By Jonathan Zettler CPA, CMA, CCA-ON and Patrick Lynch CCA-ON

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Crop Conditions

This week's issue ended up being late due to suffering from mild heat stroke. This is a reminder to recognize the signs when working in hot weather.

Weather we are running a few days behind last year. We are on average across the province collecting about 24 CHUs per day. The map below says it all about rainfall. Ottawa area has lots; central Ontario is really dry. This is a good map as to where to expect diseases (greenish colours) and where to expect insects (red and dark brown).

Things to do This Week

1.      Web site for Western Bean Cutworm https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/7164d23d488246d198dcf7a07d8c9021  They are probably moving to edible beans. Keep watching all edible bean fields. This map shows a significant number in the traditional edible bean area.

2.     Website for tar spot- spread very little last week. If you sprayed to reduce Gibb and other ear diseases you are probably ok. If you have not sprayed and are west of Toronto seriously looking at spraying to protect. If you are east of Toronto, consider spraying your best acres. The disease can be present for about 3 weeks before it is visible. The fungicides are protectants. They do not eradicate disease that has started. https://cropprotectionnetwork.org/maps/tar-spot-of-corn

3. Go over the combine and get it ready for bean harvest. If no tilling winter wheat be sure combine will chop and spread chaff/soybean straw evenly. Once that is done, check the drill and get it ready for putting in winter wheat. If the opening blades were barely cutting corn stalks in the spring when drilling beans, they will not be cutting soybean residue.
4. Review this year’s herbicide program to make changes for next year. Record weed escapes and problem weeds by field/farm. Consider using scouting software that keeps track of your herbicide group used each year on the farm.
5. Make note of which soybeans fields will require pre-harvest.
6. Summer seed alfalfa. You need a clean field so control all weeds including volunteer wheat.

Plan next two years of crop rotations. Decide where you will plant fall wheat, 2026, this will help decide on a soybean variety to be planted in spring 2026 on that field.

Fall 2025 Winter Cereal Selection

Thank you to those that have put time and effort into Ontario cereals, it has paid big dividends for the 2025 crop. A summary of top genetics and a few suggestions on management practices in one place.

Largest Self-Induced Yield Limiting Factors in Winter Wheat (JZ)

In no particular order.

1.     Seeding Date. Check the GOCrops.ca website for Optimum Planting date in your area.

2.    Lack of starter phosphorus fertilizer. Soil testing is an imperfect science and cannot account for all weather conditions or soil fertility scenarios. Starter phosphorus puts a floor under your yield potential. It is 4x more efficient vs broadcast on a per pound of P basis when it comes to yield response. Use a minimum of 30 lbs./ac P2O5.

3.    Uneven spreading of previous crop (canola/soybean/edible bean) residue when trying to no-till wheat.

4.    Improper drill maintenance, leading to an open seed trench and hair pinning and, in some situations, uneven depth control (i.e. loose JD seed boots).

5.    Shallow planting leads to heaving, open seed trench. (I like to see 1.5" inches, when this occurs on the soils I work with, I see less winterkill/heaving in the spring).

6.    Lack of awareness on thousand kernel weight (TKW) to set the drill to seeds per acre, rather than pounds per acre.

7.     Use of improper seed rate for the time of year/yield potential. The plant will put out less tillers if you have adequate seed. Tiller heads contribute less to yield than main heads in winter wheat, out of everything you do to maximize yield potential in wheat, getting the right seeding rate is mission critical (adjust based on planting date!).

8.    Fall weed control – winter barley/wheat should start with a clean, weed free seed bed in the fall.

9.    Tillage before planting can increase yields. But if you bury white mould sclerotia expect worse white mould in the future.

Winter Barley vs Winter Wheat (JZ)

Reasons to grow winter barley over winter wheat.

1)     You like the quality and volume of straw from the winter barley

2)     You want to double crop soybeans or another feed crop after the barley is off

3)     You want to spread out your workload

4)     You have a strong food grade or feed market for the barley

5)     You farm water limited soils and want an early flowering cereal crop in the rotation

6)     You have been growing spring barley for feed and would like to increase your yields by 1.5 to 2x.

Winter Barley

SeCan

We plan to have new winter barley genetics coming to market in the next year or two, however for fall of 2025 we continue to offering the following.

LCS Calypso - is a 2-row winter barley with strong yields, malting quality, and excellent winter survival. Based on earlier harvest maturity than winter wheat, winter barley varieties including LCS Calypso allow for more crop rotation choice and are a flexible double crop option for grain or forage. Certified seed is available from SeCan retailers across Ontario.

