Dry Edible Bean Seasonal Summary

Planting and Development The total amount of dry edible bean acres was higher in 2017 than in 2016. The number of insured acres of white beans in 2017 was 60,363 ac, up significantly from 46,194 ac planted in 2016. Coloured bean acres, however, were down overall, totaling 56,518 ac in 2017 compared to 60,668 ac […]

Read More…

Dry Edible Bean 2016 Seasonal Summary

Planting and Development Dry edible bean acres were lower in 2016 than they were in 2015. The total number of insured acres of white beans in 2016 was 46,194 acres, a significant reduction from the 62,693 acres planted in 2015. Coloured bean acres totaled 60,668 acres in 2016 compared to 71,855 acres in 2015. Acreage […]

Read More…

Tracey is Back and So are Winter Cutworm

A winter wheat field near Owen Sound has 4 to 5 acres of “missing plants”, cut off at the soil level.  Not many insects could do that kind of damage this time of year.  It sounds like a case of winter cutworm.  It was to the day, 4 years ago when I wrote a CropPest […]

Read More…

Variegated Cutworm in Soybean? First WBC Moth Caught!

I’ve had a few calls in the past few days asking about armyworm and black cutworm damage in soybeans. I had the chance to get out to a few fields and found that the damage is being caused by the variegated cutworm (Peridroma saucia).  The variegated cutworm is another migrating moth that comes into Ontario […]

Read More…

Dry Bean Growers – Scout for WBC NOW!

These next two weeks are critical for western bean cutworm scouting and management in dry beans.  Peak moth flight took place at the end of July and pod feeding is typically expected 10 to 21 days after peak flight.  Huron County is particularly at risk given the very high moth count for that county this […]

Read More…

WBC Pod Feeding in Dry Beans Found

Jim Barclay at Hensall District Co-operative Inc. reported that an early planted otebo bean field in Tavistock has been found with WBC pod feeding injury and will be sprayed. This is a reminder to growers with early planted dry beans to get out and scout either neighbouring pre-tassel corn fields for egg masses and  if […]

Read More…

NEW LINK for the Great Lakes and Maritimes Pest Monitoring Network!

The Great Lakes and Maritimes Pest Monitoring Network (GLMPMN) website has been upgraded and has a new permanent link: https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/7164d23d488246d198dcf7a07d8c9021 Please bookmark this new link and use it going forward to enter any trap sites and trap data. The same link should work well for both desktop browsers and mobile devices. Everything is still the […]

Read More…

2023 Corn Seasonal Summary

Figure 1. Haze from wildfire smoke in 2023.

Planting In April 2023, Statistics Canada estimated Ontario farmers intended to plant 2.3 million acres of grain corn, 5% higher than the 5-year (2018-2022) average seeded acres of 2.19 million acres (OMAFRA Crop Statistics). A warm sunny window opened for one week starting the Easter weekend (April 7 to 9) and provided a small opportunity […]

Read More…

2023 Ontario Grain Corn Ear Mould and Deoxynivalenol (DON) Mycotoxin Survey

OMAFRA field crop specialists in collaboration with Grain Farmers of Ontario (GFO) and members of the Ontario Agri-Business Association (OABA) have completed the annual Ontario corn ear mould and DON mycotoxin survey. Corn ear moulds such as Gibberella and their corresponding mycotoxins occur every year in Ontario. These mycotoxins, particularly deoxynivalenol (DON, also referred to […]

Read More…

What Does ECB Resistance to Cry1Ab Mean ?

Last week, we announced that a population of European corn borer (ECB) likely resistant to Cry1Ab was found in Nova Scotia last fall. In case you missed it, here is that announcement: Suspected Cry1Ab Resistant European Corn Borer Found in Nova Scotia. This finding is concerning, as the ECB populations in the area were previously […]

Read More…

Field Crop Pest Management in the Absence of Matador, Silencer, Voliam Xpress and Endigo in 2023

Some popular insecticides won’t be available for use in field crops in Ontario in 2023. All products containing lambda-cyhalothrin including Matador, Warrior, Silencer, Labamba, Voliam Xpress and Endigo will be limited for use to only horticulture crops in eastern Canada this year. The Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) re-evaluated lambda-cyhalothrin and end use products in […]

Read More…

2022 Corn Seasonal Summary

Black tar spot fungal structures (stromata) on leaves in a field near Ilderton in late September 2022.

Planting In March 2022, Statistics Canada estimated Ontario farmers intended to plant 2.3 million acres of grain corn, 6% higher than the 5-year (2017-2021) average seeded acres of 2.16 million acres (OMAFRA Crop Statistics). Spring arrived slow. Lingering snows and rain limited field work on all but the lightest soils in late April. A very […]

Read More…

2022 Ontario Grain Corn Ear Mould and Deoxynivalenol (DON) Mycotoxin Survey

Co-authored with Albert Tenuta, Field Crop Pathologist, OMAFRA. OMAFRA field crop specialists in collaboration with Grain Farmers of Ontario (GFO) and members of the Ontario Agri-Business Association (OABA) have completed the annual Ontario corn ear mould and DON mycotoxin survey. Corn ear moulds such as Gibberella and their corresponding mycotoxins occur every year in Ontario. […]

Read More…

WBC Trap Catches Increasing But Not Peaking Yet – Scout for Egg Masses

Western bean cutworm (WBC) trap counts are starting to ramp up quickly, with a few traps catching around 200-300 moths this week. Fewer trap sites are reporting to the GLMPMN, but from the ones that are, moth activity is increasing in southern counties (Chatham-Kent to Haldimand-Norfolk to Huron, as well as Prince Edward County (Fig. […]

Read More…