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...

This study validated the nominal economic threshold of 25 per cent defoliation. It also determined significant associations between landscape structure and flea beetle abundance, weather and flea beetle abundance, and plant density and flea beetle damage. As well, two flea beetle predators were confirmed. Flea beetles...

Research in southern Alberta found that canola fields seeded in April were the most susceptible to cabbage seedpod weevil. A new action threshold of 25 to 40 cabbage seedpod weevils per 10 sweeps at early flowering stage was developed. When cabbage seedpod weevil populations were...

Lygus bug and chocolate spot disease can damage faba bean seed. Research found both organisms are widespread in central and southern Alberta. Seed damage occurs independently of each other, and is primarily caused by lygus bug. Seed damage caused by lygus bug (Lygus spp.) or chocolate...