SU Ruzena - is a 2-row winter feed barley available from SeCan. Similar to LCS Calypso, another SeCan winter barley variety, SU Ruzena has improved winter hardiness and grain yield compared to previously marketed winter barley varieties in the province. It has a slightly shorter plant height and better standability compared to LCS Calypso and is well suited to intensive management.

Semican

Pixel - 6-row feed - Very good yield, Good standability, excellent winter survival.

Visuel - 6-row feed - Good yield, good standability, excellent winter survival.

Soft White Winter Wheat

Nothing new on this front, two main ones are the following.

Pioneer

25W38 (awned) - Excellent lodging score with strong disease package. Short variety.

Snobelen Farms

Ava (awnless) - Tall variety with great straw quantity. Strong yield potential for a soft white variety.

Soft Red Winter Wheat

A summary of current market offerings for fall 2025. The focus is on new genetics. Typically, suppliers report strong demand for some of these products, so if you have not firmed up your wheat seed needs, now is the time.

For most wheat classes, you can essentially divide what most suppliers have into two, maybe three categories.

The first two are what I would call wheat for typical management and are subdivided for winter survival purposes into genetics for poorly drained or well drained soils, which impacts winter survival. From my experience, the poorly drained wheat genetics tends to tiller more in the spring, to make up for plant stand mortality. Under normal conditions where higher levels of stand mortality are not a concern, these tillers tend to be a hinderance, and lead to increased lodging.

A third category would be those looking for a wheat that responds to high levels of management.

C&M Seeds

Blaze (awned) – Excellent yields with great winter survival. FHB-1 gene (prevents secondary infection) for excellent fusarium tolerance. Strong stripe rust. Small seeded for seed cost savings. Medium-tall plant height with decent standability and lots of straw. If you are an organic grower, look for this one (due to strong fusarium tolerance). Well suited to all soil types and regions. Responds well to PGR.

Fuze (awned) – NEWEST SRW variety.  Second year for sale, and the interest is growing rapidly.  Very strong yields across many plots through the region.  Medium height and stands quite well.  Nice even canopy.  Excellent yield and also has the FHB-1 gene to assist in protecting against fusarium spread.  Early maturity, with excellent thresh ability reports.   Good seed supply, but order early.  Looking to try Fuze all over Ontario this fall. 

Swoop (awnless) – Third year of consistent results.  Seems durable in more challenging soil conditions.  Being used across Ontario and into Eastern Canada.  Bigger plant, lush canopy, responds well to intensive management.  Protect with early fungicide to avoid mildew and stripe pressures.  Use lighter seeding rate, and a PGR in high fertility soil to resist lodging.  Will provide big straw volumes as well.  

Hilliard (awned) – only limited quantities for sale this year.  Discontinued after that.  Look to try some Fuze.

Pioneer

25R29 (Awned) - Full maturity variety heading later than 25R40.  High yield potential, with well-balanced agronomics.  Strong Fusarium Head Blight performance (FHB genetics), excellent standability, winterhardiness, and test weight.  Stripe rust performance is average warranting fungicide control.   The tallest of current commercial varieties, showing height comparable to 25R61.

25R64 (Awned) – Full maturity variety with later heading date but similar physiological maturity to 25R40.  Suitable for high management acres.  Yield leader continuing to show significant yield advantage over 25R40 and all other commercial varieties over multiyear field testing.   Excellent standability and well-balanced agronomic disease protection including good fusarium head blight (FHB genetics), and good winterhardiness.  Stripe rust performance appeared average in 2024, and below average with over wintering populations of stripe rust in 2025 – the apparent change in stripe rust tolerance is currently being investigated, but fungicide management should be a strong consideration to control rust under high pressure. Plant height is taller than 25R40 but typically shorter than 25R29.  Test weight is average but should be a consideration in stressful or high disease pressure environments where grain fill tends to be cut short. 

New 25R65 (Awned) – New limited launch quantity in Fall 2024.  Larger commercial availability for Fall 2025.  Mid maturity variety with heading date and physiological maturity similar to 25R40.  Initial field scale plots from harvest 2024 indicate yield performance equal to or ahead of 25R64 in SW Ontario. Preliminary results from 2025 show yields similar to slightly behind 25R64, with 25R65 maintaining yield advantage in shorter season environments.   Excellent standability and winterhardiness. Strong disease package including in-field performance on fusarium head blight.  Stripe rust is average showing consistent performance in 2024 and 2025 but still warranting control under high pressure.  Plant height is similar to slightly taller than 25R64. 

SeCan

We have one new soft red for fall 2025, however availability will be limited to plots. Keep an eye out for Caldwell, which is reported as having excellent standability, good test weight scores, and top grain yield in areas 1&2 for 2024.

