Field Bio-Sanitation Protocol and Mitigating Transmission 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 emailing Shelby Dufton.

We thank growers for their continued support of field research by way of granting permission for our staff to access land to collect data. Out staff continue to do our utmost to ensure every field remains protected. 

Post prepared by Madysen Jones

Return of our student team!

 We're really pleased to welcome back our student team for the 2021 field season! These folks are coming soon to a field (and field plots) near you!!  Well, that's true ONLY if you're fortunate to be in the Peace River region!

Learn more about Maiya, Aarika and Donovan.  They join Shelby, Amanda, and me and we're the IPM Team for the summer of 2021!

Coming back to work in the IPM program

Hi, my name is Aarika and I am more than excited to be coming back to work in the IPM program again this summer!

About Me

I am going into my fourth year of Bachelor’s of Science specializing in Psychology at the University of Alberta. I am interested in pursuing medicine, specifically neurology or psychiatry. Although my studies are a bit different from agricultural entomology research, I have become very passionate in this area of agriculture from working at the Beaverlodge Research Farm last year. I was THRILLED when I knew I would be coming back to work here this summer. I grew up on a grain farm near Valhalla Centre and have been eager to become more involved. I have been helping out in the field when I get the chance to and learning to drive more of the equipment.

Last year I learned so much valuable information in the IPM program including starting to monitor insects in fields. I was able to review various pieces of scientific literature and take online courses to expand my knowledge on insect predators, pests, economic thresholds, insecticides, and more. 

Figure 1. Aarika rolling canola in her family’s fields.

What I Look Forward to... This year, I am excited to have the opportunity to do more fieldwork in different areas and on a wider variety of insects. I look forward to continuing learning about insect monitoring, scouting, and gaining more practical experience. This job has given me a greater awareness of what isgoing on in a smaller scale (insect scale) in those large fields! I have scouted some of my family's fields already and have seen insects already working away! I am eager to see how this year is in comparison to previous years as I have seen a lot of fluctuation with the weather.

Anyways, I am very excited to be working with the wonderful team for my second year here in the IPM program! They are truly incredible people to work with and are passionate about what they do.

Back for the 2021 field season!

Hello everyone! My name is Maiya and I am a returning student in the Insect Pest Management (IPM) Program at the Beaverlodge Research Farm. I worked with the IPM team last year, but this is my first year both returning to the program and working in-person. I will be at the Farm for the 2021 summer from May to August. 

I recently completed my third year at the University of Alberta pursuing an undergraduate degree in Science, majoring in Biological Sciences and Psychology. Though I have not focused on insects in my studies, I have taken a few ecology and zoology courses that often use entomological examples. I am looking forward to applying my school-based knowledge to the job and gaining more practical experience in biology this summer. 

Previous work with the IPM program brought me a new appreciation for the wide range of insects with which producers must cope to grow a successful crop. Last summer I was only able to do fieldwork on my family’s farm in the Peace region (Fig. 1) and performed several online tasks and training while working from home. Therefore, I am eager to spend more time outside getting some hands-on experience with pest monitoring and laboratory techniques this summer. 

Figure 1. Maiya holding a sweep-net used for monitoring Lygus bugs and other insects in her family’s canola field.

Back for the 2021 field season!

Hi there! I’m Donovan, a returning student in the Insect Pest Management Program at the Beaverlodge Research Farm. Last summer, I worked remotely with the IPM team, mainly performing online insect-related tasks and research. This year, however, I’m working on-site from May to August, and I can’t wait to get that true pest monitoring experience!

I am a third-year student at Carleton University pursuing a BSc in Ecology while minoring in Statistics. Growing up, animals of all shapes and sizes intrigued me (Fig.1). Whenever I went to zoos, I never wanted to leave until I had the chance to see every animal, much to my parent’s occasional discontent. Later in my educational career, I realized I loved translating my ecological research into numbers (or vice versa), which prompted me to incorporate statistics into my studies.

