President Mike Fredericks mfredericks@annexweb.com
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Was B.C. Fruit Growers’ Association’s passive protest positive or passé?
Ihave a grudging respect for French farmers (in this instance, French farmers, meaning farmers from France); those guys and gals can be completely nuts!
Just scan the European headlines from the past few years and you can learn all about their antics: setting bales of hay on fire along the Champs Elysées; grazing more than 100 head of sheep on the grounds around the Eiffel Tower; dumping more than 100 trailer loads of soil along the main street of the west central French city of Poiters; transporting 8,000 plots of soil and 150,000 plants plus herds of livestock into downtown Paris and creating their own farm along threequarters of a mile of the Champs Elysées; pouring gallons of milk into the streets; blocking traffic with dairy cows; burning piles of tractor tires in the streets; forming go-slow convoys of thousands of tractors to snarl Paris traffic for hours.
These farmers know how to protest and seem to have no problem gathering 40,000 like-minded people to rally on their behalf. And they’re not afraid to throw a few punches either. During a protest against GATT in the 1990s, French and Swiss farmers attacked police with both their fists and bottles.
Plus politicians take notice. During a spring 2010 protest by 10,000 angry grain farmers in Paris, French agriculture minister Bruno Le Maire told French radio his government was willing to negotiate with the farmers, stating they were willing to be “flexible” with European Union rules. The government was also planning to offer low-interest loans, tax relief and even curb environmental regulations to keep their producers happy.
You have to have a certain amount of admiration for people who can lay it all on the line like French farmers can. It’s an atmosphere and mindset not necessarily seen here on this side of the
Atlantic – a land of excuse me, pardon me, my apologies, and thank you. (It took a visit to Israel in my 30s to show me what true rudeness can look like but I’ll save that experience for another editorial. I’ll give you a hint: it involved a lineup at an ATM machine).
Here in Canada, past farm protests have failed to bring out the people, spur political action or gain support from the populace. My guess is we’re just not socialist, militant or crazy enough. We just do things differently here.
explained BCFGA president Joe Sardinha in his 2010 Executive Committee Report. “Kelowna, Abbotsford and Victoria farmers’ markets played host to the efforts of the BCFGA to educate the pubic on the severity the crisis and build support for B.C.-grown apples. There was tremendous response from the public to the 12 cents per pound apple sales and high media interest in this new style of campaign.”
A case in point: Last spring, B.C. apple producers were facing a crisis. The 2009 fresh crop was below average, thanks to an early freeze the previous October, and the market was being saturated by fruit being shipped north from Washington as packers tried to sell off apples that couldn’t stand up to long-term storage. The Canadian dollar was rising and profit margins were disappearing. Emergency grower meetings were held and the B.C. Fruit Growers’ Association (BCFGA) executive was given a mandate to appeal to the B.C. government for Agri-Recovery claims for freezedamaged apples plus financial assistance for growers. The group was also directed to approach the Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA) for support of a special federal payment and investigate a long-term solution of regulated marketing. Neither approach worked and they were denied support altogether.
But, instead of saying thanks for nothin’, the BCFGA tried a different approach – they took the growers’ plight to the public through “passive protest.”
“The executive undertook a series of apple sales where apples were sold for the average returns growers were receiving at the time for the 2009 crop,”
The public support did not go unnoticed by the provincial government. In early July 2010, the BCFGA was presented with a $5-million funding commitment from both B.C. and the federal government.
“Although this was not the direct assistance to growers we had originally requested, the funding will help the industry move forward in the area of infrastructure innovation, marketing, value added and IPM,” said Sardinha, adding that, because there was no direct assistance for growers, the 2010 growing season had been a financial challenge for many apple producers.
So, was the BCFGA passive protest a success or a failure?
According to Sardinha, the hard work did not go unnoticed and the farmers’ markets campaign provided proof of something else.
“The ‘buy local’ movement is not just a passing fad and there are new opportunities for the industry to do more direct promotion to consumers,” stated Sardinha. “There is a growing appetite for local, safe, fresh, highquality, nutritious and healthy food, and an opportunity to build greater consumer loyalty to drive demand for B.C. leaf brand fruit.”
