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Province Releases 2020 Grasshopper Forecast

Grasshopper levels have been increasing over the past couple of years. Whether populations continue to increase will depend on factors such as weather and natural enemies. Grasshopper levels should be monitored carefully, beginning in late-May or early-June in 2020.
 
Grasshopper populations have more successful development in dry years and generally increase more over a series of dry years. The rainy weather in September and early-October may have somewhat reduced the number of eggs laid, although conditions for egg laying in August were good. The early snowfall in October will not likely significantly decrease overwintering success. Our pest species of grasshoppers all overwinter in the egg stage, which is quite resilient to excess moisture. Populations of bee flies, field crickets, and Epicauta species of blister beetles, all of which feed on grasshopper eggs, were quite noticeable in some locations of Manitoba in 2019.
 
The risk of economical populations of grasshoppers developing in 2020 varies, depending on location. Overall the risk is generally low to moderate in most areas, but there has been a progressive increase in higher counts in the past two surveys. If weather is favourable for grasshopper survival and development there may be areas where grasshoppers are a concern to crops in 2020.
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Using Weather Forecasts to Grow a Crop

Video: Using Weather Forecasts to Grow a Crop


BY: Ashley Robinson

Growing a crop isn’t easy. There’s a lot of variables involved, a major one being weather. And while you can’t control weather, you can use weather forecasts to help you make informed decisions regarding your crop. This could include application of insecticide, herbicide or fungicide treatments, scheduled irrigation or swathing your crop.

On the Nov. 29 episode of Seed Speaks, we’re taking a closer look at how you can use weather forecasts to grow the best possible crop. We’re joined by Chris Manchur, agronomy specialist for eastern Manitoba with the Canola Council of Canada (CCC); David Clay, distinguished professor of soil science at South Dakota State University; and Wade Kent, senior principal digital agronomist for Nutrien.

Manchur provides agronomic advice and support to growers and agronomists in Manitoba. He’s also the sclerotinia stem rot lead for the CCC and helps to manage canola research and innovation through funding programs such as the Canola Agronomic Research Program and the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership. Manchur received his bachelor of science degree in plant biotechnology and master of science in RNA interference-based next generation fungicides at the University of Manitoba.

Clay is the past president of the American Society of Agronomy, and Corn Councils Endowed Chair in Precision farming. He has spent over 30 years investing soil health, has published and been awarded numerous awards and is a Fellow of the American Society of Agronomy.

Kent is located in North Central Iowa and farms corn and soybeans with his dad in his spare time. He spent his undergraduate and graduate career at Iowa State University and University of Minnesota studying agronomy, crop physiology, and soil science. At Nutrien, Kent works in the digital and precision landscape focusing on bringing together agronomy and technology to improve efficiency, profitability, and sustainability of Nutrien Ag Solution’s customers.

Join us on Nov. 29 at 12 p.m. CST on Seed World U.S., Seed World Canada, Seed World Europe and the Alberta Seed Guide’s Facebook pages, Seed World U.S.’s LinkedIn page and Seed World Group’s YouTube to watch the discussion.