KEY RESULT: The newly discovered canola flower midge, C. brassicola, may be a species native to the Prairies. It is found across the canola-growing region, but population density, for the most part, is low and the midge has not had a significant impact on yield. This midge causes flower galls that result in aborted pods....

KEY RESULT: Swede midge, an invasive species, causes costly damage to canola in Ontario – but not on the Prairies at this time. Modeling found that when a high number of adults coincided with days of high temperatures, egg laying would increase and result in higher damage levels in the current year and outbreak-level populations...

KEY RESULT: The Prairie Pest Monitoring Network (PPMN) provides forecasts, risk maps and monitoring protocols for crop pest insects across Western Canada. It also provides a free weekly update. Anyone can subscribe at prairiepest.ca. PROJECT TITLE, PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: “Coordinated surveillance, forecasting and risk warning systems for field crop insect pests of the Prairie ecosystem,” Jennifer...

KEY RESULT: This three-year study frequently showed benefits to using pre-harvest herbicide and desiccant options as tools to improve straight combining results. However, results show that going without a pre-harvest herbicide or desiccant is a potentially viable option, especially for early seeded, reasonably uniform and weed-free fields where a hybrid with good pod shatter tolerance...

KEY RESULT: A combine yield loss survey of 50 combines across the Prairies in 2019 found that weather factors had significant influence on losses. This emphasizes the need to regularly adjust and test throughout the day and harvest season. Temperatures greater than 23°C, relative humidity less than 45 per cent, and low cloud cover all...