I’d call that a success. And no apples were thrown, carts overturned or cider spilled. How Canadian. ❦
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It’s an accepted fact that food safety is now a top concern among consumers, governments and all others who are a part of Canada’s food production system.
That’s why over the last 10 years, the Canadian Horticultural Council (CHC) has leveraged federal funding to set up voluntary standards to minimize food safety risks that meet provincial and federal guidelines. In September 2008, CHC launched the CanadaGAP Program (Good Agricultural Practices: www.canadagap.ca), a food safety certification program for producers, packers and storage intermediaries of horticultural crops. It does not certify products, but certifies (through a third party) that operations are meeting required food safety standards on an ongoing basis.
“The program is important for Canadian fruit and vegetable growers to meet demands from their customers,” says Heather Gale, CanadaGAP national program manager. “In Canada and the U.S., as well as offshore markets, fresh produce suppliers are increasingly being asked to demonstrate compliance with credible, HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points)-based food safety programs. Certification to CanadaGAP enables growers and packers to meet those requirements.”
Participating in the first year of the program were 700 growers and participating in the second year were about 900 growers. The cost of certification can range from approximately $600 to more than $1,000 annually, depending on the certification option the customers require, the scope of the operation and where the facility is located. Certification involves checking conformance to a checklist, which includes inspection of manuals and related records, and interviewing farm business operators and staff. A recall readiness system must be in place. Multi-crop producers need only one audit.
The government has played a key
Testing the waters
By Treena Hein
growth of CanadaGAP as more producers become certified through this national food safety program
role in developing the program, says Gale, and maintains oversight of any changes to technical requirements. Each commodity-specific module has undergone a rigorous technical review by a team of specialists from the federal and provincial governments. The modules are updated with more clarity and specifics during the annual program review.
CanadaGAP was also designed to conform to the requirements of the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI), something very important to the customers of Burr Farms Ltd., a family-run farm in Delta, B.C., that has participated in the program since 2008. (CHC hasn’t yet finished benchmarking the program to GlobalGAP.) On 300 acres, they grow potatoes and rutabagas for the fresh market and green beans for a processor who does the harvesting and freezing.
“CanadaGAP is the program we support because it is associated with the CFIA (Canadian Food Inspection Agency), it is national and it is now recognized by GFSI,” says Burr Farms food safety manager Chris Burr. “This has really made a difference amongst buyers in terms of acceptance of the program. This, is turn, helps us to work towards or stay with one audit. (Burr Farms belongs with other growers to a company called BC Fresh.) Some customers want more than one and some farmers in our group have had to do up to three audits, which is very costly in monetary and time terms.”
B.C. Fresh farmers were introduced to the program through the B.C. Vegetable Marketing Commission (BCVMC).
“When we first received the booklet, it was quite overwhelming, but then you start to realize you’re doing most of it already,” Burr notes.
It was very helpful, she says, when the BCVMC hired a person to visit individual farms and explain CanadaGAP in detail.
“It helped a lot in understanding what’s involved,” says Burr.
Later, the B.C. Fresh CEO decided to hire Burr “to be a co-ordinator and help the other growers in the group learn and prepare for their audits.”
They were all using good agricultural practices, but Burr says CanadaGAP took it to a higher level.
“Some of us have had to add a new practice here and there, but we all basically most of all had to add more documentation. Everyone had spray records, but we now have lots of documentation on cleaning, rodent control and other practices.”
Documentation – for example, of how to do things, or keeping track that washrooms are fully stocked with supplies –is one of the bigger issues that farmers should focus on first in terms of improving food safety, observes Elsie Friesen, the food safety and quality specialist with the Agri-Food Protection Branch of the B.C. Ministry of Agriculture.
