2011 Peace Canola Survey J.Otani1

1 Research Farm, Agriculture & Agri-Food , P.O. Box 29, Beaverlodge AB, T0H 0C0, [email protected]. 2 Research Farm, Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada, P.O. Box 126, Fort Vermilion AB. 3 Smoky Applied Research and Demonstration Association, Falher AB. 4 Saskatoon Research Centre, Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada, 107 Science Place, Saskatoon SK.

The 2011 Annual Peace Canola Survey was completed by Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada staff based at Beaverlodge, and Fort Vermilion plus SARDA4 staff based in Falher, . A total of 155 fields were surveyed at flowering stage throughout the BC and Alberta Peace in 2011. Sweep-net sampling was conducted by performing 50 - 180° sweeps per canola field (N=8 B. rapa + 144 B. napus varieties) on the following dates in these areas: • July 6 near Fort Vermilion, LaCrete, High Level. • July 7 near Fairview, Grimshaw, Dixonville, Manning, Hawk Hills, Falher, Whitemud Crossing, Valleyview, High Prairie. • July 13 near St. Isidore, Nampa, Jean Cote, Guy, High Prairie. • July 19 near Beaverlodge, Halcourt, Rycroft, Dunvegan, Fairview, , Spirit River, Woking, LaGlace, Valhalla, Dawson Creek, Rolla, Clayhurst, Cecil Lake, Rose Prairie, Montney, Fort St. John, Baldonnel, Farmington. • July 20 near Wanham, Codesa, Eaglesham, , Sexsmith, , Bezanson, Spirit River, Blueberry Mountain, Hythe, Huallen, Wembley.

Four canola pests were present in the 2011 samples but all occurred in low numbers at flowering:

1. Lygus bug (Miridae: Lygus spp.) populations ≥5 lygus bugs per 10 sweeps were observed in only five fields surveyed (N=152 fields) and very few nymphs were present. Refer to the 2011 survey map.

Lygus bugs per 10 sweeps Number of fields Percent of fields sampled ≥5.0 5 3.3 2.5-4.9 8 5.3 0.0-2.4 139 91.4 Total 152 100.0

Lygus bug stage Number of individuals Percent of lygus bugs sampled Adult 622 81.4 4-5 instar 34 4.5 1-3 instar 142 18.6 Total 764 100.0

The economic threshold for lygus bugs is applicable at the late flower and early pod stages but varies according to current crop value and control costs.

Table 1. Economic thresholds for lygus bugs in canola at late flowering and early pod stages (Wise and Lamb 1998).

Control costs Late flower to early pod (Canola crop stages 4.4-5.11) $/ac $/ha Economic Injury Level2 $8.00 $19.77 8 6 5 4 4 3 3 $10.00 $24.71 10 8 7 6 5 4 4 $12.00 $29.65 12 9 8 7 6 5 5 $14.00 $34.59 14 11 9 8 7 6 5 $16.00 $39.54 16 13 10 9 8 7 6 $18.00 $44.48 18 14 12 10 9 8 7 $20.00 $49.42 20 16 13 11 10 9 8 Canola $/bu $8.00 $10.00 $12.00 $14.00 $16.00 $18.00 $20.00 value $/tonne $352.42 $440.53 $528.63 $616.74 $704.85 $792.95 $881.06 1 Canola crop stage estimated using Harper and Berkenkamp 1975). 2 Economic thresholds are based on an assumed loss of 0.1235 bu/ac per lygus bug caught in 10 sweeps (Wise and Lamb. 1998. The Canadian Entomologist. 130: 825-836).

Table 2. Economic thresholds for lygus bugs in canola at pod stage (Wise and Lamb 1998).

Control costs Late pod (Canola crop stages 5.21) $/ac $/ha Economic Injury Level3 $8.00 $19.77 11 9 7 6 5 5 4 $10.00 $24.71 14 11 9 8 7 6 5 $12.00 $29.65 16 13 11 9 8 7 7 $14.00 $34.59 19 15 13 11 10 9 8 $16.00 $39.54 22 18 15 13 11 10 9 $18.00 $44.48 25 20 16 14 12 11 10 $20.00 $49.42 27 22 18 16 14 12 11 Canola $/bu $8.00 $10.00 $12.00 $14.00 $16.00 $18.00 $20.00 value $/tonne $352.42 $440.53 $528.63 $616.74 $704.85 $792.95 $881.06 3 Economic thresholds are based on an assumed loss of 0.0882 bu/ac per lygus bug caught in 10 sweeps (Wise and Lamb. 1998. The Canadian Entomologist. 130: 825-836).

