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Canola cabbage seedpod weevils infestation reported in Foam Lake

A bug new for the region has the potential to wipe out entire canola crops in the Foam Lake area, experts say.
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305 Agronomy Ltd which serves the Foam Lake, Invermay and the surrounding areas have put out an urgent notice concerning the Cabbage Seedpod Weevils. Photo courtesy of Emily Barteaux

FOAM LAKE — 305 Agronomy Ltd., which serves the Foam Lake, Invermay and surrounding areas, has issued an urgent notice concerning cabbage seedpod weevils (CSW). The pests have been spotted in the Foam Lake area.

“We have been out and about in the Foam Lake area on July 3, doing sweep net counts and have seen a lot of these in the canola fields,” stated Emily Barteaux, representative for 305 Agronomy.

She outlined what to know for when checking your canola:

  • "The threshold is 25 cabbage seedpod weevils per 10 sweeps. If you don’t have a sweep net, seeing one per plant would indicate threshold.

  • "We are looking for the adults. They are grey to black, have six legs and long antennae.

  • "We want to spray when they are above threshold and still in adult form, which commonly lines up with fungicide timing at 30 per cent colour change in canola. The goal is to kill the adults before they lay eggs, as the larvae do the damage during pod filling.

  • "The larvae impact yield by chewing through the pod and consuming seeds. This can drastically reduce yield if the population is high.

  • "If you have questions or concerns about what you’re seeing or what to spray, contact your local agronomist,” said Barteaux.

“So far, the infestation is only in the Foam Lake area, but it is concerning as this is the first time cabbage seedpod weevils have been seen in this part of the province. If not controlled, they have the potential to wipe out an entire canola field. They appear to have been brought in by dry conditions and high winds this spring. We are encouraging producers to spray. The larvae will target the bloom and eat it from the inside, leaving empty pods, which could significantly impact production. It does not affect cereal crops, but we are projecting increases in Bertha armyworms and diamondback moths as other crops begin to ripen, she added.

305 Agronomy Ltd. is locally owned and operated by Emily Barteaux and Kylie Dagnall, who support farmers with expert advice with crop, chemical and fertilizer needs, as well as scouting services.

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