Reading Time: 2 minutes Spring wheat cash prices were mixed for the week ended Oct. 31, as pressure from declines in United States wheat futures were countered by support from a weaker Canadian dollar that encourages more export sales.
Prairie Wheat Weekly: Declines in U.S. wheat, loonie lead to mixed prices
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
A decade of midge-tolerant wheat
New varieties are in the pipeline for CWRS and SWS classes
Reading Time: 4 minutes Over the past 10 years, western Canadian farmers have deliberately seeded 27 million acres of wheat susceptible to orange blossom wheat midge — and saved themselves an estimated $1 billion in lost yield and quality. To be clear, only 10 per cent of the seed on those acres was susceptible to midge, and that’s been […] Read more
Protect your midge-tolerant wheat
The midge-tolerance gene was found in the majority of SWS wheats in 2017. Refuge seed is required to keep this trait in play
Reading Time: 3 minutes Producers should add refuge seed to most Canada Western Red Spring (CWRS) and Soft White Spring (SWS) wheat varieties in 2018 to prolong the longevity of the midge-tolerance Sm1 gene, says Todd Hyra, western business manager for seed marketing agency SeCan. Last spring, Canadian researchers discovered Sm1 in most SWS varieties, including AAC Indus, AC […] Read more
Beneficial insects can reduce the economic threat if wheat midge arrives
Two natural predators can help with wheat midge problems if you foster their populations
Reading Time: 2 minutes Wheat midge, a non-native pest that feeds on developing wheat kernels, is a serious economic threat to farmers, especially in Manitoba and Saskatchewan. But the pest is now a growing problem in Alberta, including Peace River country, and starting to attack Montana’s wheat crops. However, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada researchers know ways to reduce its […] Read more
Dry weather reducing Prairie wheat midge problems
Reading Time: 2 minutes CNS Canada — Wheat midge hasn’t been causing as many problems as first anticipated in Western Canada this year, as a dry spring hindered the pests’ emergence. The Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture’s wheat midge forecast, released earlier this year, initially showed high risk levels for the insect, but the dryness is hampering their effects on […] Read more
Prairies’ dry fields good, if you’re a grasshopper
Reading Time: 2 minutes CNS Canada –– Dry conditions causing production concerns across large areas of Alberta and Saskatchewan are certainly bad for the crops, but the weather could prove ideal for grasshoppers. Grasshopper forecast maps put out over the winter were not initially all that bad for Alberta and Saskatchewan, given the conditions in 2014, but weather in […] Read more
Five years of midge tolerance
As its acreage continues to climb, the message is to keep protecting the unique Sm1 gene
Reading Time: 3 minutes This summer marks the fifth anniversary of producers in Western Canada growing and protecting midge-tolerant wheat. Since the launch of the first commercial varieties in 2010, the industry has witnessed strong uptake of the technology that helps producers defend against orange blossom wheat midge, a pest that can significantly reduce crop yield and grade. Not […] Read more
Cabbage seedpod weevil could cause problems for Prairie canola
Reading Time: 2 minutes CNS Canada –– Canola growes in Western Canada will have to keep an eye out for cabbage seedpod weevils in fields this year, according to government officials. “For cabbage seedpod weevil, the survey from last year was showing that it’s extended well eastwards (in Saskatchewan) with some pretty good numbers now moving more into traditional […] Read more
Insect post mortem
Top Prairie pest specialists reflect on 2014’s major insect trends… and what they could mean for the coming year
Reading Time: 6 minutes Insects are like the commodity markets. It’s really easy to know what they’re going to do, once they’ve already done it. One of agriculture’s big challenges is dealing with different insects in different geographies, and doing the best you can to hedge your bets. Like the markets, however, insects are subject to a fair bit […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
