b"that's when youd start to have a very uncompetitive stand as far as weed management, he says. It's also important to note the positive benefit of drying in the canopy is just one factor in diseases complicated equation. In 1999 and 2000, Turkington and a team of colleagues conducted a study on how seed placement and row spacing in barley impacts disease, specifically net blotch. The teams hypothesis was that wider-seeded rows should allow more air movement, thereby reducing canopy moisture and decreasing disease. In fact, (infection levels) were the exact opposite of what we expected, he says. Rather than resulting in less disease, wider rows saw more disease. Why? Turkington says moving from a solid canopy with an 11-inch sweep opener at 12-inch row spacing to a an approximately one-inch knife opener at nine or 12-inch row spacing with distinct inter-row spaces didnt seem to significantly impact the canopys relative humidity, the factor theyd assumed Kelly Turkington, crop pathologist at Agriculture and Agri-food Canadaswould increase disease. However, widening row spacing did likely Lacombe Research and Development Centre result in increased air flow between plants, which allowed more wind-dispersal of the net blotch spores. canopys micro-environment, thereby decreasing relative humidityWhereas a solid canopy might slow spore dispersal of wind-and, consequently, the incidence of crop disease. Does that realitydispersed diseases; it might conversely protect plantsat least check out? Not necessarily, says Turkington.somewhatfrom rain splash-dispersed diseases like Septoria in Speaking from a pathologist perspective, I really don't see a hugewheat, scald in barley, and possibly secondary spread of blackleg in benefit in changing the row spacings in that 12- to 15-inch range incanola. terms of disease management. To see a dramatic effect on the canopyYou might hypothesize that with a solid canopy, the upper microenvironment and thus, potentially disease risk, you'd needcanopy leaves would help buffer and intercept those rain droplets, to go well beyond 15 inches, probably in the order of a 36-inch rowso you wouldnt have splash dispersal to the same extent, but thats spacing. But in that situation, depending on the crop type you have,just a hypothesis, Turkington adds. I cleaned mycombine for you!Three Hills, AB PulsesCDC Spectrum Peas | Snowbird Fababeans PulsesSoft White Wheat CDC Spectrum PeasAAC Paramount Snowbird Fababeans Soft White WheatHard Red Spring Wheat AAC ParamountAAC Brandon | AAC Wheatland BarleyCDC Austenson | Esma | CDC Churchill FlaxCDC Rowland For seed and treatmeant talk to Sarah at 403-443-9599 or [email protected] www.AlectSeeds.ca 54seed.ab.ca"