A nice late July rain is a great way to kick off soybean grain fill. It also helps control pests like spider mites before they can set up shop in the maturing crop. On this episode of the RealAgriculture Soybean School, we visit with PRIDE Seeds market agronomist Matt Chapple at the company’s education centre at… Read More
Category: Pests
There are two main insect pests of wheat that keep breeders busy: the wheat stem sawfly and the wheat midge. There is resistance to each and effective predators of each, but the insects still manage to eat a significant amount of wheat yield each year. To unpack how these two pests cut yield, quality, or… Read More
Fungicides are integral for preventing disease in many pulse crops, however, just like how weeds have become resistant to certain herbicides, diseases can become resistant to commonly-used fungicide chemistries. The majority of pulse fungicides on the market in Western Canada contain a Group 11 — the category of fungicide most likely to be overcome by… Read More
There’s so much going on this week in agriculture! In the west, field days are winding down, but there are still a few chances for Ontario growers to participate in some learning events, including an upcoming field day on compaction. Peter “Wheat Pete” Johnson is encouraging all to attend, and also covers the top agronomic… Read More
Researchers at Laval University in Quebec have developed a hydroponic lab test that could allow growers and agronomists to better deploy genetic resistance and tolerance in the fight against phytophthora root rot in soybeans. There are three main ways to curb phytophthora, explains Geneviève Arsenault-Labrecque, co-founder of AYOS Technologies, a spinoff founded by students at Laval, in… Read More
Root rot continues to be a concern for pulse growers and although work is being done on creating varieties that are more resistant to diseases such as aphanomyces, that reality is likely at least eight years away. In the interim, growers are encouraged to employ a comprehensive rotation schedule to best combat root rot in… Read More
Host Lyndsey Smith is tackling gibberella and tar spot management in this episode of The Agronomists, with guests Ken Currah of BASF and Greg Stopps of Corteva. This episode of The Agronomists is brought to you by ADAMA Canada, the Mind Your Farm Business podcast, and the Wheat School! Don’t forget to apply for your… Read More
Although not an overly common disease, wheat streak mosaic virus can cause an immense amount of damage to final yield. Reports in southern Alberta have indicated the appearance of the virus. Although alarms aren’t being set off, it’s important to be aware of it, as the virus can spread quickly and easily. The initial signs… Read More
NexusBioAg, a division of Univar Solutions, and MustGrow Biologics Corp. have reached an exclusive marketing and distribution agreement in the Canadian canola and pulse market for TerraMG, a mustard-derived soil biopesticide. Designed to combat clubroot and aphanomyces of canola and pea, respectively, the product is not yet registered with Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency. “Growers… Read More
Wireworms are one of the biggest insect pests for cereals across the Prairies. Not only can they cause extreme damage to the crop, they are incredibly difficult to control. John Laurie, research scientist of molecular biology with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC), and Haley Catton, research scientist of field crop entomology at AAFC, have been… Read More
Pea aphids love to feed off the sap flowing to new pods on the plant. The trouble is, just two aphids per plant at the right stage can siphon off as much as five per cent of yield. Laura Schmidt, production specialist with the Manitoba Pulse and Soybean Growers, says that modern pea varieties are… Read More
Grasshoppers are usually associated with dry conditions and go hand-in-hand with drought. And yet, grasshoppers are once again showing up in high numbers and causing crop damage in areas of the Eastern Prairies where there’s been flooding, and more than enough rain and soil moisture for the first half of the growing season. Why is… Read More
Diamondback moths blow in at some point early in the season (thanks, America!), and set about living on the Prairies and in the canola crop for the rest of the growing season. Jordan Bannerman, entomologist with the University of Manitoba, says that understanding when the moths arrive, through the use of pheromone traps, and how long… Read More
White mould of soybeans, dry beans and sunflowers is the same disease as sclerotinia of canola and sunflowers. What’s more, it’s a disease that can infect a multitude of broadleaf weeds. The endemic nature and soil survivability of the pathogen make it a tough disease to keep on top of. To tackle management of this… Read More
Grasshoppers are out there, and, in some areas in the Prairies, in large numbers. It’s important to get into your field and scout, not only for populations, but also as a friendly reminder that not all hopping insects are grasshoppers. There are other insects in the field that hop and jump but aren’t grasshoppers, says… Read More