20 Years of Canola Surveying

 Ready. Set. Go! 

Things are heating up in the Peace River region and the canola is blooming! As a result, we are about to hit the fields to sample canola for our survey! You’ve learned about the insect pests we've targeted (1,2), where we go (3,4), and how we survey (5) – but what happens in the field and what other information do we collect? 

Typically, we survey in teams of two, with one person serving as both driver and sweep-net sampler (Fig. 1a) and the other taking notes, preparing supplies, and collecting field information (Fig. 1b). Once we arrive at the field, the driver gets out, dons rubber boots and Tyvek booties, and enters the field to sweep-net sample. The sweep sample is collected in a large arc from the field edge out into the field and back. Ten sweeps are collected in each of five sets (for a total of 50 sweeps), spaced every 10 paces to cover multiple locations throughout the field. Samples are then bagged, examined briefly for any abnormal insects or insect densities, and then placed in a cooler on ice. 

 

Figure 1a. Co-op student, Becky Philip, sweeps a canola field near Ft. Vermilion, AB for the 2018 Beaverlodge Research Farm Annual Canola Survey.  1b. Program supervisor, Jennifer Otani, diligently takes notes for the 2008 Beaverlodge Research Farm Canola Survey.  

The passenger exits the vehicle and completes our biosecurity protocol, including vehicle sanitization. Once finished, they conduct growth ratings and identify stubble type (Fig. 2a-d). Staff are trained to detect differences in stubble such as branching white canola stubble, thin curls of pea stubble, or hunting for a wheat or barley head. Why do this? Field stubble can tell us a lot about a field! For the past 20 years, stubble assessments have provided valuable information about crop rotations used by grower-producers in the Peace River region. It can also help explain why certain insects are appearing in higher numbers. 

Figure 2a. Madysen Jones collects growth ratings and identifies stubble in a field near High Level, AB for the 2022 Beaverlodge Research Farm Canola Survey. 2b-d. Can you identify these types of stubble? Sometimes it’s not this easy. Highlight here to reveal the answers: b) canola, c) barley d) wheat. 

During my first year (2014) as a co-op student with the Beaverlodge Insect Pest Management (IPM) program, we found a parasitoid wasp, Macroglenes penetrans (Fig. 3), numbering in the thousands in some survey samples. This parasitoid preys on an economic pest of wheat, wheat midge (Sitodiplosis mosellana). Stubble type helped us to identify that M. penetrans were emerging in canola fields (2014) seeded to wheat the year prior (2013) and then moving to neighboring wheat fields. Discoveries like this help to show how spraying insecticides in canola can potentially negatively affect natural enemies for pests in other crops as well. 

Figure 3. Macroglenes penetrans wasp. Photo credit: Shelby Dufton-AAFC Beaverlodge

 

Canola survey has, and continues to be, my favorite part of the field season for our group! 2023 will be my 10th year conducting the survey and I can’t wait for many more. I would like to say a huge thank you to all the producers willing allowing us to survey on their land this year! And I would like to say a big thank you to all our IPM staff this year and in the past 20 years for helping to make this incredible data set a possibility. Check out the video below to see some of the incredible Beaverlodge IPM staff and collaborators in action over TWENTY YEARS OF SURVEY! 

Author: Shelby Dufton

20 Years of Canola Surveying

This year will be our lab’s 20^th annual canola survey! It will be my 10^th canola survey – helping out from start to finish.  As you may have seen, our survey will be a little different this year. We are now required to obtain written permission prior to entering any fields. If you are a producer in the Peace River region, then hopefully we have already chatted on the phone with you! If not, you can contact us so that we can sample your fields!

Historically, we have sampled fields randomly, stopping at a canola field in early flower every 10 km along pre-designated routes. This provided us with a truly random, representative sample of insect populations in the Peace River region. Randomly sampling is very important to the accuracy and quality of information gathered during the survey. We are hoping to have enough fields in the system this year that we can select “randomly” from fields we have on file.

Figure 1. Amanda Jorgensen sweep sampling a canola field (2014). Photo credit: Kate Freeman-AAFC Beaverlodge.