I have a deep passion for entomology since working for the Canadian National Collection of Insects housed at AAFC-Ottawa. While working there, I marveled over the sheer diversity of insects and all the weird and wacky forms they possess. When I worked remotely for the Beaverlodge Research Farm, I was fascinated by how much of an impact insects have on agriculture, whether beneficial or detrimental, and I’m looking forward to expanding my knowledge on these compelling arthropods with the IPM team this summer!

Figure 1. Donovan celebrating the 12th birthday of his miniature labradoodle, Keegan.

Field sanitation protocol to manage soil-borne diseases

The distribution of clubroot in the Peace River region again increased in 2018 from the Big Lakes County (August 2017) to include additional sites in northwestern Alberta:
• Please 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. 

The IPM Program has, since 2004, used booties and sterilized field equipment using bleach and ethyl alcohol.  From 2017-2018, field sanitation involved the use of Virkon and bleach and since 2019 involved bleach only.  As of May 2021, our field sanitation protocol includes:

* AAFC staff continue to operate marked vehicles when visiting fields to identify ourselves.

* AAFC vehicles continue to park on the road OR on pull-ins – we NEVER drive into a field!

* We reduce field work activities on rainy days to avoid tracking mud.

* We are using sodium hypochlorite or bleach (2%) to sanitize both AT and BETWEEN each field.

* Rubber boots are worn and sterilized using bleach both AT and BETWEEN each field.

* Disposable booties are worn over sterilized rubber boots prior to exiting the vehicle.

* All booties are bagged then sterilized using an autoclave.

* Vehicle tires, wheels, and wheel-wells are sanitized using bleach both AT and BETWEEN each field.

* Any equipment in contact with the soil (eg trowels, soil samplers) is sanitized using bleach.

* We carry multiples of our small field equipment to allow for soaking in bleach and/or sterilization using an autoclave.
* All field equipment (e.g., spades, trowels, soil core samplers) is soaked in bleach after use in each field.

* AAFC vehicles are washed intermittently at commercial car washes to prevent the introduction of clubroot onto our research field plots at Beaverlodge AB.

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 reach Amanda Jorgensen, Shelby Dufton, or Jennifer Otani by e-mail.

We appreciate the value of all agricultural fields and thank our growers for allowing us to conduct  research in their fields. We appreciate their ongoing support and commitment to insect pest management.  We also want the agricultural industry to be aware and confident that we continue to do our utmost to ensure every field is protected now and in the future. 

Seeding underway at Beaverlodge!

The first research field plots of 2017 started to go into the ground at AAFC-Beaverlodge today!  The Agronomy and Crop Adaptation Program seeded their first agronomic field plot experiment (Fig. 1) of the year at the Beaverlodge Research Farm.

Figure 1. Research field plots being seeded using the Conserva-Pak seeder (9" row spacing) at AAFC-Beaverlodge (N55° by W119°) on May 10, 2017.

Despite wet spring conditions, this area of the research farm was fairly dry today.  The forecast is for more rain soon so the Agronomy and Crop Adaptation Program is doing their utmost to get the many agronomic trials and breeding plots into the ground.  They also manage and farm the interplot areas plus past and future research plot areas by maintaining them in rotation.  All the many experiments and plant breeding lines that are sown annually at the Beaverlodge Research Farm represent critical data because it arises from Canada's most northerly Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada site.  

It's also a very special year at the Beaverlodge Research Farm - it's our Centennial which means we mark 100 years of field plot data and all the effort and intellect that continues to make it all happen!

Watch for more as the growing season progresses!  Also mark your calendar for July 14, 2017, when the Beaverlodge Research Farm celebrates the Centennial year with an Open House for the general public to come join us!

