Reading Time: 3 minutes Carabid beetles, also known as ground beetles, are routinely overlooked as an important weed control agent, says Christian Willenborg, associate professor and head of the Department of Plant Sciences at the University of Saskatchewan. “In Western Canada, we don’t really have a feeling that carabids are making a dent in our weed seed populations, but […] Read more
Free weed control? Tell me more!
A researcher says Canadians should follow the European lead in helping beneficial insects to chow down on weed seeds
New seed treatments broaden protection against crop diseases, pests
Corteva launch in Canada adds to the suite of products for corn and canola
Reading Time: 3 minutes Protecting a crop against weeds, diseases and pests is a challenge any year, but in a year of higher-than-average prices, the value of robust protection takes more importance. As growers continue to look for every competitive advantage to maximize profits, two new seed treatments have entered the market, one for corn and the other for […] Read more
French insect-based ingredients maker Ynsect to expand in North America
U.S. plant would use Ardent Mills' flour milling byproducts
Reading Time: 2 minutes Paris | Reuters — French company Ynsect said on Tuesday it had signed deals to build insect ingredient production sites in the United States and in Mexico as the firm kicks off what it says will be the world’s largest insect farm. Ynsect breeds mealworms that produce proteins for aquaculture, livestock, pet food, fertilizers and […] Read more
A new trait for corn rootworm
The RNAi trait will launch in Canada in 2023 and complement current Bt Cry protein traits
Reading Time: 5 minutes Late in 2019, agronomists in mid-western Ontario urged producers to opt out of growing continuous corn or corn on corn in an effort to break the cycle of resistance that had developed within corn rootworm. The issue had arisen because of resistance to three of four Bt Cry proteins, reducing the effective modes of action […] Read more
Wheat varieties could move from midge tolerance to midge resistance
Researchers are trying to isolate molecules that appear to transmit resistance to their neighbours
Reading Time: 2 minutes Glacier FarmMedia – A group of western Canadian researchers is trying to create wheat strains with built-in resistance to wheat midge. Though midge-tolerant varieties are available, they are on a mission to add another layer of defence. “One thing biologists have noticed is there are certain varieties of wheat that, for whatever reason … where […] Read more
Flea beetles an issue in parts of Saskatchewan
Reading Time: < 1 minute MarketsFarm — Delays to spring seeding in some regions of Saskatchewan, such as the northeast, have opened the door for infestations of flea beetles, according to provincial pest management specialist James Tansey. Canola crops that were planted later than normal are suffering from flea beetles, he said. Extremely late-seeded canola has been relatively free from […] Read more
Eastern Prairies’ wet conditions may curb insect pest risk
Late-seeded crops may germinate more quickly in warmer soils
Reading Time: 2 minutes MarketsFarm — If there could be one benefit to the excessive moisture across much of southern Manitoba and the Interlake region, that would be a potentially reduced risk for insect pests, according to John Gavloski, entomologist for Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Resource Development. For example, Gavloski cited flea beetles, which could damage canola. “If [canola] […] Read more
Hopper and beetle watch
Will last year’s outbreak repeat in 2022? Weather will be a factor, but one way or another, scouting is vital
Reading Time: 5 minutes Last year’s heat and drought didn’t do much for crops, but it certainly seemed to agree with grasshoppers and flea beetles. Does last season’s invasion mean there will be another for 2021? Jennifer Otani, a pest management scientist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada in the Peace River region, says there were reports of high numbers […] Read more
Mustard biofumigation: coming to a field near you?
Its anti-pest properties are confirmed in potato, but researchers are looking at whether it has prospects for other crops
Reading Time: 5 minutes There may be more than one reason to plant mustard in 2022. Some producers will hope to springboard off 2021’s shortages and grow food-grade mustard for domestic and international markets. But others might choose mustard for a less conventional reason: as a biofumigant cover crop to help quash soil-borne pests and diseases. Mustard contains glucosinolates […] Read more
U.S. to ban use of chlorpyrifos on food crops
Cancellation already scheduled for most outdoor use in Canada
Reading Time: 3 minutes UPDATED, Aug. 25 –– Chicago | Reuters — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday said it will ban the use on food crops of chlorpyrifos insecticide, which has been linked to health problems in children. The decision is a victory for environmental activists who have fought to stop the use of the chemical that […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
