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Brassinosteroids (BRs) are growth hormones from the steroid family that are found in all plant species. They have a high-growth promoting activity, particularly in pollen and anthers, and take their name from the pollen of canola (Brassica napus), where they were initially discovered. BRs are involved in the control of cell division, elongation and differentiation […]

With tightening budgets in today’s turf industry, “spoon feeding” fertilizer and nutrients has become commonplace to manage excess turf growth and the associated costs to maintain turf while also helping your business to operate in a more sustainable manner. However, even while scaling back macronutrient application, it is important to make sure your turf has […]

Soil salinity can occur naturally or be caused by practices used on the farm – continuously irrigating with water that has a high salt concentration, for example. While some crops are tolerant to saline soils, high concentrations of some salts can be toxic to others. Salinity can also hinder a plant’s uptake of water and […]

Boron (B) is the first nutrient plants seek as they begin to grow, and this makes good sense when we consider the key roles B plays in a wide range of physiological processes allowing plants to germinate, grow, reproduce and remain healthy. In this post, we’re diving deep into the mysteries of boron. B is […]

Well-balanced nutrition including healthy levels of essential micronutrients like manganese (Mn) plays a key role in a crop’s natural ability to resist diseases. Mn is known as an activator of a crop’s internal defense responses, especially when it comes to root rots. Keep reading to learn more about how manganese supports a crop’s ability to […]

Manganese (Mn) is an essential micronutrient that while needed in small amounts, plays a key role in photosynthesis. Mn sparks the photosynthesis process by splitting water after Photosytem II (PSII) fixes light to initiate the conversion of CO2 and water into carbohydrates. Manganese deficiency is widespread in Canadian Prairies and Eastern Canada, reducing growth and […]

Copper (Cu) is a micronutrient which is only needed in trace amounts, but is involved in several key plant actions, including photosynthesis, nitrogen utilization, protein production and water regulation. Copper deficiency is becoming more widespread across Western Canada, limiting a crop’s growth and reducing yield potential. In this post we will examine the role of […]

Broadcasting fertilizer is a practice commonly used to maximize soil fertility, with advantages for managing the seeding operation early in the spring. However, this practice is detrimental to the efficiency of phosphorus, as it exposes it to either run-off in wet springs or, early tie-up or both. In this post we will examine the factors […]

When it comes to spraying foliar fertilizers to aid crop growth, or spraying pesticides to control weeds, diseases, and insects; sprayer operators and farmers pay close attention to various factors affecting product performance. These factors may include the calibration of the equipment, application timing, label instructions and to some extent, the water volume. However, oftentimes […]

The 2019 growing season started of dry across most of Western Canada and turned wet starting about mid-summer all the way through to winter snow fall, including an October blizzard in parts of Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta. Now, over 4.2 million acres (2.5M in Saskatchewan; 1.6M in Alberta and over 260,000 in Manitoba) are still […]