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New project to reduce Hessian fly damageAugust 23, 2005: With the attention on wheat insect pests such as sawfly and midge, the Hessian fly is not a top-of-mind concern for most Prairie wheat producers. But this tiny fly can nonetheless cause significant losses that researchers now plan to reduce with a new research effort. Resistance to the Hessian fly has not been a major priority for wheat breeding programs, says wheat breeder Dr. Gavin Humphreys of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) in Winnipeg. But now that major advances have been made to control higher insect priorities, this is something scientists are now adding to their focus as a means to save farmers some dollars here and there. "The Hessian fly is a sporadic pest of spring wheat throughout all wheat growing areas of Western Canada," says Humphreys. "Various resistant genes have been bred into winter wheat cultivars in the United States but none of these genes have been added to spring wheats grown in Canada." With wheat midge resistant varieties on the way, the approach of Humphries and colleagues is to develop varieties that combine Hessian fly resistance with the best midge resistance. More in Western Grains Research Magazine. Don't put that field sprayer away yet.August 23, 2005: Is the field sprayer ready for late season duty? You bet it is, advises Keith Topinka, Integrated Crop Management Specialist with Alberta Agriculture in Edmonton. Even with the bulk of the season well under farmers' belt, there are still good opportunities ahead to control some of the most prevalent perennial weeds, says Topinka. This can be done through a pre-harvest herbicide application, while a post-harvest treatment can also be effective at controlling winter annuals. "Producers have to know their weeds, their crop, and the herbicide," says Topinka. "But a pre-harvest herbicide application can be very effective at controlling several perennial weeds." More information is available at Canada Sprayer Guide. High tech tools ID wheat streak culpritAugust 23, 2005: Today's progress toward winter wheat varieties with resistance to the wheat streak mosaic virus began years ago when scientists at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada made an important discovery. The researchers couldn't figure out how the virus was spread, until efforts using electron microscopes and digital imagery captured a revealing image. It showed the near-invisible wheat curl mite inserting its needle-like stylet into the wheat plant. Follow-up research found WSMV in the saliva of the tiny insect, revealing it as the major carrier. That discovery led to a search for genetic resistance to the mite. The result today is the winter wheat variety Radiant, available for the first time in 2005, which is the first Canadian variety with protection against WSMV. Learn more in Western Grains Research Magazine. Reprintable with permission. Reproduction of this article - in whole or in part, in print or electronic - requires direct permission from Meristem Information Resources, Ltd. Contact Meristem directly to request reprint permission. |
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New delivery process, same value for farm EFPs in Alberta 