February 4, 2014
Canola Watch Live! included a discussion on bees and other pollinators. Here are best management practices to reduce damage to these important insects: —Avoid spraying flowering canola. —Use economic thresholds when making control decisions. Remember: Threshold covers cost of application. No profit! —Use the least toxic option registered for the crop. —Take measures to minimize drift. Wind speed/direction, drift reducing…
September 5, 2013
Growers are still seeing some insects in their canola crops, including a higher than normal presence of flea beetles. Answers to the following three questions may help with management decisions…
August 28, 2013
Bertha armyworm got its name because the worms will march like an army in search of food. As canola crops dry down and are swathed, bertha armyworms that have not pupated will keep moving in search of lush green plant material. Late canola fields could be in the crosshairs of this army…
August 28, 2013
Flea beetle numbers this late in the season are higher than we’ve seen in years, which could point to higher numbers next spring. For this year’s canola crops, don’t take any action unless you see flea beetles feeding on pods over a broad number of acres. Entomologists have not set thresholds for late season flea beetle feeding, but it’s generally…
August 21, 2013
Bertha armyworms keep eating to within a few days of pupating. These 1.5” late-stage berthas eat much more than at smaller stages, doing a lot of damage in a week if numbers are at thresholds…
August 21, 2013
Many canola fields are within 5 to 10 days of swathing, which limits the choices for insecticides — based on pre-harvest intervals. Here are the pre-harvest intervals for insecticides registered for insect control in canola. Try the interactive PHI tool at www.spraytoswath.ca…
August 14, 2013
Again this year, canola crops with blanks or missing pods on the main stem are being found. Typically, a missing pod can result from any stress on the plant because stress inhibits proper fertilization of the flowers. It is important however, to accurately determine the cause of the stress in order to take steps to reduce its impact on future…
August 14, 2013
Bertha armyworm spraying has been reported in a few fields. Scout lower in the canopy this week, looking for larvae feeding on lower leaves. Scouting now will give you a couple weeks’ planning time before leaf drop begins and berthas start moving up toward the pods — where they do their most costly damage. By holding off until bertha larvae…
August 14, 2013
Pre-harvest interval (PHI) refers to the amount of time that must lapse (in days) after a pesticide application before the crop is cut (ie. swathed or straight cut). Failing to comply with a product’s pre-harvest interval is a contravention of the Pest Control Products Act (PCP). The PCP Act was put in place to protect human health and safety and…
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