Can a cover crop help manage flea beetles?

Kenzie Friesen of Arnaud, Manitoba is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Agroecology at the U of M and is working with professor Yvonne Lawley on a study called “Fall rye cover crops protecting canola from flea beetles.”

Friesen first met Lawley in the summer of 2023 when Friesen worked as a summer student for her lab. “The project aims to evaluate the impact of overwintering cover crops, specifically fall rye, on flea beetle damage in canola,” Friesen says. “The fall rye was terminated using glyphosate at four different times: seven days before seeding canola, the day after seeding canola, at the canola cotyledon stage, and at the canola two-leaf stage. Treatments with fall rye were compared to a control treatment with no fall rye cover crop.”

When asked about on-farm value, Friesen explained that farmers currently rely heavily on insecticide seed treatments, but insecticide resistance and environmental concerns make it necessary to explore alternative pest management strategies. “This project could offer farmers a natural, integrated pest management solution that reduces their dependence on chemical insecticides. Through this study, we explored whether different termination timings of fall rye can influence flea beetle damage and canola yield. We planted open-pollinated fall rye at 70 pounds per acre in September followed by Roundup Ready canola the following spring.”

The research will continue into next year, “This small-plot research project will complement on-farm testing in 2025 as part of the Manitoba Canola Growers on-farm research,” Friesen explains.

For more research information, please read the Manitoba Canola Growers research update on page 6 of Science Digest.