Reading Time: < 1 minute Extension specialists from the cereal commissions in the Prairies have created a new fact sheet on bacterial leaf streak and black chaff, two related diseases (both caused by the same pathogen) that are becoming more prevalent across the Prairies. Symptoms of bacterial leaf streak can be similar to fungal leaf spot diseases while black chaff […] Read more
The lowdown on bacterial leaf streak
The FHB buck now stops with farmers in Alberta
The zero-tolerance approach didn’t stop the spread of fusarium in the province
Reading Time: 4 minutes The Alberta government has given up trying to battle fusarium head blight through regulation — but the move means farmers will need to up their game to control the hugely costly cereal disease. The province removed fusarium graminearum from the Pest Control Nuisance Regulation of the Agricultural Pests Act last month, bringing Alberta in line […] Read more
A mix of pests and diseases on the roster for #crop2020
Wheat midge, wheat stem sawfly, net blotch and other things to look out for
Reading Time: 4 minutes There are several diseases and pests farmers might want to keep an eye out for this growing season. “It’s kind of a hodgepodge this year,” said Jeremy Boychyn, agronomy research extension specialist with Alberta Barley and Alberta Wheat. The southern part of the province has had consistent issues with grasshoppers because it has been so […] Read more
The rains came and crop disease pathogens couldn’t be happier
Scouting regularly and intensely gives you the best chance of hitting the ideal fungicide window
Reading Time: 4 minutes Early season diseases generally passed crop growers by during the dry spring, but rainfall across much of the province means they need to keep a close watch now. “The dry conditions earlier this spring tended to slow things down, but we’ve had moisture occurring, and that has elevated the risk for diseases,” federal research scientist […] Read more
In denial? Farmers ‘failing’ in battle against clubroot
Scott Keller has crunched acreage numbers and found tight rotations and susceptible varieties are commonplace
Reading Time: 6 minutes For the last three years, Scott Keller has been crunching acreage numbers from the provincial crop insurer — and he’s not liking what he sees. “To me, everything the researchers and the Canola Council (of Canada) is saying that farmers should do; they’re not even doing anything outside of just adopting the resistant varieties,” said […] Read more
Hot, dry conditions drove down insect and disease pressure in 2018
By and large, producers didn’t see as much insect damage or disease loss this year
Reading Time: 3 minutes Crop yields in Alberta took a hit this year because of the hot, dry conditions — but the blow wasn’t as big as it could have been, thanks to decreased disease and insect pressure. “Across the province, we’re trending close to the five-year average, and the lack of disease and insect pressure may have helped […] Read more
What’s your biggest disease threat this year?
The weather will tell the tale, but there’s one crop disease ‘producers should be thinking about and preparing for’
Reading Time: 4 minutes Predicting crop disease problems is like taking a shot in the dark at a moving target. “For disease to develop, we need certain weather, certain hosts, and certain pathogens, so it can really be like looking into a crystal ball,” said Stephen Strelkov, a professor and researcher at the University of Alberta. “As a result, […] Read more
Plant 2017: It’s all about making the best of a bad situation
It was never going to be good, but crop specialists say this seeding season may not be as bad as feared
Reading Time: 3 minutes To say that last year’s harvest season in Alberta was unusual would be putting it mildly. The exceptionally wet fall resulted in 967,569 unharvested acres reported to Agricultural Financial Services Corporation (AFSC) this past winter, representing millions of dollars in seed and inputs that have yet to be recouped. So the big question this spring […] Read more
Producers needed for blackleg survey
Reading Time: < 1 minute The Smoky Applied Research and Demonstration Association is conducting a blackleg survey and asking producers to collect samples while scouting canola fields. Virulent blackleg of canola is a fungal canker or dry rot disease that causes stem girdling and lodging. In heavily infested crops, up to 100 per cent of the stems may be infected, […] Read more
Fusarium graminearum survey underway
Reading Time: < 1 minute Alberta Agriculture and Forestry is conducting a survey on Fusarium graminearum to help better manage the disease. “For example, if you’re trying to prevent the introduction of the organism in an area, there are certain things you can do, but if it’s already there, the prevention practices aren’t going to work,” said provincial plant pathologist Michael […] Read more
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