“It’s also critical for traceability, but not something many farmers are used to doing,” says Friesen, who runs B.C. Good Agricultural Practices workshops and has built a guide based on the content of the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs’ Advantage Good Agricultural Practices resources (a license agreement is in place). “For your customers, documentation is needed but also if someone else has to step in for you, if the documentation is there, he or she will know exactly what to do.”
Two other issues Friesen thinks farmers should be paying attention to most are testing water sources and biosecurity.
“If you test your water source, used for top irrigation, for example, and it doesn’t meet standards, you can do bottom irrigation, purify your source or take other action,” she says.
With regard to biosecurity, Friesen says farmers must take action to safeguard their property “from whatever is out there” by restricting visitors and putting effective protocols in place.
“You should also do things like make sure you handle raw compost with
different tools than are used with mature compost, and watch transfer of organisms from other farms,” says Friesen.
Although he is quick to say that CanadaGAP has definitely improved awareness of food safety for all producers and his own staff – and that the very existence of the program “adds credibility to the safety of our food,” Michael Van Meekeren can list several significant challenges. Van Meekeren is part owner of Van Meekeren Farms Ltd. in Lakeville, N.S., where they grow organic and conventional apples and conventional pears for markets in Canada, U.S., Europe and the Middle East.
One of those challenges has been to work with the program as it develops, with changes to modules being made annually.
“You have to accept you’re dealing with a moving target and most producers prefer not to change things year after year,” Van Meekeren says.
He’s also noticed that auditors can have an inconsistent interpretation of the program.
“We’ve observed situations where one auditor does not feel an item is a compliance issue, but then the next will report a non-compliance for the same thing,” he says. “It would be much more efficient and fair to have internal auditors consulted when certification auditors find ‘gray’ issues.”
Van Meekeren would also like to see more consumer education on CanadaGAP to build confidence in Canadian
products. He thinks growers need to send a message to customers that taking part in CanadaGAP adds cost, but that it’s worth it.
“It comes down to money and time taken from business without being reimbursed by customers,” he says. “It’s a part of doing business, and CanadaGAP’s affiliation with GFSI is necessary for export.”
Burr agrees. “It’s time-consuming and you have to have someone overseeing it, but after three audits, I don’t find the program challenging at all. Traceability is faster and I feel that I’m more than ready if any issue comes up.”
Lots of resources (password-protected for those on the road to certification) are available on the CanadaGAP website. Producers/packers without a password can get a free electronic copy by calling 613-226-4880 ext. 206 or sending an e-mail to offs@hortcouncil.ca. Across the country, government agencies and produce organizations offer GAP learning opportunities. A CD of the B.C. guide is available for free by calling 1-888-221-7141. For Ontario’s Advantage GAP Practices Manual and more, call 1-877-424-1300 or go to www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/food/ foodsafety/producers/resources.htm. ❦
(Note: Since Canada does not grow massive amounts of leafy greens and imports these products in large quantities, it is expected the number of recalls for imported fresh fruit and vegetables would be higher than for domestically produced fresh fruit and vegetables, says CFIA spokesperson Guy Gravelle.)
Downy mildew in cucumbers is the new reality
By Hugh McElhone
Downy mildew became an economic issue for cucumber producers in 2006 and continues to be a reality they have to face every season, says Cheryl Trueman, professor of vegetable pathology and entomology at the Ridgetown Campus of the University of Guelph.
The disease quickly destroys the foliage and then leads to misshapen or sunscalded fruit with great yield and economic loss.
Downy mildew is not a true fungus but a member of the water moulds, says Trueman. It produces spore sacks on the underside of the leaf. These sacks contain sporangia and can travel great distances by wind to other fields, where they can survive up to four days in an open environment. The sporangia have been tracked riding north on air currents from the southern U.S.
Early signs of downy mildew include inter-veinal lesions that can appear as a greasy spot upon closer inspection. The inter-veinal lesions then become yellow and masses of the greyish spore sacks are visible on the undersides of leaves. As the disease progresses, the leaf will have a crispy texture that turns yellow, then brown, she explains.