Diamondback moth monitoring

The host plants of the diamondback moth (Figure 1) belong to the family Brassicaceae, which includes canola, mustard, and broccoli. They lay their eggs on these plants, and these hatch to be small miners, which live inside the leaves. Older larvae are yellow-green caterpillars, which eat the leaves, flowers, and other tissues of the plant. The larvae finally pupate in cocoons on these plants and emerge as moths.  Each year, Diamondback moths travel north into Canada using high altitude air masses.  Moths travel from Mexico, southern United States and the Pacific northwest from April and on through the growing season.

Figure 1. Diamondback moth adult, larva and pupa (Wikimedia Commons, Government of Manitoba).  Note the two prolegs at the rear of the larva that form characteristic "spurs".

The IPM team monitors diamondback moths throughout the Peace River region with the goal of determining the timing and magnitude of the moths’ mass migration. To do this, we set up delta traps (Figure 2). These traps are lined with sticky cards and baited with the alluring scent of female pheromones to attract male diamondback moths. We align the traps east-west to funnel the prevailing winds. The traps are generally set out in late April and the sticky cards are collected weekly for 6 weeks or longer, depending on the timing of the moths’ arrival. Later in the season, once the crops have grown, we also count the number of diamondback larvae present on the plants per unit area by doing a beat sample. For more information about the life cycle and monitoring of the diamondback moth, check out our monitoring protocols.  

Figure 2. Delta trap used to capture diamondback moth moths in situ.  The pheromone lure is hung inside the trap and moths are collected on the sticky card inserted on the inner surface of the trap.

Back at the lab, we count the number of moths on each card (Figure 3). Working with the cards can be challenging, as the sticky substance will cover the lab tables, the instruments, and students’ fingers if these items are not protected. We also record the results of the beat sample and amalgamate all the data. The location of the site and the timing of each collection, along with the economic threshold for each crop, provide information about when crops should be sprayed with pesticides.

Figure 3.  Sticky card with diamondback moths marked using a blue dot.  By-catch insects include flies and beetles.

- Laura

Pea Leaf Weevil Monitoring

The pea leaf weevil (Sitona lineatus) is an insect pest native to Europe but established in Alberta in 2005 and southwest Saskatchewan in 2007. Host plants include peas and faba beans and pea leaf weevils can cause considerable damage and yield loss in these crops. Losses result from the larval stage feeding on plant roots and the reduction of nitrogen fixation by preferential feeding on root nodules. Losses can also result from adults feeding upon leaves which is characterized by scalloped notches along the edge of pea leaves.

Pea leaf weevil overwinter as adults which become active early in spring.  The adults move from overwintering habitats to legume host plants to feed, generally from late May through to early June.  During this time, pea leaf weevil populations are best estimated by plant damage assessments. More details on pea leaf weevils and monitoring protocols can be found here.

Figure 1. Pitfall trap containing RV antifreeze solution and covered with wire mesh.

Pheromone-baited pitfall traps are used to detect and monitor pea leaf weevil. Pitfall traps intercept arthropods at ground level.  Each trap consists of a plastic container (500 mL) that is submerged in the soil so the opening sits at ground level (Figure 1).  Each trap is baited with an aggregation pheromone lure then ~175 mL of a solution of RV antifreeze and water (ratio of 1:1) is poured into the base of the pitfall trap.  The solution both kills and preserves the arthropods that are attracted and fall into the trap (see Figure 1). The pheromone, developed by the University of Alberta, is suspended from the wire mesh and attracts the pea leaf weevils (see Figure 2).  The pitfall trap is then covered with wire mesh to exclude field trash and small vertebrates.  All arthropods  are collected weekly from traps then preserved in 95% ethanol for later identification. Back in the lab, the arthropods are processed by selecting out weevils, ground and rove beetles which are pinned or pointed to enable identification.

Figure 2. Pheromone suspended from wire mesh using green twist tie.

