Author: Dr. Abdel El Hadrami

2019 marks the 350th anniversary of Henning Brand’s discovery of phosphorus, making this the perfect opportunity to reflect on our relationship with the element: what was our farming like without it, how did it change our current farming practices and how should we manage it to preserve its sustainability? Known as “the Devil’s element”, phosphorus […]

We are inching closer to the first days of seeding, and anxiety is building as producers across Western Canada continue to wrestle with the decisions that could make or break the growing season. As I write this, the Jets are in the playoffs and, in some areas, yet another foot of snow has arrived along with […]

Like humans, plants require certain key nutrients to grow well, develop, reproduce and remain healthy. The performance of a crop in the field depends on the genetic makeup of the variety grown, fertility and pesticides programs, and interaction with the environment. The elements required by plants and obtained from soil and/or fertilizers encompass major nutrients […]

We at OMEX believe in supporting agriculture education and the dedicated people around the world who help deliver it. In this spirit, we are proud to be a partner of the Manyinga Project, supporting Manitoba producer Art Enns in his effort to grow 40 acres of canola, the revenue from which he will donate to […]

Crops require essential nutrients for healthy development and optimal growth. Various physiological functions such as photosynthesis, nutrient uptake, root growth and flowering all rely on nutrients. When plants don’t have enough of a specific nutrient they may display a range of symptoms, varying from morphological impairments (i.e. stunting), to chlorosis or necrosis, to premature seed […]

Many crops across Western Canada are suffering from early-season stress linked to cold and wet conditions, the inability of soil to transfer nutrients, pathogens, pests and weeds. This delicate time is also when herbicides are due to be applied, which can further stress the crop. At OMEX, we developed technology to help relieve stress on […]

Many reports over the course of the winter suggest that we can expect issues with the quality of cereals and pulses this spring, caused by the heavy rainfall and high moisture levels experienced during the summer and fall of 2016. The excessive moisture has made it challenging to control diseases and keep harvested seeds healthy. […]

Have you ever wondered if you have hard or soft water? Perhaps you’ve heard or been a part of a conversation regarding water being hard or soft and wondered what exactly that means. You may have also noticed scaling and deposits left by hard water on the interior or exterior of plumbing and pipes. Maybe […]

Harvesting more bushels on the same acreage over the years leads to a diminishing reserve of essential nutrients in the soil and to a lower nutrient density in the seed. Once grasslands, Western Canadian Prairie soils have been converted to agriculture, used for high value crops such as cereals, canola, pulses, potatoes and others. Crop […]

This article by Abdel Hadrami originally appared on agadvance.com Deliquescence by definition means to melt away or to disappear as if by melting. In chemistry, deliquescence refers to the conversion of a solid substance into a liquid as a result of absorption of moisture or water vapour from the air (Fig. 1). Solids always contain impurities, […]