True Armyworm

Identification True armyworm (also known as common armyworm), when full grown, are 4 cm (1 1⁄2 in.) long. They can vary in colour from dull-green to brown or black. Two distinguishing features are orange stripes bordered by a thin white line running laterally along the body and dark horizontal bands at the top of each […]

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Cereal Leaf Beetle

Identification Cereal leaf beetle (CLB) adults have metallic, blue-green wings, are approximately 5 mm (1/5 in.) in length, with a reddish-orange head and legs (figure 1). CLB eggs are football shaped and approximately 0.5 mm in length (figure 2). They are laid on the upper surface of the leaf, close to the midrib and start […]

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Cereal Aphids

Identification Cereal aphids are a complex of three different species that infest cereals. Bird cherry-oat aphids (figure 1) are the most common aphid found in Ontario cereals. These aphids are small, 2 mm (1/12 in.) or less. Adults are olive-green with patches of red-purple near the rear of the abdomen, between a pair of “tailpipes” […]

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Fusarium Head Blight

Summary Wheat is most susceptible to fusarium head blight (FHB) infection during the flowering period.  Spores are carried from infected crop residue by wind or rain and splash onto the wheat head.  Rainfall or heavy dew during this period then causes the spores to germinate and infect florets on the wheat head. Identification Symptoms of […]

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Stripe Rust

Identification Stripe rust causes yellow to orange, blister-like lesions that are arranged in stripes on the leaf of the wheat plant (Figure 1 and 2). If left untreated, stripe rust can cause significant yield reductions. In previous stripe rust years, where growers had a high incidence of stripe rust that was not controlled through appropriate […]

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Barley Yellow Dwarf Virus

Identification The primary symptoms of Barley Yellow Dwarf Virus (BYDV) include stunting and yellowing, reddening or purpling of the leaf tips (Figure 1 and 2). BYDV is often confused with nutrient deficiency or other environmental causes, or other virus diseases such as wheat spindle streak mosaic virus (WSSMV) or soil-borne wheat mosaic virus (SBWMV). Identifying […]

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Plant Growth Regulators

Introduction Lodging of cereal crops can be a major harvest challenge and can cause significant yield loss when it occurs early crop development. Variety selection, history of manure and organic matter levels, seeding dates and rates and disease infections all play a role in lodging susceptibility. There are significant varietal differences in resistance to lodging. […]

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Cutworms of All Kinds

It is safe to call 2024 a good pest year. Mild winters and warm springs tend to help pests overwinter well or expand their range further than usually and get ahead of crops when soil conditions delay planting. Armyworm and cereal leaf beetle are continuing to show up in some wheat fields, while some grubs […]

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GoCrops.ca is live!

The Ontario Corn Committee (OCC), the Ontario Cereal Crops Committee (OCCC), the Ontario Pulse Crop Committee (OPCC), and the Ontario Soybean and Canola Committee (OSACC) launched their new website: GoCrops.ca. The new website brings together the four previous crop committee websites under one cohesive banner. Ontario growers rely on third-party variety performance trial information to […]

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