Grasshoppers, pea aphids greatest concern over past week: Crop Pest Update

Jul 22, 2022

Insects: Grasshoppers and pea aphids in peas were the insects of greatest concern from the past week. High levels of armyworms were found in a wheat field in the Eastern region. There were some additional findings of soybeans aphids near Carman, but still just at low levels. Bertha armyworm larvae have been found feeding on canola and lambsquarters in the Central region, but so far just at low and not economic levels.

Diseases: Our annual disease surveys began this week with visits to winter wheat fields. These are at about the ideal stage for evaluation of Fusarium Head Blight, that is 10 days to two weeks following the completion of flowering. Trace amounts of FHB were evident 2 of 3 fields that had fungicide applied. One field which had not been sprayed had a Fusarium index of 2%. In the only field with no FHB, another disease - Take-all - was causing white heads on all tillers of scattered plants. Reports from agronomists and my surveying in the southwest region indicate that fungicide spraying in spring crops is in full swing. Later-seeded crops where stands have the potential for good yields are candidates for applications in the coming weeks.

Weeds: Herbicide applications have wrapped up for the season with generally good results. Frequent rains have led to new weed growth, but many weeds are heading now, making them easier to identify! Provincial weed survey starts this week.

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Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.