crop pests Archives - Page 6 of 9

Grasshopper numbers are climbing in Alberta. They can thrive in dry weather.

Be on your guard for grasshoppers

Grasshopper numbers are up in Alberta. Warm dry weather will give them an edge

By Dilia Narduzzi June 2, 2016

Grasshoppers were found in higher numbers in 2015 in Alberta. Unfortunately, the same is expected for 2016, says Scott Meers, Alberta Agriculture insect management specialist. The Peace region, the extreme north and northwest areas of Alberta, are expected to have high grasshopper numbers. Farmers west of Edmonton also saw high populations last year and the […] Read more

Early on, cabbage seedpod weevils will be most prevalent at the edge of fields.

Crops, News

Coping with the cabbage seedpod weevil

Our mild winter may have been beneficial for the cabbage seedpod weevil

By Dilia Narduzzi May 31, 2016

Cabbage seedpod weevils are a perennial problem for canola and mustard growers in southern Alberta. Their range has expanded up to the northern and south central parts of the province in the last couple of years and, says Scott Meers, Alberta Agriculture and Forestry insect management specialist. “Saskatchewan has economic infestations as far as east […] Read more

Emerging cereal crop in a field between Mervin and Glaslyn.

Crops, Weather

Sask. farmers nearing the finish line for seeding

Emerging crops see threat of flea beetles, cutworms

By Lisa Guenther May 26, 2016

Farmers across Saskatchewan are wrapping up seeding earlier than normal. As of May 23, 81 per cent of acres were seeded, compared to the five-year average of 59 per cent, according to the latest Saskatchewan Crop Report. Farmers in the northwest had 84 per cent of the acres seeded. In the Turtleford and Glaslyn areas, […] Read more

Crescent-shaped notches on pea leaves are evidence of the presence of pea leaf weevils.

Crops, Pulses

Keep a watchful eye for pea leaf weevil

Be ready to scout your fields. This pest is headed north 

By Marianne Stamm May 24, 2016

There’s a new pest heading north in Alberta and it’s eersoving fast. Although a regular in southern Alberta and southern Saskatchewan, the pea leaf weevil has now been sighted as far north as Athabasca, Alberta. “There’s been a real range expansion,” says Scott Meers, insect management specialist with Alberta Agriculture. “It’s a concerning issue for […] Read more

The diamondback moth is one of the more common insect pests that can reduce yield in mustard crops.

Columns, Crops

Weeds, disease and insects in mustard

In the final part of a 4-part series on mustard agronomy, Ross McKenzie turns his attention to pests

By Ross H. McKenzie May 6, 2016

Weed control is generally my greatest concern when growing mustard. Weed competition can greatly reduce mustard yields by competing for available light, nutrients and moisture. Although mustard seedlings are not very competitive with weeds, there are ways that growers can reduce the early effects of weeds: burndown of weeds in fall and/or early spring before […] Read more

This photo shows soybean cyst nemadoe on the root of a soybean plant. It was taken with a macro lens. SCN is not currently a problem in Western Canada, but it is likely to show up soon.

Crops, Soybeans

New soybean cyst nematode solution

Syngenta has a new biological seed treatment to fight soybean cyst nematode

By Melanie Epp April 6, 2016

Last June, Syngenta Canada Inc. announced the registration and launch of a new biological seed treatment for soybean cyst nematode (SCN), Clariva pn. Clariva works in a direct and targeted way to reduce the growth and feeding of soybean cyst nematode. While soybean cyst nematode is currently not an issue in Western Canada, it’s good […] Read more

Canola, Wheat & Chaff

Keys to flea beetle control in canola crops

Agronomy tips... from the field

By Ted Labun March 3, 2016

The important thing to understand about flea beetles is that they overwinter as adults — and it’s those adults that do all the feeding on your seedlings come the spring. Your canola crop is most vulnerable to flea beetle feeding from the cotyledon stage at emergence up until it reaches the three- or four-leaf stage. […] Read more

Crops, News

What’s it take to produce new pesticides?

Farmers know a lot about using pesticides. Here’s a chance to learn about how chemical companies dream them up, produce them and market them to you

By Lisa Guenther January 5, 2016

Have you ever wondered how chemical companies create and launch new pesticides? How much it costs them, how they decide what it will cost you and how they come up with those names? Well, we were wondering the same thing at Grainews, so we talked to Kelly Bennett. Bennett manages Dow AgroSciences’ cereal broadleaf herbicides […] Read more

Canola

Fall weed management in canola

If you have time for fall weed control in canola fields, make the most of it

By Melanie Epp September 8, 2015

Canola is one of the higher value crops in Western Canada, but returns can be negatively impacted by poor weed control. Luckily, there are options for glyphosate-tolerant canola. Controlling weeds in the fall ensures that the crop suffers next to no yield loss due to competition in the following year. If pre-harvest control isn’t possible, […] Read more

Crops, Weather

Sask. harvest begins amidst lodged crops, flooded fields

Saskatchewan Crop Report for the week ending August 3

By Saskatchewan Agriculture August 7, 2015

Harvest has begun in some parts of the province, according to Saskatchewan Agriculture’s weekly Crop Report. Less than one per cent of the provincial crop has been combined, while one per cent is ready to straight-cut. Twenty-three per cent of the fall rye, 10 per cent of the winter wheat, five per cent of the […] Read more

Canada’s foreign affairs minister spoke with Chinese counterpart, federal government says

China soybean imports hit record June high on strong Brazil shipments

Alberta crop conditions improve: report

GFM Network News