The monitoring of pea leaf weevils is important since its distribution has recently changed to include a more northerly range.  Pea leaf weevil was initially discovered in Alberta near Lethbridge in 2005.  Since then, its distribution increased to include southern Alberta to just north of Edmonton and east into southwestern Saskatchewan. In 2015, pea leaf weevil damage on faba bean was observed in central Alberta and helped confirm an increase in range compared to its previous limit. The 2015  risk map for pea leaf weevil is available here. More information on the impact of pea leaf weevils feeding on faba beans can be found here.

- Hannah

2016 Staff at Beaverlodge!

This spring we again welcome students to the Farm.  These young people are learning about agriculture and gaining experience in our labs while accomplishing important tasks that allow our research to progress.  We're pleased that so many have come from so far!

Meet the IPM Program's new staff members and see what Hannah, Celine, Emily, Laura, Kaitlin, Jadin, Shelby, and Amanda are busy doing!

2016 Staff at Beaverlodge - Laura

Hello! My name is Laura and I just finished my third year of Environmental Science at the University of British Columbia. I love learning about all living things from trees to insects, and I especially enjoy searching for new bird species. My passion outside of biology is sailing: I race sailboats at the collegiate level and last summer I was a sailing instructor for kids. I am excited to work at the Beaverlodge Research Farm this summer and explore a new ecosystem! There isn’t as much sailing here on the prairie, but I am enjoying the Albertan birds.

Figure 1. Applying Tanglefoot to plastic.

This week, we are busy making emergence traps for wheat midge so we can collect the the newly emerging adults from the soil. To do this, we spread a sticky substance called Tanglefoot onto a plastic sheet (Figure 1) then we cut it into strips.  The strips will be mounted inside plastic buckets that have the bottoms cut off and will be pushed into the soil at our producer-cooperator fields. If the midges land on the sticky traps, they won’t be able to fly away and we will be able to collect them and determine how many have overwintered in the field.

I’ve learned that wheat midges are tiny flies that overwinter within cocoons in the soil. They emerge as adults over a 5-6 weeks period between mid-June to mid-July. They only live for four or five days but during that brief period the females lay eggs on the wheat flowers. When the eggs hatch, the larvae crawl within the spikelet (Figure 2) then feed upon the developing wheat kernel.  They are highly concealed larvae, existing and feeding within the spikelet then, once the weather turns damp, the larvae drop to the soil to form their cocoon in preparation for overwintering.

Figure 2. Structure of wheat plant and head (Image: http://www.odec.ca/projects/2009/adam9s2/index_files/image1207.jpg)

Typically, wheat midges are sampled using soil cores and by examining the plants for adults when they are laying eggs, but Amanda is doing research on other methods of monitoring this pest (as she writes about in her own post!).

2016 Alberta Wheat Midge Forecast Map

Soil core samples were collected by several cooperators throughout Alberta this fall.  The IPM Program at AAFC-Beaverlodge contributed by surveying in the Peace River region with 12 fields sampled in Alberta plus 11 fields sampled in the BC Peace.  Thanks to Holly Spence and Arlan Benn (BC Pest Monitoring Contractor) for their efforts!


Alberta Agriculture & Forestry Staff coordinate this wheat midge surveying in Alberta.  Our soil cores were forwarded to Alberta Agriculture & Forestry's Shelley Barkley for processing. The complete summary of the results for the 2016 forecast map are posted to the Alberta Insect Pest Monitoring Network's website and was prepared by Scott Meers (Alberta Insect Management Specialist with Alberta Agriculture & Forestry).

CAUTIONS:  The 2016 forecast map does NOT replace in-field monitoring and growers are strongly cautioned against relying solely on this map to make pest management decisions!  Field scouting in wheat fields during midge emergence is the best way to assess wheat midge risk!