While downy mildew could survive on greenhouse cucurbits over the winter months, it is important to remember it needs green tissue in order to survive. Infected plant material spread on the field will not survive the winter, said Trueman.
During the growing season, producers need to be vigilant by regularly scouting the crop.
“Check the underside of the leaves for greyish masses of spore sacks. Look for greasy spots on the surface and interveinal yellowing,” she advises.
Trueman also suggests regularly checking the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) vegetable updates.
“If you find something, make sure you report it to OMAFRA,” she says.
“Producers should apply broad spectrum preventative fungicides and then switch to targeted downy mildew products when the disease is identified in the Great Lakes region, or the environmental conditions for disease development are ideal,” Trueman says.
The targeted fungicides currently registered in Canada, Ranman and Tattoo C, have different modes of action. “Just ensure you use them in rotation so resistance doesn’t develop. If we lose one (to resistance), we’re going to have a serious problem,” she says.
Trueman recommends applying a fungicide spray every five to seven days during wet conditions or if the disease has been identified in the area, and every seven to 10 days when it is dry.
“Incorporate into your spray program new fungicide chemistries targeted for downy mildew management as soon as they become available,” she says.
There are many cultural practices
producers can follow to help lessen the impact of this “community disease.”
Trueman says clean transplants are imperative so ensure you have good, clean stock from a reputable nursery.
Trueman adds that it is best to spray before overhead irrigation. Avoid excess watering, or standing water in the field. It is also best to promote air movement in the field so the foliage dries quickly.
Trueman is evaluating several new, unregistered fungicides and spray programs to determine which are best for managing the disease. This work is being conducted with support from the Ontario Cucumber Research Committee (OCRC) and the OMAFRA/University of Guelph research partnership.
Downy mildew is the new reality for cucumber producers, Trueman says.
“Assume it’ll be around every year and in recent years it has arrived about mid-June, so plan on a vigilant, preventative spray program,” she concludes. ❦
Downy mildew became an economic issue for cucumber producers in 2006 and continues to be a reality growers have to face every season.
Photo by Margaret Land
Herbicide resistance on the rise
By Hugh McElhone
The list of weeds that are resistant to herbicides is growing much faster than the list of new herbicides coming to the market, says Kristen Callow the weed management program lead for the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) based out of Ridgetown, Ont.
This is not a localized problem related to one species, in one area, or to one industry. On the contrary, it’s global.
“In Ontario alone, there are numerous weed species resistant to seven groups of herbicides spread across the province,” says Callow.
In the U.S., weed species resistant to glyphosate-based products such as Roundup, covered some 11.4 million acres in 2010. This represents a ninefold increase from 2.4 million acres in 2007. She noted this area is now roughly equal to the size of Ontario’s entire production area.
Callow defines general resistance as “the inherited ability of a plant to survive and reproduce following application of a herbicide that would normally be lethal to individuals of the same species.”
Cross resistance is the “resistance to a herbicide to which the plant has not been previously exposed, but having a similar mode of action as the original herbicide,” she says. The hardest to combat is multiple resistance, which is “resistance to more than one group of herbicides with very different modes of action where more than one basis for resistance is involved.”
Callow says nature itself supplies the four main reasons for resistance, those being human, resistance, herbicide and weed natures.
For human nature, “if something is successful, we tend to repeat it,” she says. Callow knows of one producer who applied Gramoxone to his crop for 30 years straight before he noticed a persistent problem with Eastern black nightshade.
“All pests, including weeds, have the ability to adapt to repeated practices,” she says.
Vegetable producers in the Holland Marsh, near Bradford, Ont., suffered a near crop failure last year thanks to pigweed resistant to Lorox.
For resistance nature, Callow explains “that within all weed species, a few individual plants may have altered genes that allow them to be resistant to the herbicide.” These plants will thrive in subsequent generations.
Of herbicide nature, Callow says not all herbicides are created equal, nor are they effective against herbicideresistant weeds. For example, the “old chemistry” Group 4 products, such as 2, 4-D and MCPA, have been in use for more than 50 years and are successful but with a limited selection of resistant weeds. On the other hand, Group 2 products, such as Glean and Ally, were on the market for only a few years before resistance was detected.
