July 24, 2009

Timely rains and seasonal temperatures in many parts of western Canada have helped canola crops, according to the Canola Council of Canada (CCC).

 

Early seeded fields were in the 20 percent to full bloom stage of development and re-seeded fields were in the 4-leaf to bolting stage of growth, the CCC said in a crop update for the week ended July 22.

 

Many areas were reporting adequate moisture but regions in southwest Manitoba, southwest Saskatchewan and Central Alberta will require additional rainfall within the next week to 10 days. If the rain doesn't fall in those areas, moisture deficiency stress will begin to appear, the CCC said.

 

Parts of the Eastern and Interlake regions of Manitoba continue to be wet with excess moisture stress evident.

 

All areas continue to report that the canola crops were "stagey," a reference to a wide range of plant stages within an individual field due to earlier season stresses.

 

This variable staging continues to be a concern for fungicide timing in parts of Manitoba where, when necessary, portions of a field were being sprayed, the CCC said.

 

Diamondback moth larvae have been observed in the Lethbridge area of southern Alberta but populations were below economic thresholds.

 

Bertha armyworm traps continue to be used for monitoring, but so far numbers caught in Manitoba and Alberta indicate the risk is low. However, trap numbers in a few locations in Saskatchewan have surpassed the low threshold.

 

Cabbage root maggots were again reported in Saskatchewan and Alberta. A number of fields in Alberta had considerable damage. In the northern Peace Region, later maturing fields seem to be most affected.