Coordinated monitoring of field crop insect pests in the Prairie Ecosystem

Agronomy
Written By SaskCanola

Term: 5 years, ending in 2023
Status: Ongoing
Researchers: Meghan Vankosky, Jennifer Otani, Owen Olfert and Boyd Mori (AAFC); John Gavloski (Manitoba Agriculture); Scott Meers (Alberta Agriculture & Forestry); Scott Hartley (Saskatchewan Agriculture); Serge Trudel (Environment and Climate Change Canada)
SaskCanola Investment: $20,000
Total Project Cost: $499,560
Funding Partners: AAFC, Alberta Wheat Commission, MCGA, Manitoba Pulse & Soybean Growers, Manitoba Wheat and Barley Growers Association, Prairie Oat Growers Association, SPG, SWDC, Western Grains Research Foundation

Project Description

The Prairie Pest Monitoring Network is a collaborative project. Its participants include federal and provincial entomologists, university scientists, agronomists, industry and producers. Participants collect data on insect pests annually across Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and the BC Peace Region. Monitoring data is released on a weekly basis when insect pests pose the greatest threat to crop yield. Annual data is collected and compiled into distribution maps, and in some cases, forecast maps for the subsequent season. These tools provide up-to-date, relevant information that can be used by agronomists, industry representatives and farmers to make decisions regarding insect pest management. We propose to continue to develop and provide the decision-making tools supported by the Prairie Pest Monitoring Network. Monitoring protocols and technologies used to gather data will be implemented annually and refined as needed. Decision-making tools will be created and distributed to industry, agronomists, and producers. New methods of communicating our results will be developed. The importance of natural enemies of crop pests will be highlighted. The Prairie Pest Monitoring Network will also provide timely identification of emerging insect threats across the prairies and respond to those threats.

Objectives

  1. Implement a coordinated insect monitoring program, fostering existing interprovincial partnerships, for the Prairie Ecozone (including the BC Peace region), designed to keep the Canadian agriculture industry informed of the risks posed by insect pests.

  2. Ensure timely response to new invasive pests with regulatory implications by immediately reporting finds to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency as per the guidelines being established by the CFIA national strategy for plant and animal health.

  3. Develop (or refine) and assess technologies and tools for identification, monitoring, tracking, and forecasting populations of insect pests of field crops

  4. Highlight the role of natural enemies and make recommendations to conserve natural enemies of field crop pests.

  5. Develop technology transfer and communication tools to support the timely distribution of data collected by this project (i.e. weekly updates, annual risk and forecast maps with interpretive text, annual reports) to end-users, including agronomists and farmers.

Other References to this Research Project

SaskCanola
Previous

Coordination of a crop disease monitoring network for Western Canada
Next

Modification of surface waxes for improved water retention in canola