This Week at the Farm, (May 22, 2015)

Now is the time when flea beetle monitoring is very important to canola producers!  

Flea beetles are important to canola production because they are an economic pest typically emerging from overwintering in the spring which begins to feed on the cotyledons of the canola seedling. Their feeding activity results in characteristic shot-hole damage.  More recently, striped flea beetles have been observed to girdle seedlings which immediately kills the plant.

Flea beetles reproduce in the spring and lay eggs near the stem of cruciferous plants.  Larvae will feed upon the canola root system but it is the adult or beetle which causes economic damage so in-field monitoring and the application of an action threshold of >25% cotyledon leaf area consumed is critical.

We monitor flea beetles to ascertain when they move into canola fields, to obtain a general estimate of the population densities active in specific fields, and to examine proportions of striped, crucifer, and hops flea beetles along with the lesser-known species that can also occur in our fields.  Flea beetles are approximately 2-3 mm long and are usually black, brown, metallic blue or purple and may have yellow stripes on their elytra (i.e., hardened forewings). 

Since 2001, our lab has monitored the density and species diversity of flea beetles found in commercial canola fields.  Below are photos depicting how we collect flea beetles using yellow sticky trap cards, and what they look like when we process the trap cards by examining them under a stereomicroscope.

Flea beetle trap out in the field ready to be collected. The black spots on the card are flea beetles (each 2-3mm long).

One flea beetle (Phyllotreta Striolata) stuck to the trap viewed using our stereomicroscope.

Two flea beetles (Crepidodera spp.) stuck to the trap viewed using our stereomicroscope.

For more information on flea beetles you can follow this link to our  flea beetle protocol .

-Kaitlin

The Importance of Entomology

We all know that entomologists are important, and it's apparent when we see a healthy colony of bees, harvest a high-yielding crop, or control a swarm of mosquitoes. But did you know the growing importance and history of insects as food? Or how far back civilizations' relationships with insects really go?

This paper nicely explains just how important entomology really is. Entomology is a far-reaching field that impacts our daily lives in ways that we might not usually think about. It's definitely a good read! Find the whole article here.

- Amanda

This Week at the Farm (May 14, 2015)

The IPM crew has been hard at work this week sorting through our sweep samples from 2014.  A total of 878 samples were collected in 2014 as part of our field research.  The processing and identification of arthropods within these samples often requires 2-6 hrs by trained Staff members.

IPM technician, Holly (left) and COOP Student, Amanda (right), are sorting through red clover sweep-net samples collected near Falher, AB in July 2014.  These samples provide an indication of species diversity and density within the region and allow us to monitor pest populations.

Each sample is sorted using paintbrushes into petri dishes by type of insect.  Of particular interest in red clover sweep samples like these are red clover casebearers, lygus, and various types of weevils.  We are also on the lookout for natural enemies such as parasitoids and predators.

-Shelby Dufton

This Week at the Farm (May13, 2015)

Our field plots areas dried sufficiently for seeding to begin in earnest on Saturday here at the Farm.  New COOP Student, Emma, is shown below cleaning out a box on the ConservaPak seeder.

The newly amalgamated Agronomy & Crop Adaptation Program had both the 12" and 9" ConservaPak seeders out, were evaluating fall rye and winter wheat plots, plus the small plot seeder was out seeding barley yield increase plots.  Those seeding efforts are producing 4m x 15m plots for the agronomic-type trials whereas the yield increase plots are 4-rows wide.

When it comes to plot sizes, every size matters!

This Week at the Farm (May 8, 2015)

First Traps of the 2015 Season!  This week, the IPM Program at Beaverlodge was again busy in the field setting up and collecting our insect pest monitoring traps.  At this time of the year, Flea Beetle and Diamondback Moth monitoring is important.

In this photo, Kaitlin sets up the first Diamondback Moth and Flea Beetle traps of the 2015 season which will be monitored weekly near Beaverlodge AB. Yellow sticky card traps will reveal the species diversity and relative numbers of flea beetles in canola fields whereas Diamondback Moth pheromone traps will detect the initial arrival of moths to canola fields.

Jadin Chahade

This Week At the Farm (May 7, 2015)

Ever wondered about our equipment?  Here at the Farm, field plot equipment allows our researchers to replicate and that produces scientifically valid results.  The weather hasn't cooperated this week but the seeders are poised, ready to go....

ConservaPak and CrossSlot seeders preparing for #Plant15 here at the Farm.

And our sprayers are being prepared for pre-seed and in-crop pesticide applications that are part of the typical field crop production systems across the prairies. 

ATV-mounted and tractor-mounted spray equipment being prepared for #Plant15.

New Staff at Beaverlodge

This week we welcome Jeremy Hodges to the Beaverlodge Research Farm!  Jeremy's training and experience will help support the Agronomy & Crop Adaptation Program based here at Beaverlodge.  He arrives in time to help with the organization of field plots areas, the sorting of seed  - everything that's critical to the vital process of seeding our field research plots where we continue to generate yield and quality data whether it's to study agronomic improvements or to continue to support the breeding of varieties well-suited to the northern production regions of Canada's prairies.

Field plot trials at AAFC-Beaverlodge in 2014.