November 30, 2001
CANOLA COUNCIL USES CNG FUNDS FOR INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT

November 30, 2001

CANOLA COUNCIL USES CNG FUNDS FOR INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT

The Canola Council of Canada is providing Manitoba canola producers with better tools for integrated pest management (IPM) including a risk
monitoring program for Bertha armyworms and Diamondback moths, supported by the council with funds from the Covering New Ground (CNG) program.

"Seventy-three traps were set up in canola fields around the province to capture Bertha armyworm adults and 79 traps for Diamondback moths," said John Gavloski, entomologist with Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives in Carman.

"The traps were baited with scents referred to as pheromones, which are similar to the scents given off by female moths to attract a mate" he said. "Male moths attracted by the scent are captured in traps. Once a week, the number of trapped moths is counted."

Gavloski explained it's not the moths that do the damage, it's the larvae. However, by knowing how many adult moths there are, scientists can estimate how many larvae there are likely to be and when. He added that it's easy to miss young larvae by field scouting. Very often, by the time crop damage is visible, a serious problem may already exist.

"This year, we knew in late June which areas had an increased risk of damage by Bertha armyworm," Gavloski explained. "That's a couple of weeks before visible signs of damage would have been evident.

"That lead time allows the producer to plan a control program and to decide whether or not it is worth the effort economically. The decision whether or not to spray is based on field scouting for the expected numbers and the associated damage they are likely to cause."

This is the second year the monitoring program has had CNG funding and the first year results have been accessible on Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives' Web site immediately after moths were counted in traps. According to Gavloski, CNG funding allowed more sites to be monitored than would have been the case otherwise.

The monitoring program was only one component of the overall program. The Canola Council is also working in other areas to provide producers with better information.

"We conducted a survey last year to determine from canola producers what they needed," said JoAnne Buth, vice-president of crop production with the Canola Council in Winnipeg.

"They told us they need more information on the economic consequences of various pest management strategies, better insect identification information and a check-list to help make pest management decisions on their own farms."

In response, the council is preparing a diary for integrated pest management. It will describe what an IPM strategy would look like and give
real-life examples to show how it would be implemented on an individual farm. It will also guide producers in conducting an economic analysis of
their pest management programs.

The development of a canola growers manual is also underway. Covering New Ground is helping acquire new images of pests to help producers identify them and diseases in canola.

The council is also working with producers, researchers and extension specialists across the three Prairie provinces to prepare an inventory of
non-target species and insects beneficial to canola.

"Traditional insecticides affect a broad spectrum of insects, including non-target species and beneficials such as pollinators," Buth said. "So,
when we spray, we should know what impact we may be having on other species.

"The whole point of improving producers' knowledge is to improve their pest management efficiency. In doing so, they may be able to reduce their costs while protecting the environment."