By supporting SeCan soft red winter wheats, you are buying local!  Developed by the University of Guelph in partnership with the Grain Farmers of Ontario and SeCan, we strive to provide strong soft red winter wheat varieties suited for the Ontario marketplace and climate conditions.

OAC Constellation - Well-rounded, awned SRW wheat that provides winter survival, standability, straw, yield, test weight and grade retention. OAC Constellation continues to impress growers with high falling numbers and strong test weights.  This variety holds up to stripe rust and leaf rust and early disease pressures including septoria and powdery mildew. This is a very well rounded soft red winter variety that won’t disappoint.

OAC Moon - awned soft red winter wheat with short plant height and great thresh ability. This ‘racehorse’ variety will push yield and reward growers who intensively manage their wheat production. Small seed size translates to lower seed costs per acre.

OAC Virgo – Another soft red winter wheat variety developed by the University of Guelph and marketed by SeCan retailers. OAC Virgo is broadly adapted for every winter wheat acre across the province. Its well-rounded disease package is suited for growers who are using less intensive management or following organic production practices. While not truly awnless, this variety has very short awns called awnlets and is ideal for growers who want a variety with minimal awn volumes.

Semican

UGRC C2-5 - High grain yield, with good pastry quality (high flour yield, high falling number) and is moderately resistant to powdery mildew

UGRC GL164 - Very good winter survival, very good yield, very good in intensive management.

Snobelen Farms (Selected soft red varieties)

Snobelen Farms has an exceptional winter wheat line up for fall of 2025. With several soft red winter wheats (Secan and Snobelen exclusive) and 1 soft white winter wheat, we have a variety that will fit your needs.

GRO-08 SRW is our focal point variety, along with OAC Moon, Virgo, Constellation, Branson, B654-SRW, B700-SRW and the new SRWW Caldwell.

GRO-08 SRW- Above average test weight. Very good winter survival and lodging scores. Medium- Short plant height. Excellent yield. Good disease scores for rust and mildew.

Marker (awnless) is still available, however this is the last year.  Good value. – Performs best on tougher soil types, good disease package. Medium plant height.

Hard Red Winter Wheat

C&M Seeds

Hard Red Winter Wheat is in BIG demand in Ontario for coming years.  ONTARIO MILLS NEED MORE.  Ask your grain buyers about premium pricing opportunities.  C&M Seeds positions both Adrianus and Pro81 as having yields close to soft red wheats, while maintaining a stronger protein profile when grown with proper intensive management.

Adrianus (awned) – It is medium-tall, with awns, and excellent plant health. It is a later maturing variety and gives a nice plump clean grain sample. Very high-quality grain sample maintained right through duration of harvest.  MAXIMUM straw volumes.  Superb natural standability.  Only consider low-rate PGR if grown in ultra-aggressive fertility.  Suitable for all soil types.

PRO 81 (awned) – It has a strong natural leaf disease package, and tall plant height.  Small seed size makes it easier to plant high populations.  PRO 81 will tiller aggressively and create an impressive and dense canopy.  Rated as suitable for all soil types and regions. Plan to use a PGR.  Very large straw volume.  Strong protein and functionality.  OCCC benchmark for the class.

Redford (awnless) – Brand NEW this year.  First year for commercial sale.  Very big canopy with aggressive vigour and growth.  HUGE flag leaf.  Very “handsome” looking crop.  Deep lush canopy colour that catches the eye from start to finish.  Elongated seed head.  Plump kernels.  Expecting BIG straw volumes.  Mid to late maturity.  Keep an eye for this one and give it a try.

Semican

Offers two hard red wheats.

Champlain - High quality grain, Excellent tolerance to fusarium, very large seed

Montcalm - Excellent yield, excellent standability, excellent milling quality

Hybrid Rye

C&M Seeds

Hybrid Rye is suitable for sandy or lighter soil textures where having adequate moisture is a concern for winter wheat. End users like the consistency and high-quality grain while providing strong tillering and plant health for those growing it.  C&M Seeds is moving to KWS Inspirator to lead the charge in Ontario.  (Brasetto is finished, the IP Programs will accept Inspirator).  Medium to Short plant height.  Great standability.  Tillers very well.  Raising the bar for yields.

KWS Bono, KWS Trebiano, and Performer are also for sale.

Developing Story: Hybrid Rye is proving to have real exceptional quality for use in feed rations.  Both as grain and forage.  KWS is working with C&M Seeds to understand the benefits and spread the word.  Better standability, Great yields, and Superior functionality.  A good recipe.

Semican

Offers the following hybrid rye genetics, SU Performer and SU Cossani, also available is a conventional rye named Danko.