Our lab has been very fortunate to have received a great reception for our canola survey! In the 10 years I have worked on the survey, I am one of the only staff members to encounter a producer who was concerned to see us in their field. Many years ago, a producer pulled up as we finished sweeping, which isn’t unusual. What was unusual was their concern at finding a blue van parked in their pull-in. After my teammate and I explained a bit about the survey and showed the insects in our net, we ended up having a positive conversation! It turned out that teenagers had been causing havoc out in their fields the night before, so their initial concern was completely understandable! It was a great learning experience for me, and I feel fortunate that we had the chance to build a good relationship with this producer. Our lab has worked hard to develop strong relationships with field crop producers in our area – and we hope that if we haven’t worked with you yet, we can work together soon!

Author: Amanda Jorgensen

 

20 Years of Canola Surveying

I would say one of my favorite canola survey memories was my first survey in 2021 with our supervisor and integrated pest management scientist, Jennifer Otani. We saw an incredible amount of grasshoppers in certain areas throughout the Peace River region, often in numbers above the economic threshold (Fig. 1)! In some locations, there were so many that the ditch looked like it was moving when we swept it - I have never seen anything like it! This is the first time I was able to see what grasshopper feeding looked like in canola. They are super messy eaters! While we were surveying, Jennifer pointed out butterflies sipping salt from mud puddles, which I never knew they did! It was quite the sight about 10 butterflies all still on the earth. I remember coming home that day (at 10:00pm), excited at having learned so many things about surveying and insect monitoring. Jennifer is an great person to learn from. That was my longest work day to date and one of my favorites. The next day I had trouble moving my arms because they were so sore from all of the sweeping, but I would do it all over again (and did for the rest of the week)!

Figure 1. Grasshoppers cover the inside of a sweep-net after collecting a sample during the annual canola survey.

I was so excited to go to work every day during the canola survey! I enjoyed collecting sweep-net samples, moving at a fast pace, and covering a huge geographic area - it’s exhilarating (Fig. 2)! We try to cover as much of the agricultural land in the Peace River region as possible– sometimes working up to 12 hours in a single day (Fig. 3)!

Figure 2. Aarika walking back to the vehicle after collecting a sweep-net sample for the 2021 Canola Survey.

I always look forward to the results of the survey because it covers a larger area than our weekly surveying. If we observe anything unusual, this data is shared publicly with producers so that they are able to make informed decisions when managing their canola. Working at the research farm, I have gained an appreciation for the importance of surveying as it provides invaluable data over many years. The canola survey is a great example of this, representing 20 years of data for an important crop in our region. It takes a village to be able to execute such a big endeavor.

 

Figure 3. Sweeping in action in Fort Vermillion, AB! We kept busy this day, doing both alfalfa fields as well as canola survey sites to make the most of our 6 hour drive up.

Each field is its own adventure and it is always interesting to see what insects and staging you find in fields a few or a hundred kilometers apart. There is so much biodiversity in our region from the BC Peace to Fort Vermillion to Peace River. The final bonus of surveying: you get to stop in small towns and try the local food while sitting outside in the sun. It truly makes for a great day. I never get tired of seeing the beauty of different regions of the Peace River region  and spending time with great coworkers, doing a job I love!

Author: Aarika Harpe

 

2023 Canola Survey: Lygus

As we draw closer to the end of June, lygus bugs (Fig. 1) will be emerging and laying eggs in the Peace River region. Canola is especially susceptible to lygus damage, in addition to alfalfa, potatoes, and other plants. Typically, lygus migrate from alfalfa to canola when buds and flowers are developing in June through early July. Crops can be severely damaged by the feeding of adult and nymph lygus, resulting in loss of yield and a decrease in quality.

In the Peace River region, adult lygus lay eggs during mid-June in the stems and leaves of plants. Egg laying occurs over three to seven weeks.

Figure 1: Fifth instar lygus nymph (left) and adult lygus (right). Photo credit: Jennifer Otani-AAFC Beaverlodge

Early instar lygus nymphs are light green and wingless. As they mature, black dots develop on the top of the thorax and abdomen and wing buds begin to develop (Fig. 3). Adult lygus range from pale green to reddish brown and have a distinctive triangle or “V’ shape marking on their back (Fig. 2). Both adult and nymph lygus bugs have piercing-sucking mouthparts that physically damage plants.

Figure 2: Adult lygus. Photo credit: Jennifer Otani-AAFC Beaverlodge.