Weed nature and resistance is simply based in the plant’s vast genetic diversity. Callow says plants that crosspollinate, rather than are self-fertilizing, are more likely to contain an individual with a resistant mutation.
“Herbicides need to be viewed as a valuable resource,” she says, and all producers need to rotate crops and herbicides as the best way to manage weed resistance.
“Many herbicide options may be gone if a weed biotype is resistant to more than one herbicide, (both) cross and multiple resistance,” she says.
The development cost and registration of new herbicides is prohibitive.
“There are no new products coming to market in Ontario anytime soon, so we don’t want to lose the ones we have now,” she says.
On the global stage, Callow said some 347 resistant biotypes have been identified, of which, 114 species are broad-
leaves and 80 are grasses. Some 340,000 fields worldwide have been affected.
Perennial rye grass was the first species to be found with resistance to Roundup (glyphosate) in Australia. Of the 20 species identified since that discovery, 10 Roundup resistant species have been found in the U.S. affecting 18 states. Canada fleabane is the only resistant species found so far in Canada.
Vegetable producers in the Holland Marsh, near Bradford, Ont., suffered a near crop failure last year with pigweed resistant to Lorox, says Callow. Lorox, a Group 7 product, is one of two herbicides registered for pigweed and ragweed control.
“All three species of pigweed were found there,” she says, while showing slides of fields so choked with pigweed that the carrots, onions and lettuce could not be seen.
“We are working with carrot and onion growers in Quebec who have a similar problem but with ragweed,” she says. Both provinces are working on a joint research plan to submit for funding.
Callow mentioned two weeds to watch
Kristen Callow, the weed management program lead with OMAFRA, suggests growers should be on the lookout for kudzu, a prolific vine that smothers crops, trees and buildings.
for, the first being wild parsnip, which will cause a rash to unprotected skin. The second is Kudzu, which she says the Americans describe as “the vine that ate the South.” This prolific vine smothers crops, trees and buildings and is noted for its mitten-style leaf and purple flower.
The best way for producers to combat resistance is to rotate crops and herbicides and tank-mix products that have multiple modes of action. Other strategies include cultivation, manual plant removal and spot spraying.
“If you suspect resistance, don’t let it go to seed,” Callow cautions. “The University of Guelph will test for herbicide resistance. It’s discreet, and it’s free.”
For more information visit http:// www.uoguelph.ca/plant/resistant-weeds/ resources/resistancetesting.html. ❦
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Understanding tomato late blight
By Hugh McElhone
Late blight can be a devastating disease in tomato as well as potato crops.
Historically, it was partially responsible for the Irish potato famine in the 1840s, in which 1.5 million people starved. Records from that time in Ireland report that it spread 50 miles per week, says Michael Celetti, a plant pathologist and horticulture crop program lead with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) based in Guelph, Ont.
To better fight the disease, Celetti says researchers and producers alike must better understand it.
Despite its appearance, late blight is not a true fungus but is caused by Phytophthora infestans , which is a member of the water mould family. It produces asexual spore sacks on the underside of the leaf.
During moderate to warm, moist conditions, the spore sacks germinate and infect the leaf and fruit tissue. Under cool, moist conditions, zoospores are released that can swim along the film of water on the leaf to infect other areas. These little swimmers can also be transferred to other areas of the plant, or from one plant to another, by the splashing done by rain or machinery.
These spore sacks look like a white fuzz on the underside of diseased leaf spots, and are the airborne stage of late blight. According to research, these spore sacks will sail 160 kilometres in four hours where there is a 40-kilometre tailwind.
“This is why late blight is truly a community disease. It can destroy your crop in a week,” says Celetti.
Late blight has two mating types called A1 and A2. Celetti says the A1 mating type was the only type found in North America until the late 1980s. During the early 1990s, however, a more aggressive A2 mating-type strain appeared on tomatoes and potatoes in North America and is now the predominant one here. When the A1 and A2 mating types come together in
a field, they can mate and produce a persistent oospore.
