Winter wheat may be the fastest growing crop in Canada’s coastal regions.
Over the past five years, the area planted to grain has grown significantly, increasing the total area to nearly 25,000 acres in Prince Edward Island alone. Real Agricultural Wheat SchoolHost Bernard Tobin visits the island to find out why interest in the crop is growing and why this autumn-sown grain is catching the attention of Primorsky growers.
For information, Tobin spoke with Eric Richter, an agronomist and sales representative for Syngenta Canada’s Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia region, who moved to the island from Ontario in 2018. When Richter moved to the province, there was some interest in the crop, but growers were struggling with issues surviving through the winter, and yields were in the 1.5-1.8 tonne range.
Fast forward to 2024, and yields have increased by 30 percent, or one ton. Many growers are now reaching yields of 85 bushels per acre, with some hitting 90. “We’ve even got a few going above that,” Richter adds.
In the video, Tobin and Richter discuss the various factors that have contributed to wheat’s widespread adoption, including the establishment of Canada’s first Yield Improvement Network (YEN), launched by grain farmers in Prince Edward Island (PEI) in 2019. Richter says wheat farmers have benefited greatly from peer-to-peer shared learning, helping them “believe in the crop and see the potential.”
Richter said many agricultural researchers, extension specialists and agricultural retailers have played a role in winter wheat’s success. Growers have also taken advantage of an expanding management toolbox that includes new and improved fungicides, plant growth regulators and nutrient management strategies to nourish the crop and increase yield and quality.
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