Sclerotinia has the potential to be a big issue in rain soaked areas across the prairies. The disease tends to be prevalent in wet conditions in temperatures between 15 – 25 degrees. Sclerotia spores can live in the soil for up to four years. The spores germinate in the summer and release wind borne spores… Read More
Category: Pests
Atmospheric CO2 has been on the rise since the 1960s. Levels have increased roughly 22% according to some scientists. That increase can be seen as favourable to plants in general, but according to some researchers, it may not be as broad as that. Some research states that the increased levels of atmospheric CO2 may actually… Read More
In this episode of the Wheat School, we head to Regina to talk with Syngenta Technical Field Manager Robert Klewchuk about control strategies for wild oats. Wild oats act as scavengers in your wheat stand. They can steal valuable nutrients from your crop, affecting yields and crop development. While a pre-seed burn has been effective… Read More
Some weeds are very easy to kill at lots of different stages of growth. Some weeds must be dealt with very early in the growing process. One of these weeds is the kochia weed. It is found in many parts of the US and Canada and it can become a major headache at harvest time… Read More
Most people think, with wet, cool conditions, cutworms are not a problem. For the most part that’s true, but the cutworm is a very diverse insect with many different species and types. This makes it difficult to typify their behaviour as a whole and risky to ignore them just because of the weather. They can… Read More
The enemy of my enemy is my friend. That saying holds true for us at the insect level as well. Cool, wet spring conditions may have impacted some of the traditional parasites that prey on our enemy the true armyworm. Those parasites usually keep the true armyworm population under control, but less than ideal spring… Read More
With the wet weather across the prairies getting all the media attention, you would assume that most farmers would be dealing with pests that come with an over abundance of moisture. With the majority of the west being wet except for the Peace, pests that love moisture will become a real problem. The interesting thing… Read More
With the discovery of glyphosate resistant ragweed last year in Ontario, many researchers and farmers are growing concerned about the potential impact of glyphosate resistance. The is not just a problem for Canada but around the world where glyphosate tolerant traits are planted. By no means is this a wide spread issue as it seems… Read More
Rain isn’t the only thing those constant storms have been carrying into Ontario. States south of Ontario have reported large captures of black cutworm moths, and some of those same moths have been riding the storm fronts into Ontario and laying eggs. The black moth eggs hatch and the larvae then move from the annual… Read More
When the conditions are right, flea beetles move quickly and devastate quickly. The bugs are the most chronically damaging insect pest of canola in Western Canada. They inflict the most damage on canola at the seedling stage, inhibiting proper plant growth and delaying maturity. They will feed on more mature plants, but canola at later… Read More
Wheat midge is something that traditionally, farmers in Alberta have not been too concerned about. It was always more of a Saskatchewan issue. Over the past few years however, as we have moved to wetter springs and summers, conditions have changed enough for the pest to become a greater concern. Wheat midge is a pest… Read More
The cereal leaf beetle traditionally has been a minor pest in Canada. Western Canada has begun to see some of the damage as it has moved north from the United States. Scott Meers, Alberta Agriculture states that the cereal leaf beetle has not yet moved above Highway One but should still be a concern for… Read More
In this episode of the Canola School, Troy Prosofsky discusses the impact that the flea beetle is having on the Western Canadian canola crop. Troy also talks about the evaluation of flea beetle damage and when or when not to spray to control the pest. Flea Beetles can be terrible pests and if the damage… Read More
With the advent of the introduction of seed treatments like Helix Extra, we do not hear as much about flea beetles anymore. The reality is that they are still around and could have an impact on your yield. Forecasts for this pest are difficult and we require the pest to eat the plants in order… Read More
Wheat midge has great impact on wheat growers in many areas. This year will be the first year that farmers will be able to purchase midge tolerant varieties. There are three different varieties right now and more in the pipeline. It is critical that as an industry we properly manage this great new innovation in… Read More