The Prairie Pest Monitoring Network (PPMN) has launched a new website to help farmers and agronomists predict insect risks, monitor insect populations, and find information to help scout for pests, time their scouting activities, and to make decisions about using chemical controls.
The site, Prairiepest.ca, expands the functionality of the previous PPMN blog, says Jennifer Otani, pest management biologist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) and co-chair of the PPMN. “The new site design allows users to quickly and easily navigate the site to find the information they need,” Otani says.
The PPMN was developed 24 years ago after insect researchers at western Canadian universities, provincial agriculture departments, and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada identified the need for a more coordinated approach in monitoring insect populations and conducting entomological research.
The PPMN also provides free weekly updates via email during the growing season. The updates alert subscribers to risks of major pests, offers tips on scouting methods, and provides information on when in-field scouting activities should be conducted.
The new website was made possible through funding by the Western Grains Research Foundation. The PPMN is supported by several groups, including the Western Grains Research Foundation and SaskWheat, Saskatchewan Pulse Growers, SaskCanola, Prairie Oat Growers Association, Manitoba Pulse and Soybean Growers, Manitoba Wheat and Barley Growers, Manitoba Canola Growers, and Alberta Wheat, with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, through the Canada Agricultural Partnership.
Related: The Pest & Predator Podcast — get to know your Field Heroes!
Please register to read and comment.