Figure 3: Fifth instar lygus nymph. Photo credit: Jennifer Otani-AAFC Beaverlodge.

When feeding, these mouthparts pierce seedpods and puncture plant cells, leaving visible abrasions on plant surfaces. Lygus insects also inject toxic saliva while feeding, that perniciously effect host plants. Feeding damage collectively results in leaf disfiguration, drooping of buds and blossoms, and shriveling of seeds.

Hot, dry conditions encourage lygus development and population growth. The economic threshold for lygus in canola encompasses the flowering and early pod ripening stages. Economic thresholds and plant stage should be carefully considered when choosing to apply insecticide. Application costs may exceed resulting benefits if seeds have already ripened to yellow or brown. Information about economic thresholds and lygus monitoring can be found here. 

Author: Jadeyn Lunn

20 Years of Canola Surveying

Our annual canola survey is my favourite part of the summer! As a life-long resident of Alberta, I love visiting fields across the Peace River region, especially areas in Alberta and British Columbia that I would not regularly go. As someone who loves to spend time outdoors during the summer, I really enjoy the long canola survey days spent sweeping the Peace. You will sometimes see us out surveying as late as 10 PM and making the most of the extra daylight hours we get in the summer!

Figure 1. Maddy sweeping a canola field near Deadwood, AB during the 2022 Canola Survey. Photo credit: Shelby Dufton-AAFC Beaverlodge.

During the survey, we travel across the entire Peace River region which is an enormous area! Our survey covers 260 km from east to west and 400 km north to south. Last year during our annual canola survey, I travelled 5 hours north to High Level which is the furthest north in Alberta that I have ever been. On this trip, I was able to take the La Crete ferry which was one of my favourite days of canola survey. We use the La Crete ferry as well as the Shaftesbury ferry to access some of the more remote canola fields in the Peace River region.

Figure 2. Crossing the Peace River at Tomkins Landing on the La Crete ferry after surveying in La Crete and Fort Vermillion, AB. Photo Credit: Madysen Jones-AAFC Beaverlodge.

Our annual canola survey is an excellent learning experience for students. It provides valuable information on pest insect populations^{1, 2}, species diversity, and beneficial insects throughout the region. This year, I am looking forward to another successful canola survey with the help of the generous farmers that have agreed to allow us to enter their fields. If you would like to be a part of our survey more information can be found here!

Author: Madysen Jones

2023 Canola Survey: Cabbage Seedpod Weevil

Cabbage seedpod weevils (Ceutorhynchus obstrictus) are small, grey beetles from the family Curculionidae, which are 3 to 4 mm long with a long curved snout or rostrum (Fig. 1). Their larva are small, white grubs that can reach 5 to 6 mm long. Adults emerge in the spring from overwintering sites such as ditches and shelter belts and feed on early flowering host plants including volunteer canola and wild mustard. Cabbage seedpod weevils move to canola fields when the crop starts to bud and flower, where they feed on pollen and buds from the canola plants.

Egg-laying occurs when canola pods begin to develop. Female cabbage seedpod weevils typically deposit a single egg into a seedpod, but can lay two or more per pod during outbreaks. Upon hatching, larvae begin to feed on the seeds for a period of about 50 days. Once they mature, larvae chew an opening in the wall of the seedpod and exit, pupating in the soil below. After about ten days as pupae, adults emerge and feed on the maturing canola seedpods before moving to overwintering sites.

Severe damage to canola crops can occur as a result of both the larva and adults feeding on seedpods. Larval feeding on seeds can cause misshapen pods and leave small exit holes when the larva emerge to pupate. The economic threshold at which pesticide application is recommended is 2.5 to 4 weevils per sweep.

Figure 1. Cabbage seedpod weevil adult. Photo credit: linsepatron CC-BY 2.0.

While not currently present in the Peace River region, cabbage seedpod weevils are a major pest in southern Alberta. Models predict that they will gradually disperse into all canola production areas, including the Peace River region. The Beaverlodge Integrated Pest Management program monitors for presence of cabbage seedpod weevils in the Peace River Region by performing our annual canola survey. Sweep-net collections are performed at canola fields throughout the region when 10-20% of plants are flowering.