2. Diamondback moth (Plutellidae: Plutella xylostella) were present in low densities, never exceeding 3.6 per 10 sweeps (Note: remember, sweep-net sampling provides a general estimate and is not a valid sampling method for this pest in canola). In total, 32 fields had at least one DBM (adult + larvae) while the remaining 120 fields had none in our sweep-net samples in 2011. Refer to the 2011 survey map.

Diamondback moth larvae will feed on the exterior of canola pods during the early pod stage and damaged pods are prone to shattering, particularly under dry, hot, windy conditions. The action threshold for DBM larvae is 20-30 larvae per 1/10m2 (approximately 2-3 larvae per plant).

3. Grasshoppers were present in only 16 canola fields during surveying (densities ranged up to 1.4 grasshoppers per 10 sweeps), however, redlegged, two-striped and lesser migratory species were present in the grass ditches at several sites, particularly near Grimshaw, Fairview, Manning, High Level, Fort Vermilion, LaCrete, and Whitemud Crossing. Grasshoppers suffering from a naturally occurring grasshopper disease, Entomophaga grylli (Fresenius), were observed in a field of sweet clover growing near Whitemud Crossing on July 27, 2011.

4. Bertha armyworm were present in the sweeps at seven locations near High Level, Fort Vermilion, LaCrete, Jean Cote, High Prairie, Fairview, and Doe River BC. All BAW larvae were at the 2-3 instar stages and 0.6 larvae per 10 sweeps was the maximum density observed in 2011.

Table 1. Economic thresholds for Bertha armyworm in canola (courtesy Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives).

Expected Seed Value - $ / bushel* Sprayi 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 cost Number of Larvae / metre2 * $ / ac 7 20 17 15 13 12 11 10 9 9 8 8 8 23 20 17 15 14 13 11 11 10 9 9 9 26 22 19 17 16 14 13 12 11 10 10 10 29 25 22 19 17 16 14 13 12 11 11 11 32 27 24 21 19 17 16 15 14 13 12 12 34 30 26 23 21 19 17 16 15 14 13 13 37 32 28 25 22 20 19 17 16 15 14 14 40 35 31 27 24 22 20 19 17 16 15 15 43 37 32 29 26 23 22 20 19 17 16 * Economic thresholds for bertha armyworm are based on an assumed yield loss of 0.058 bu/acre for each larva/metre2 (Bracken and Bucher. 1977. Journal of Economic Entomology. 70: 701-705).

5. We are again happy to report that zero cabbage seedpod weevil (Curculionidae: Ceutorhynchus obstrictus) were observed in the 152 fields sampled in the Peace in 2011.

We thank our canola producers for allowing us to sample in their fields. Thank you to the following dedicated staff who surveyed†, processed, and mapped‡ this data: Letitia Da Ros1†‡, Janelle Barbarich1†‡, Sara Sparks1†‡, Holly Spence1†‡, Joe Unruh2†, Maggi Pettit2†, David Owens3†, Janelle Trudeau3†, JP Petitjean3†, and Ross Weiss4‡.

2011 Alberta Canola Survey - Lygus per10 sweeps July292011 2011 Alberta Canola Survey - Lygust per 10 Sweeps Greater than 15 10 to 15 5 to 10 1 to 5 Less than 1

0 mi 50 100 150 200 Copyright © and (P) 1988–2006 Microsoft Corporation and/or its suppliers. All rights reserved. http://www.microsoft.com/mappoint/ Portions © 1990–2005 InstallShield Software Corporation. All rights reserved. Certain mapping and direction data © 2005 NAVTEQ. All rights reserved. The Data for areas of Canada includes information taken with permission from Canadian authorities, including: © Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, © Queen's Printer for Ontario. NAVTEQ and NAVTEQ ON BOARD are trademarks of NAVTEQ. © 2005 Tele Atlas North America, Inc. All rights reserved. Tele Atlas and Tele Atlas North America are trademarks of Tele Atlas, Inc. Diamondback adults + larvae_10 by Latitude & Longitude July 29 2011 Diamondback adults + larvae/10 by Latitude & Longitude Greater than 1.5 1 to 1.5 0.5 to 1 Less than 0.5 none

0 mi 50 100 150 Copyright © and (P) 1988–2006 Microsoft Corporation and/or its suppliers. All rights reserved. http://www.microsoft.com/mappoint/ Portions © 1990–2005 InstallShield Software Corporation. All rights reserved. Certain mapping and direction data © 2005 NAVTEQ. All rights reserved. The Data for areas of Canada includes information taken with permission from Canadian authorities, including: © Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, © Queen's Printer for Ontario. NAVTEQ and NAVTEQ ON BOARD are trademarks of NAVTEQ. © 2005 Tele Atlas North America, Inc. All rights reserved. Tele Atlas and Tele Atlas North America are trademarks of Tele Atlas, Inc.