Producers need to be wary of the weeds in their fields and the ornamental plants in their gardens, he cautions. Late blight has been found in bittersweet nightshade and hairy nightshade. Some new strains have also recently been discovered infecting petunias.
“Late blight can be introduced into a field by infected tomato transplants,” he says. Home gardeners might also bring it home with infected tomato transplants or with the infected potato tubers they plant in the spring and hope to harvest in early fall.
“These are all sources of infection for your spring-planted tomato crop,” he says. “Always ensure clean plants from your nursery.”
Celetti explains the early signs and symptoms of late blight include olive-grey water-soaked lesions that often, but not always, appear on the edge of the leaf. These then turn to purplish-black, often surrounded by a yellow halo on a crispy leaf. Later on, the tomato stem and petiole appear chocolate brown with lesions that later girdle stems and petioles both.
During the tomato harvest, Celetti advises producers to watch for watersoaked greasy patches on the top and side of the fruit. These could be signs of late blight infection. Such signs suggest the lesions are trying to expand on harvested fruit, which will result in a dry tomato rot.
“Fruit from infected fields that appear to be disease-free will often develop symptoms later in storage. Eventually, soft rot bacteria will invade diseased fruit and cause it to become soft and mushy,” he says.
For tomato growers, 2009 was a problematic year. Nursery greenhouses in the U.S. shipped infected tomato plant seedlings across the Eastern seaboard to the garden centres of a large retail chain. Fortunately, no infected plants were shipped to Ontario. Unfortunately, the weather conditions of 2009 were condu-
Symptoms of late blight on a tomato plant in the field. Photo courtesy of the Florida Division of Plant Industry Archive, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Bugwood.org
cive to a huge disease spread.
The first late blight sighting was at Grand Bend on July 8, 2009, followed the next day with a report from Alliston, some 200 kilometres away. Other reports followed mid-month from tomato growers in Chatham, Kent and Essex. By the end of July, a potato farmer in Norflok County reported his entire crop destroyed.
For 2010, Celetti said infected plants were again shipped to garden centres in the U.S. northeast. While none were shipped to Ontario, the airborne spores arrived later with the first infection reported in potatoes, July 26. Fortunately, a hot, dry August slowed its spread until the wet September came along.
“So what can we learn from the 2009 and 2010 seasons?” Celetti asks. “We again learned the importance of timely, frequent sprays.”
He adds that the need to register more fungicides is always present. There are few effective products for
organic tomatoes, which he suspects might be part of the late blight problem.
For the future, Celetti says disease resistance is being bred in potato and tomato cultivars, although it could take some time for the tomato cultivars to be commercially available and accepted by the industry.
New fungicides are also in development. “They appear to be very efficacious against late blight,” says Celetti.
For the 2011 tomato growing season, Celetti offered some tips, such as spreading the 2010 crop debris from tomatoes and potatoes over the field and allowing it to freeze. Just in case persistent oospores did survive, do a deep field cultivation of the plant debris in the spring. Also in the spring, before planting, bury potato cull piles away from any fields that will be planted with potato or tomato crops.
“You should also select fields that are away from disease sources, such as the fields that were infected in 2010,” Celetti says.
Follow a three- or four-year crop rotation. Inspect tomato transplants
More examples of in-field symptoms on tomato. Photo courtesy of the Florida Division of Plant Industry Archive, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Bugwood.org
and plant only disease-free seedlings.
Celetti would like fungicide spraying to begin before row closure, or when wet weather is predicted, or when fruit first appears on the vine.
“Maintain a fungicide spray schedule of five to seven days when cool and wet, or every 10 days when it is warm and dry,” he says.
Scouting during the season is im -
Late blight symptoms observed on young tomato fruit. Photo courtesy of the Florida Division of Plant Industry Archive, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Bugwood.org
portant and should be done at least twice a week. If late blight is found in a small, isolated area, remove the diseased plants and place them in a plastic bag. Celetti would also like producers to stay in contact with OMAFRA for updates.
