Yield Robbers of 2025

This past growing season was one for the books. We dealt with extremes in moisture and temperature, prolonged smoke, disease and insect pressure blowing in from the south, and even a September frost. Some areas were hit harder than others, but almost every farmer felt the impact in one way or another. Below is a breakdown of what we saw this year and how it affected each crop.

Canola

Drought Stress
Drought was one of the biggest challenges in canola this year. Germination issues were common, and uneven stands led to a lot of staginess. Hot, dry conditions during flowering caused flower blast and reduced pod set. Fewer pods ultimately meant less yield.

Verticillium Stripe
Verticillium continues to show up more frequently and is becoming widespread across the province. We saw the biggest yield losses where verticillium and blackleg were both present in the same field. Verticillium weakens the plant and compromises its genetic resistance to blackleg. When infections happened earlier in the season, yield loss was more noticeable because water and nutrient movement during pod fill was restricted.

Cabbage Seed Pod Weevil
Cabbage seed pod weevil populations jumped significantly this summer, with economic thresholds exceeded in some fields. Larvae fed on developing seeds and damaged pods, increasing shatter risk. The feeding damage also created entry points for canola flower midge. By the end of the season, larvae were present inside pods, which had a noticeable impact on yield in affected fields.

Corn

Variable Rainfall
The year started off wet in May when many growers were trying to seed. That was followed by dry conditions through June and July, then wetter weather again as harvest approached. This variability meant some hybrids missed key rainfall events during critical growth stages, especially during kernel fill. The added stress reduced overall performance.

Plant Development
At harvest, some growers noticed shorter corn, lodged plants, or cobs that didn’t fill right to the tip. These issues likely trace back to stress during key development stages. The smoke we experienced from late May through late June likely reduced sunlight and slowed biomass accumulation. This may have contributed to standability issues later in the season. Hot, dry conditions during pollination also played a role in poor kernel set.

Foliar Diseases
Late August rains brought on more noticeable foliar disease pressure, including northern corn leaf blight and tar spot. Disease severity varied by field and hybrid but contributed to yield loss in some areas.

Soybeans

Early-Season Stress
Excess moisture and cold soil temperatures in May caused many soybean fields to sit in the ground for two to three weeks before emerging. Delayed and uneven emergence led to staginess and added stress early on, making some fields more susceptible to other issues later in the season.

Frost Damage
The September frost affected soybean fields that hadn’t yet reached the R7 stage. In those fields, we saw premature leaf drop and higher levels of green seed, which hurt both yield and quality.

White Mould
August rains created cool, wet conditions that were ideal for white mould. In some fields, white mould caused wilting, lodging, and premature plant death. This led to smaller seed size, lower seed weights, and in some cases reduced protein or oil content.

Cereals

Weather and Harvest Challenges
Inconsistent precipitation was one of the biggest yield-limiting factors in cereals this year. Some areas caught timely rains and saw decent yields, while others struggled with dry conditions. Excessive rainfall during harvest created additional challenges, including lodging, standability issues, delayed harvest, and quality concerns. Swathed crops that were rained on faced sprouting and reduced bushel weights, impacting both yield and grade.

Weed Pressure
We also saw more late-season weed pressure in cereals this year. Some weeds emerged after the in-crop spray window, and less-than-ideal application conditions reduced herbicide effectiveness. Kochia and lamb’s-quarters were especially tough to control and competed with the crop, contributing to yield loss.

~Annabelle Calcott