Olfert: Detection, Surveillance, & Management of Weed, Insect, & Disease Pests That Threaten the Economic Viability of Crop Production & the Environmental Health of Prairie Agro-Ecosystems
Date: April 2013
Term: 3 years
Status: Completed
Researcher(s): Owen Olfert, B. Elliot, G. Peng, J. Soroka, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC), Saskatoon, SK, H. Carcamo, J. Leeson, AAFC Lethbridge, AB, K. Turkington, AAFC Lacombe, D. McLaren, AAFC Brandon
SaskCanola Investment: n/a
Total Project Cost: n/a
Funding Partners: n/a
Project Summary
A three-year study was initiated in 2010 by researchers with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada to focus on developing novel assessment technologies and crop management tools for control of insects, weeds and diseases in canola. Through this study, various pests of canola were detected, monitored and managed through this study to assist the canola industry in the mitigation of threats against the economic viability of production and the environmental health of prairie agro-ecosystems. As a result of the study, economic and environmental risks from pest control can be minimized through a coordinated program that provides decision-support to agriculture industry in a timely manner.
To assist the canola industry in the mitigation of threats against the economic viability of production and the environmental health of prairie agro-ecosystems, researchers and collaborators detect, monitor and manage various pests on an annual basis. Initiated in 2010, this three-year study was conducted by researchers with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada to focus on developing novel assessment technologies and crop management tools for control of insects, weeds and diseases in canola. The long-term impact of field surveys will be to provide a quantitative database of insect population trends over time and will provide the necessary baseline to quantify potential impacts of climate change, new agronomic practices and new crops on pest populations and diversity of beneficial arthropods.
There were several study objectives including to:
Develop and implement field surveillance technologies and laboratory assays.
Develop novel forecast and risk assessment technologies.
Determine ecological, biological, climatological and crop management relationships that influence pest status.
Develop new alternative integrated control and mitigation tactics.
Insect surveys for the major insect pests were coordinated and implemented across 71 million acres of cropland in western Canada to determine insect pest and natural enemy distribution and abundance. Project team members, together with provincial and industry collaborators, annually monitored approximately 3500 sites for grasshoppers, 700 for wheat midge, 600 for cabbage seedpod weevil, 500 for bertha armyworm, 100 for pea leaf weevil and wheat stem sawfly. In addition, sentinel sites were monitored annually for flea beetles, cutworms, swede midge and cereal leaf beetle.
The potential for migratory pest species, such as diamondback moth, leafhoppers, and cereal rusts, was assessed using wind trajectory data (in collaboration with Environment Canada). Back trajectory data from 60 sites in Canada and forward trajectory data from 20 sites in USA and Mexico were assessed on a daily basis during each growing season (12,000 maps at three wind altitudes). Weed surveys, and disease surveys for the prevalence and incidence of plant diseases for blackleg, sclerotinia, aster yellows and clubroot were also conducted across the prairies.
As a result of the study and the various components, knowledge, tools and practices were developed and implemented to detect, monitor and manage crop pests (weeds, insects, plant diseases). This information was used to assist the agriculture industry in the mitigation of threats against the economic viability of crop production and the environmental health of prairie agro-ecosystems. Dynamic forecasts, risk assessments and decision-support systems contributed both to the extension aspects of the management system as well as to the decision-making process at the agro-industry and farm level.
Researchers correlated weed, insect and plant pathogen population distribution and abundance with climate, weather, agronomic practices and natural enemies and this information was utilized to predict risks to field crop production in western Canada.
The knowledge gained from the study of the biology, ecology and population dynamics of the organisms monitored enhanced the potential for successful integrated management of cyclical native pest species and the increasing number of invasive species. This included the development of new alternative, integrated control and mitigation tactics to manage pests in crop production systems. From the study, potential impacts of climate change, new agronomic practices and new crops on pest populations and diversity of beneficial arthropods were also documented.
Through this study, various pests of canola were detected, monitored and managed through this study to assist the canola industry in the mitigation of threats against the economic viability of production and the environmental health of prairie agro-ecosystems. As a result of the study, economic and environmental risks from pest control can be minimized through a coordinated program that provides decision-support to agriculture industry in a timely manner.
Scientific Publications
Beckie, H. Weiss R. Olfert, O. and Leeson, J. (2012) Range Expansion of Kochia (Kochia scoparia) in North America under a Changing Climate. Topics in Canadian Weed Science 8: 33-46.
Olfert, O., Weiss, R.M., Turkington, K., Beckie, H. & Kriticos, D. (2012) Bioclimatic approach to assessing the potential impact of climate change on invasive alien crop pests in North America. Pp 47-69 in AJA. Ivany and R.E Blackshaw (eds). Climate Change and the Canadian Agricultural Environment. Topics in Canadian Weed Science Volume 8. Pinanwa Manitoba. Canadian Weed Science Society.
Turkington, T.K, Kutcher, H.R., McLaren, D. and Rashid, K.Y. 2011. Managing Sclerotinia in Oilseed and Pulse Crops. Prairie Soils and Crops 4:105-113. [ http://www.prairiesoilsandcrops.ca ]
Full Report PDF: n/a