Acknowledgements: David Giffen (AAFC-Saskatoon) created the above map and the following list of cooperators have been recognized for their efforts in sampling all of the above data points:

Battle River Research Group	Chinook Applied Research Association
Farming Smarter	Lakeland Applied Research Association
Mackenzie Applied Research Association	Northern Peace Applied Research Association
Smoky Applied Research and Demonstration Association	Mountain View County
Parkland County	County of Two Hills
County of Grande Prairie	MD Wainwright
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Beaverlodge	Alberta Agriculture & Forestry technical staff

2015 Lygus Caging Study

Back in June, we were busy preparing the Lygus Caging Study.  Our plants had grown to the late rosette stage so the cages needed to go up in order for us to examine the effect of 20 Lygus adults feeding on canola from bolting to harvest.  Click on the link below to view a video of how our great staff prepared our field plots!

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B_1NQ60rRZGTTzZQMVVocHU4Nms/view?usp=sharing

2015 Peace Canola Survey!

Coming soon to a field near you.......

The Annual Peace Canola Survey has been performed by IPM Staff at AAFC-Beaverlodge since 2003.  This year, the survey began on July 5th.  Please watch for our dedicated staff members.  They'll be wearing tyvek booties, swinging sweep-nets, recording canola growth stages and underlying stubble types.

Check out the 2014 survey summary kindly posted by the Alberta Canola Producers Commission.

Here's what canola field number 1 looked like and it was growing near Grimshaw AB!

The first canola field surveyed as part of our 2015 Annual Peace Canola Survey!

This Week at the Farm (June 22, 2015)

June is a busy month here at the farm and this week we were busy preparing for the Lygus caging study. On Thursday, our team worked hard to get 24 caging tents up on the test plots for future Lygus storage.

It is important that the tents go up before the canola begins to bolt.   There are two cages per plot and three plots per replicate with four replicates -- one tent is an untreated control while the other cage will be treated with 20 live Lygus adults.  The objectives of this study are to compare Lygus feeding damage from bolting to harvest when the Lygus are allowed to feed and reproduce on either Westar an InVigor or a RoundUp Ready cultivar.

Once the cages are up, we then mass collect Lygus adults and they need to be sorted by species and sex in order to ensure that 10 males plus 10 females of the same species are introduced into the treated cages.  We also have to empty the cages prior to adding our test subjects.  In each plot, there are two cages: one cage receives 20 lygus adults while the other will be maintained insect-free for the rest of the growing season.

At harvest, our Staff then collects all the arthropods inside each cage - we do it by vacuuming!  We use vacuums and fabric to bundle the retrieved insect samples then we freeze everything so we can can sort it later.  In the Fall, each sample is processed to determine the species and instar stages of the recovered Lygus.  We also hand-harvest all the canola plants inside each cage so we can determine the yield and quality.  We then compare our harvest data to the recovered insect densities and stages.  We are most keen to examine the impact of the Lygus feeding on Westar but to also compare that data to the newer InVigor and RoundUp Ready cultivars.

Jadin

This Week at the Farm (June 12, 2015)

June is cutworm month and cutworm scouting is crucial at this time of the year.

Cutworms include several species of noctuids that feed on a broad range of host plants but they are not worms!  Cutworms are the larval stage of several species of economically important noctuids that can cause damage in prairie-grown crops including canola, mustard, wheat barley, triticale, peas, alfalfa, clover, timothy and several fescue species.  Some cutworm species prefer broadleaf to grass- or cereal-type host plants but some will consume whatever plant is available.

Cutworms overwinter as eggs and larvae so damage will occur in field crops from April until August, depending on the species.

Larvae feed by shredding or clipping leaves or stems of growing plants so seedlings can be highly susceptible.  Cutworm damage is characterized by missing seed rows or bare batches where plants have been consumed beneath the soil surface.  Wilted, drying or brown vegetation can indicate larval feeding occurring below the soil surface or within the crown of a plant.

This cutworm larva was found curled  up in the soil near the crown of a timothy plant near Falher, AB

One of the four objectives of the CARP Cutworm project is to document the species diversity and distribution of cutworms causing damage in our commercial fields.  For our lab, this includes collecting live larvae and rearing them.