“We’re here to help keep Ontario tomato growers informed about the disease progress each season,” he says. ❦
Coming Events
February 10, 2011 – 2011 New Brunswick Potato Conference, E.P. Sénéchal Centre, Grand Falls, N.B. Visit www.potatoesnb.com.
February 16, 2011 – 2011 P.E.I. Potato Conference, Credit Union Place, Summerside, P.E.I. Call 902-368-6573.
February 16, 2011 – Potato Selection Open House, Potato Research Centre, Fredericton, N.B. Visit www.agr.gc.ca/potato-cultivars.
February 21, 2011 – ALOHA Direct Marketing and Culinary Tourism, Rodd Charlottetown Hotel, Charlottetown, P.E.I. Call 902-368-4145.
February 23-24, 2011 – Ontario Fruit & Vegetable Convention, Brock University, St. Catharines, Ont.
April 4-8, 2011 – OFFMA Tour to the UK, stopping at various farm market locations in the UK. Visit www.ontariofarmfresh.com.
April 13-15, 2011 – Canadian Produce Marketing Association’s 2011 Annual Convention and Trade Show, Palais des congrés de Montréal, Montréal, Que. Visit www.convention.cpma.ca.
May 4-5, 2011 – Delivering More Flavourful Produce Workshop, UC Davis Postharvest Technology Center, Davis, CA.
Visit http://postharvest.ucdavis.edu.
June 21-23, 2011 – International Potato Processing & Storage Convention 2011, Crowne Plaza Hotel, Denver, Col. Visit www.potatoconvention.com.
September 1-3, 2011 – Canada’s Fruit & Veg Tech X-Change, Xperience Farm, St. Williams, Ont. Visit www.fruitvegtechxchange.com.
Biofumigants and fumigants being assessed for tomato crops
By Hugh McElhone
Root rot in tomatoes can be a blight on a grower’s bottom line, leading to early defoliation and vine decline.
In 2009 and 2010, a number of tomato fields in Essex and Kent County reported corky root rot and vine decline symptoms. Along with common root rot fungi such as Fusarium spp. and Colletotichum coccodes , which cause black dot, three other fungi – Pyrenochaeta lycopersici , Pyrenochaeta terrestris , and Rhizopycnis vagum –were identified from these fields. The last three fungi are believed to be associated specifically with corky root rot, says Cheryl Trueman, professor of vegetable pathology and entomology, Ridgetown Campus, University of Guelph.
These pathogens produce microsclerotia, which can survive in the soil for a long time. To determine if fumigation and biofumigation could help reduce the effects of these pathogens, field trials were conducted in 2010 by Trueman and fellow researchers
Anne Verhallen, a soil management specialist, and Janice LeBoeuf, a vegetable specialist, both with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) and based at Ridgetown.
In 2010, the fumigant Vapam was used to treat soil infested with the vine decline pathogens at the highest recommended rate. In the greenhouse, tomatoes were placed in pots of treated soil and root symptoms were later assessed, explained Trueman. In another trial, soil at a commercial site exhibiting vine decline symptoms was treated with Vapam at both the low and high recommended rates and compared to a non-fumigated treatment. Finally, Trueman collaborated with Dr. Ken Conn at the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) Southern Crop Protection and Food Research Station in London, Ont.
Here, soil from the commercial field site was treated with the low and high rates of Vapam, and placed in outdoor microplots. The microplots allowed for uniform mixing of the soil while still allowing research to be conducted in an outdoor environment.
To assess the effectiveness of the treatments, researchers counted the number of banded root lesions per gram of dried root. At six weeks after planting, they found fewer lesions on plants grown in soil treated with Vapam in the greenhouse, but no significant difference between plants treated at either the high or low rate in the microplots or the commercial field trial. Tomato yield in plants grown in soil treated with the high rate of Vapam was higher than the nontreated in the microplot trial, but not the field trial.
