10 Story Idea? Email Paul.Nolan@Farms.com Better Farming | January 2025 Beyond the Barn SYNGENTA BRINGS BIOSTIMULANT TO PRAIRIE FARMS Syngenta is bringing a new product to Prairie and Canadian farmers to help increase yields. Starting in 2025, canola, wheat, corn, soybean, and other row crop farmers can add YieldON to their toolboxes. This product is designed to be applied at a very specific time, said Christopher Dumigan, biologicals technical lead at Syngenta Canada. “It’s a biostimulant meant to be mixed with a foliar fungicide application,” he recently told Better Farming. “After it’s applied at the reproductive stage of a crop’s lifecycle, so like around heading time in wheat, it amplifies the process that plants naturally do when they move sugars from their leaf tissue into the sink at seed formation.” The product combines biomolecules from plants and seaweed, with trace elements of manganese, zinc, and molybdenum. It also has a four-hour rainfastness. YieldON trials have shown the product can help increase yields. But the increases aren’t uniform across the board. “In cereals, so wheat, durum, and barley, we’ve seen an average of 2.9 bushel per acre increase over fungicide alone,” Dumigan said. “In canola, we are 1.8 bushels per acre above fungicide alone.” It’s too early to identify how YieldON will help 2024 corn and soybean acres in Eastern Canada, Dumigan adds. A small trial plot at the Honeywood Research Facility in Plattsville, Ont. in 2023 showed a six-bushel advantage over fungicide alone.That’s in line with results out of the U.S. “Our U.S. friends have done well over 100 trials in corn, and they’ve seen an average of seven bushels per acre,” Dumigan said. BF - Diego Flammini Four new members were inducted into the Canadian Agricultural Hall of Fame (CAHFA) during a recent ceremony in Toronto. The 2024 inductees – Dr. Bruce Coulman, Dr. Michael Eskin, Paul Larmer, and Dr. Charles Vincent – were recognized for their groundbreaking contributions to agriculture. Phil Boyd, CAHFA chair, praised the inductees during the ceremony for their remarkable careers, which span various fields, including forage crops, canola, cattle genetics, and entomology. “We are so proud to shine a bright spotlight on the achievements these individuals have made throughout their careers,” said Boyd. Dr. Bruce Coulman, a renowned forage crop researcher, has spent more than 40 years advancing forage varieties that have shaped the cattle feed industry. His innovations, including bloat-reduced alfalfa and hybrid bromegrass, were crucial in improving the profitability of forage production. Dr. Coulman was nominated by the University of Saskatchewan’s Crop Development Centre. Dr. Michael Eskin, a leading canola researcher, revolutionized canola oil’s quality and stability, helping to establish it as a healthy dietary choice and expanding its global market. His work has had a lasting impact on both the economy and the health of Canadian consumers. Dr. Eskin was nominated by the University of Manitoba. Paul Larmer’s leadership in cattle genetics has positioned Canada as a global leader. As the former CEO of Semex Alliance, Larmer played a pivotal role in transforming the company from a Canadian exporter to a major international player in cattle breeding. The past chair of the 4-H Ontario Foundation was nominated by Semex. Dr. Charles Vincent, an expert in agricultural entomology, has spent decades researching insect pests, developing sustainable methods to control them. His innovations have significantly reduced the use of chemical insecticides, benefiting crops like apples, grapes, and blueberries. The longtime research scientist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada was nominated by the Co-Lab R&D division of Ag-Cord Inc. These four inductees join over 250 other members of the hall of fame. BF Canadian Agricultural Hall of Fame photo RESEARCHERS ENTER HALL OF FAME Dr. Bruce Coulman (left) and Dr. Charles Vincent beside their portraits with CAHFA director Ann Louise Carson.
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