These cutworms were collected in canola in a field near Peoria, AB

Cutworm larvae are hand-collected by IPM staff or by producers.  Once they arrive at our laboratory, each specimen is assigned an ID number in order to track their development.

Rearing then involves measuring, feeding, and changing each larva every 2-3 days.  Each larva is housed inside a plastic container (1oz) prepared with filter paper to regulate moisture in the container.  Every 2-3 days, each larva is provided with a prepared media containing antibiotics and nutrients specific to their needs.

This GIF shows a cutworm collected from wheat near Falher, AB feeding on a piece of media.

Each larva is photographed and measured as they develop.  This generates an image library that we will use to develop a tech-transfer document intended to help identify species of cutworm at different growth stages.

More information on the CARP Cutworm Project can be found here

More information on cutworm monitoring can be found here

Albertans can use the 2015 cutworm reporting tool to help us identify cutworm infestations which updates a live map.

-Shelby

Agronomy may never be the same!

This week, the Agronomy & Crop Adaptation Program's two Student Assistants received some special training!  After learning and helping with seeding, Emma and Carina were instructed on how to operate one of the ConservaPak seeders.  They began with some pathway seeding yesterday!

Training like this is important and it's given according to the skill and maturity of a Staff member.  Research plots seeders like the ConservaPak are major capital investments made within AAFC that have 10-30 years of research use.   The operation and use of these major pieces of equipment are critical to the research we perform BUT they don't move without properly trained operators who possess the technical skills and experience to capably drive them.

Carina and Emma aren't quite ready to seed our field research plots yet - but then again, they are learning and gaining experience to help get them there someday!

Congratulations on a pretty big step in your agronomic careers Carina and Emma!

2015 Field Tour Events at Beaverlodge

The Farm is scheduled for the following events during the 2015 growing season but please follow the links to register:

June 25, 2015 - PEACEpalooza

July 7, 2015 - Peace Region Forage Seed Association Annual Field Tour

July 15-16, 2015 - County of Grande Prairie hosts the 2015 Provincial ASB Tour which will include a tour of the IPM, Apiculture, Forage Seed Production and Agronomy & Crop Adaptation Programs at our Farm.

This Week at the Farm (June 3, 2015)

Grasshopper scouting is starting in the Peace region. Most grasshoppers overwinter as eggs laid in the soil and emerge in the spring as tiny nymphs. This week, we're seeing small nymphs measuring ~4mm long that will quickly grow as they feed.

Grasshopper nymph in our CARP flea beetle field plot study this morning (June 3)

While our lab doesn't have grasshopper research projects underway, we do keep an eye on their numbers both in our field plots plus we collect from our region to verify predictive models developed by Dr. Owen Olfert's lab based at AAFC-Saskatoon. For example, while scouting new monitoring sites near Guy AB, we collected some very early instar grasshopper nymphs that will be sent to Saskatoon.

Grasshopper nymph collected near Guy AB (May 21)

Correct identification of grasshoppers is critical to making management decisions and growers need to understand there are several species of grasshoppers in our region that do NOT cause economic damage. Species that can cause economic levels of damage include: the migratory grasshopper (Melanoplus sanguipes), two striped grasshopper (Melanoplus bivittatus), Packard's grasshopper (Melanoplus packardii), and the clearwing grasshopper (Camnula pellucida).  All four species will feed on weeds as well as field crop plants.  Migratory, clearwing and Packard's grasshoppers will feed on both broadleaf and grassy plants.

For more information on grasshoppers visit:
Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development
Saskatchewan Agriculture
Manitoba Agriculture and Rural Initiatives

In-crop field management

Every grower likes to look at machinery and our technicians are no different!  The Agronomy Program was able to acquire this new high-clearance sprayer to support ongoing and new research here at the Farm.  The booms fold and are retractable to allow for applications to variable widths of research plots but it's also more efficient in how it uses water and in the accuracy of application of the various pesticides that are part of normal field crop production here on the prairies.  Equipment like this is moving our field research forward.