Canola School: Be on alert for cutworm and wireworm

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With the cooler soil temperatures we’ve been seeing across Western Canada, unwanted pests are beginning to show up in some fields.

Alberta Agriculture and Forestry Insect Management Specialist Scott Meers says that early on in the season we should be keeping our eyes out for stand establishment insects such as cutworms and wireworms.

There have been a couple reports of cutworms in southern Alberta this year already, and Meers notes in this Canola School episode that scouting early on can only help you in the long run.

“Unfortunately there is no replacement for footprints in the field,” says Meers. “The more often (farmers) can have a scan of their fields, the better. Producers should be trying to scout at least weekly.”

Meers adds the first signs of a cutworm will be to “look for plants that are wilted, cut down, or have misses in the row.”

To report any pests you may be seeing in your fields, visit the Alberta Agriculture site to fill out an online submission.

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Canola School (view all) Season 9 (2017) Episode 23
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