Digging into Research
Wheat stem sawfly larval mortality did not occur between fall and spring sampling periods indicating that populations are not affected by abiotic or biotic factors during the winter. The populations of wheat stem sawfly and its natural enemies varied across fields in southern Alberta. The...
Cabbage seedpod weevil continues to expand across the Prairies, contributing to yield losses of 5 to 30%. Insecticidal control remains the main management strategy despite decades of research into alternative biological and cultural methods of control. The cabbage seedpod weevil, Ceutorhynchus obstrictus (Marsham) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), is native to...
The overall Economic Injury Level was found to be around 9 to 23 Lygus bugs per 10 sweeps using $15.47/bu ($682/tonne) canola prices. However, insecticide trials on farmers’ commercial fields found that yield was protected from Lygus feeding with a foliar insecticide application at the...
Wheat midge parasitism was found to be as high as 71% in the Peace River region of Alberta. Parasitism was primarily by Macroglenes penetrans, the main parasitic wasp species that attacks wheat midge on the Canadian Prairies. A parasitic wasp species, Inostemma walkeri, was newly...
A new economic threshold of 36 ± 7 aphids (29 to 43 aphids) per 180 degree sweep was calculated for Saskatchewan lentil, and provides 7 days lead time to arrange insecticidal application. The economic injury level was calculated at 78 ± 14 aphids (64 to...
AC Ultima formed relatively solid stems at lower internodes compared to Pronghorn, although this did not reduce stem cutting by wheat stem sawfly. Higher seeding rates of both cultivars resulted in lower wheat stem sawfly damage and higher amounts of sawfly parasitism. Little research has been...
Bertha armyworm larvae caused over twice as much feeding damage on plants with diamondback moth eggs than plants without. However, bertha armyworm egg laying was not affected when canola plants had diamondback moth eggs. Diamondback moth adults migrate to the Prairies on winds from the southern...
The alfalfa weevil increased from a minor pest in 2001 to be the principal insect pest of alfalfa in 2014. Its biological control agent Bathyplectes curculionis, a parasitoid wasp, now also occurs in most areas where alfalfa weevil is found on the Canadian Prairies. The alfalfa...
Research showed no reduction of seed yield for Brassica napus canola at any infestation level of flies or eggs. Root maggots may be more of a perceived than real threat to Prairie canola producers. Recent wet field seasons across much of the Prairie provinces have renewed...
Broflanilide provided consistent protection against wireworm damage in wheat, and also reduced neonate and resident wireworm populations at levels similar to the deregistered lindane but at a far lower dosage per acre. Wireworm has remerged as an insect pest in cereals, corn, potato, and vegetables crops...
