New 2014 BMPs for Pollinator Protection and Use of Insecticide Treated Seed

OMAF and MRA and the Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) have worked together to develop new Best Management Practices (BMPs) for Pollinator Protection and Responsible Use of Insecticide Treated Seed for the 2014 season.  The new BMPs can be found here: 2014 BMPs for Pollinator Protection and will also available on both of the pollinator […]

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ALERT – FIelds in High Risk Western Bean Cutworm Regions Need to Be Scouted!

Author: Jocelyn Smith, Research Associate, Field Crop Pest Management University of Guelph Ridgetown Campus It appears that in 2013, southwestern Ontario’s hotspot areas for Western bean cutworm (WBC) (large area around Bothwell and Tilsonburg) have a significant problem in their corn fields.  OMAF and MRA and University of Guelph Ridgetown Campus staff have completed surveys […]

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Neonics or Not on 2014 Seed?

Field crop stakeholders across the province are expressing a desire to be proactive in protecting pollinators from the risks associated with neonicotinoid seed insecticides. Assessments to date point to fugitive dust (drift of neonicotinoid contaminated dust from vacuum planters) as the likely cause of spring bee deaths.  Fortunately, there are significant advancements being made in […]

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Wanted: Corn Rootworm Beetles

Researchers at the University of Guelph are looking for fields with high numbers of corn rootworm beetles. Beetles will be used for resistance monitoring for Bt traits in corn. If you have unexpected rootworm damage, or a large population of adult beetles please contact: Jocelyn Smith: 519-674-1500 x63551, jocelyn.smith@uoguelph.ca Tracey Baute: 519-674-1696, tracey.baute@ontario.ca Andrea Hitchon: 519-674-1500 […]

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Soybean Aphids Starting Up

I have been hearing reports of soybean aphids starting to pop up on non-Cruiser soybeans in Ontario. It has been a few years since we’ve had to deal with them so I thought a refresher might be in order. Soybean aphids initially start to colonize in pockets of early planted fields. Several plants in these […]

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