To help us complete our canola survey this year, we need permission to enter canola fields across the Peace River region. You can help us monitor for pests like the cabbage seedpod weevil here!

Author: Gareth Larsen

Field Sanitation Protocol and Mitigation of Soil-borne Diseases

Clubroot is a soil-borne disease of canola and other cruciferous plants of the Brassicaceae family which is caused by a pathogen called Plasmodiophora brassicae. Clubroot is spread when infested soil is transported by vehicles and farm machinery or though wind and water erosion. Roots of infected plants have a club-like appearance (Fig. 1). Above-ground symptoms vary depending on the growth stage at time of infection. Common symptoms include wilting, stunting, yellowing, and premature ripening. Above-ground symptoms are similar to common canola disorders thus it is important to carefully dig up suspect plants and inspect the roots.

Figure 1. Characteristic clubroot galls on an infested canola plant. 

Photo: (LL, ND, CC BY-SA 2.0)

The distribution of clubroot in the Peace River region has increased since first appearing in Big Lakes County (August 2017) and now includes additional sites in northwestern Alberta:

• Access the current clubroot map here to learn more about where this disease occurs within Alberta.
• Refer to Alberta Agriculture and Forestry's website for more information on clubroot. 
• Refer to Clubroot Disease | Canola Encyclopedia (canolacouncil.org) for more information.
• Refer to Preventing Clubroot: Agricultural Sanitization for more information on preventing clubroot.

Back in 2004, the Integrated Pest Management Program (IPM) implemented biosanitation protocols including use of tyvek booties and sterilization of all field equipment. From 2017-2018, field sanitation involved the use of Virkon and bleach and, since 2019, involved bleach only. As of May 2023, our biosecurity protocol includes:

• Adhering to a strict field research sanitation protocol.
• Identifying ourselves by operating marked Government of Canada vehicles when visiting fields. 
• Reducing or cancelling field work activities on rainy days to avoid tracking mud.
• Washing AAFC vehicles at commercial car washes BEFORE and AFTER conducting field work (Fig. 2).
• Sterilizing and washing vehicle floor mats with bleach each day (Fig. 3).

Figure 2. Washing AAFC vehicle at the commercial to remove soil after a long day of fieldwork. 

Photo: Maddy Jones-AAFC Beaverlodge.

Figure 3. Floor mats are hung and sterilized with bleach while at the commercial car wash. 

Photo: Maddy Jones-AAFC Beaverlodge.

• Wearing impermeable shoes while operating and exiting vehicle. These shoes are sterilized each day.
• Sterilizing impermeable boots using bleach both AT and BETWEEN each field (Fig. 4). 
• Wearing disposable booties are over sterilized impermeable boots prior to entering field or pull-in (Fig. 5).

Figure 4. Impermeable boots are placed into bins containing a bleach solution while traveling between field sites. Photo: Maddy Jones AAFC-Beaverlodge.

Figure 5. Disposable booties are donned over sterilized impermeable boots prior to field entry at each site. 

Photo: Maddy Jones AAFC-Beaverlodge.

• Parking AAFC vehicles on the side of the road - we NEVER drive into a field!
• Using sodium hypochlorite or bleach (2%) to sterilize vehicle tires, wheels, and wheel-wells both AT and BETWEEN each field (Fig. 6). 

Figure 6. Wheel-wells and tires are sterilized upon arrival to each field site using a bleach solution. 

Photo: Maddy Jones AAFC-Beaverlodge.

• Soaking all field equipment that contacts soil (e.g., spades, trowels, soil core samplers) in bleach after use in each field. 
• Bagging and sterilizing all booties using an autoclave (employs high temperature and pressure).
• Carrying multiples of small field equipment to allow for soaking in bleach and/or sterilization using an autoclave.
• Maintaining a log of all visits and all field sanitation protocols implemented.

 Please contact us if you have questions or concerns! If you wish to personally see our sanitization efforts in action, we can arrange it! You can contact us by phone at (780) 354-5100 EXT #44283 or by email at Amanda Jorgensen or Shelby Dufton.

We thank growers for their continued support of field research in commercial fields by granting permission for our staff to access land. We want the agricultural industry to be aware and confident that are staff are doing their utmost to ensure every field remains protected. 

Post prepared by Madysen Jones