau provides a breakdown of the major pathways that nitrogen can be lost to the environment. He also discusses management practices producers can implement to mitigate loss and increase their nitrogen use efficiency.

In this episode, we speak with Wes Anderson, Vice President of agronomy with Croptimistic Technology. Anderson discusses the terms alkali, alkaline, saline, and saline-sodic and how they impact land and crop management.

In this episode, we speak with Myles Dick professor of soil science in the Department of Renewable Resources at the University of Alberta. I chat with Myles about the legacy of the Breton Plots, a long-standing plot research location in Alberta, Canada that has been conducting trials since 1929. We also discuss how decisions are made around some of the legacy plots and what agricultural knowledge the Breton Plots are providing today.

With high fertilizer prices, ongoing drought, and potential for nitrogen carryover from the 2021 season, it is important we assess nitrogen is available in the soil for the 2022 growing season. Dr. Don Flaten (Retired University of Manitoba professor) and John Heard (Soil fertility specialist with the Government of Manitoba) provide insight into how mineralization and immobilization play a role in your nitrogen fertility plan. Hint: your expected nitrogen release value may not be as reliable as you think!

On this episode of The Growing Point Podcast, I speak with Dr. Martin Entz, a professor at the University of Manitoba. Entz describes tillage as it relates to soil health and crop production in western Canada. We discuss how much tillage is too much tillage, the types of tillage and their impacts on soil, and how producers can think about tillage. We also discuss the relationship between tillage, plant diversity, soil health.

In this episode we chat with Jennifer Otani (AAFC Beaverlodge) regarding wheat midge on the prairies and in the peace region. We chat about the wheat midge life cycle, damage, and mechanisms tools for producers. We also delve into the complex relationship that wheat midge has with Macroglenes penetrans, a beneficial wasp that parasitizes wheat midge, and how farming practices in crops like canola impact its ability to reduce wheat midge populations. The links that Jennifer mentions: http://insectpestmanagement.blogspot.com/2021/06/talking-about-wheat-midge-and-its.html?m=1 https://prairiepest.ca/

We chat with Dr. Kate Congreves (Assistant Prof at the University of Saskatchewan) regarding some exciting work she is currently conducting. Partially funded by the Alberta Wheat Commission(AWC) to conduct this research, Congeves is working with breeders to investigate Nitrogen Use Efficiency (NUE) in spring wheat cultivars. Understanding which Canadian wheat varieties have higher NUE can increase the value a producer receives from each unit of nitrogen. This is because varieties with higher NUE are able to produce each unit of yield on less nitrogen. This research has many impacts for producers of spring wheat in western Canada including future access to more nitrogen efficient varieties as well as a better understanding of what currently available varieties display higher NUE.

In this episode, we chat with Dr. Breanne Tidemann about why weeds are jerks. We chat about the current state of weed resistance in Western Canada, how we got here, and what it means for farmers' pockets. We also chat about what weed resistance looks like in a field, how it develops in a plant, and what producers can do to mitigate resistance. Check out the Resistant Wild Oat Action Committee website here, https://weedscience.ca/wild-oat-action-committee/ and follow them on Twitter @RWildOat. (https://twitter.com/RWildOat)