Cereals

Q Three questions related to wheat stubble

1) When is the correct time to clip clover?
2) I am surface applying liquid manure onto wheat stubble with a nice even clover stand. When is best time to apply manure? Sooner the better? Or wait till clover gets bigger to reduce damage in wheel tracks?
3) Is an application of Yuma/contender/assure worthwhile in a consistent stand of clover to remove volunteer wheat in straw rows?

Ans 1) Clover should be clipped as soon as possible after wheat harvest. You want to go as low as possible without hitting stones. Ideally 3-4", an old haybine would work.

2) Manure needs to be applied when there is little red clover top growth. So, clipping red clover and then applying manure will work. If you have significant top growth (50% ground cover or more, the manure can burn the red clover and set it back. Under these circumstances it is better to wait until late September before applying the manure.
3) I don’t believe you need to apply a graminicide to control volunteer wheat unless you have a dense stand of volunteer winter wheat. If there is a dense stand under each windrow, consider controlling the volunteer wheat in these strips.

Forages

A review for summer seeding alfalfa

The two most important things. Control volunteer wheat and watch seeding depth.

If you do these two things correctly you have conquered summer alfalfa seeding. Other points.

1.     Seed should be in the ground by August 10-15th. Earlier seeding will work if you have good soil moisture.

2.     Spray with glyphosate to control volunteer wheat and weeds such as chickweed before you work the ground.

3.     Apply manure or fertilizer P and K. I like to have the P worked in. If field is testing low in P consider putting on more than will be removed in one year. P does not move through the soil as well as K does. A good crop of alfalfa grass will remove 65-70 lbs/ac of P2O5 yearly. If your soil test is low, consider a minimum of 100 lbs./ac P2O5 (about 192 lbs/ac of MAP).

4.     Adding a companion crop such as oats and peas and or just oats reduces the chances of a good catch of alfalfa but if oats or oats plus peas are harvested early and good soil moisture you get some pretty nice feed.

5.     You must have a fine seedbed. If you applied manure and worked it in, you must get rid of the lumps.

6.     Spray volunteer wheat if it emerges after alfalfa emerges. This will mean you may need to reseed grasses and/or seed them at a later date

7.     Consider using HarvXtra (glyphosate resistant variety) where you have hard to kill weeds such as heavy chickweed pressure. HarvXtra has the added benefit of higher feed quality as the crop advances in maturity. If you want grass in the mix, seed grasses right after you spray glyphosate. We like to have alfalfa seeded by mid- August but grasses will generally establish if seeded by mid-September. Grasses do not require as early of establishment to successfully overwinter. 

Q A customer whom I sold forage seed to send me this picture and he was wondering if the weeds came in the forage mix. He no-tilled this forage mix.

Ans (PJL)

You can assure him those weeds did not come with the forage seeds. There are a number of perennials including, mullein, Canada Thistle, and wild carrot. The fact that he no-tilled is a bit of a clue. He may have used a burn down but since these weeds are perennials they did not come as seeds in the forage mix.

As an aside, most seed companies have seed checked for germination, weed seeds and other crops. If you can find the seed tag you can trace back to the lot. If a seed mix it is much harder to source all the seed tags.

Diagnostics

What is wrong with my corn/beans/forages? (PJL)

This time of year, this question is asked a lot. Here are some thoughts

1.      Rule out what it is not. Start by taking a soil sample of poor vs good plants that are as close as possible. Take 20 cores from a 100-sq ft area. Then take a tissue sample. Too often we get a tissue sample of the poor area and 1 or 2 nutrients are low. But we do not know how they compare to the good area. Or if we get a tissue test that is low in a nutrient we have to know if there is enough of that nutrient in the soil and it is just not available due to a number of reasons such as compaction, root rots, insects.

2.     It is okay to enter a field and from your conversation you have a conclusion as to what the problem is. If you are right and can prove it, great. If you cannot prove it then you have just ruled out one possibility. E.g., you thought it was seeding depth.

3.     If you are sending pictures take one of the whole field as well as the affected part.

4.     Often there is a pattern such as every 40 or 80 feet, or 60”, or just on the knolls, or headlands.

5.     If it looks like a duck, quacks like a duck, walks like a duck it is probably a duck. If it looks like someone or thing ran over the plants. A porcupine crossing a field early leaves dead plants.

6.     Look for an area that seems Ok. Possibly a missed seeded, sprayed, or fertilized area. Failing that check around the outside of the field for clues.

Business Matters

Spraying with drones

I have changed my mind about spraying field crops with drones. Here is a link to my article in Better Farming where I give reasons. It is on page 42.

https://www.betterfarming.com/flippingbook/betterfarming/2025/august/42/index.html

We did not domesticate wheat; wheat domesticated us.

-Yuval Noah Harari