“Vapam produced inconsistent results,” Trueman said, adding, “we need
A biofumigant is defined as a variety of brassica crop – such as oilseed radish – that contains glucosinolates that, when crushed and mixed with plant enzymes, creates isothiocyanate.
Given Ontario’s short growing season, spring seeding of brassica crops is not practical. The plants do not have enough time to grow to the point where they can be an effective biofumigant. Early fall seeding is preferred.
to repeat the trials again in 2011.”
In 2010, Vapam was also compared with a biofumigant crop and untreated check plots. Trials were conducted at five different sites.
LeBoeuf defines a biofumigant as a variety of brassica crop that contains glucosinolates that, when crushed and mixed with plant enzymes, creates isothiocyanate. This compound is similar to the active ingredient found
Soil exhibiting vine decline symptoms was treated with Vapam at both the low and high recommended rates and compared to a non-fumigated treatment.
in Vapam.
“It’s essentially nature’s Vapam,” she said.
For the trial, oilseed radish was the biofumigant crop.
Given Ontario’s short growing season, spring seeding of brassica crops is not practical. The plants do not have enough time to grow to the point where they can be an effective biofumigant, LeBoeuf said. Early fall
seeding is preferred.
In the spring of 2010, the crop was finely chopped, then well incorporated into the soil.
“Chopping is very important,” said LeBoeuf. If you don’t chop, nematode populations can actually increase.”
Ideally, chopping and soil incorporation should occur two weeks before planting. This gives the isothiocyanates enough time to work against the pathogens, and slowly reduce in strength so no harm is done to the tender roots of the tomato transplants.
To assess the effectiveness of the treatments, the research team monitored crop growth, vine decline and yield. They also looked at banded root lesions, nematode populations and disease pathogens in the soil.
Given the sheer size and scope of the 2010 trial, the researchers have not arrived at any conclusions just yet.
“We have tons of data left to analyze, and it will be published on our website as soon as it becomes available,” said LeBoeuf. ❦
Essex honours its own
The Essex County Associated Growers (ECAG) presented the Leamington Area Drip Irrigation (LADI) group with its highest award during the 60th Annual Bounty of the County conference and trade show, held recently in Leamington, Ont.
After many years of planning and careful consideration for the environment and the town of Leamington proper, the 13 LADI farm operations received some funding and the full support of the province, Environment Canada, and the people and mayor of Leamington. The goal of the LADI group members was to take their irrigation needs off the municipal water grid and supply their reservoirs with their own crop water.
To do this, they needed 40 kilometres of pipeline from Lake Erie, four pumps, a chlorination system, agreements with local property owners, and a whole lot of money they had to front themselves. With everything in place, they have started pumping water and have irrigated some 2,500 acres of mostly processing tomatoes with drip irrigation. They estimate the system could expand to 6,000 acres with more producers brought on board.
Accepting the award from Ed Verbeke, ECAG president, is Ken Hamm (centre). Also on hand are (left to right) Mark Lehn, Paul Tiessen, Peter Epp, Ed Vebeke, Ken Hamm, Tom Keller, Len Driedger, Greg Dick and Ken Stasko. Absent: Wayne Palichuk (LADI chair), Tom Dick, Glen and Todd Waites, and representatives from Four-E Farms and Tri-B Acres.
CCOVI continues to innovate
The Cool Climate Oenology and Viticulture Institute (CCOVI) is harvesting some new innovations for grape growers and wine producers alike, says Dr. Debra Inglis of Brock University.
“We continue to expand our roles in such things as marketing, policy, tourism and outreach,” she said.
Marketing goals include studying consumer behaviour and how it applies to wine purchases. This includes flavour perception and responses on the tongue and palate.
Under investigation are cultural practices, and climate analysis, and how it can enhance the grape flavour compound.
Analytical services were launched last March for grape and wine producers, so samples no longer have to be sent to California for analysis.
Pests, such as the multi-coloured Asian ladybug, are being studied. “This is important because it’s here to stay, and it seems to impact the flavour,” Inglis said.
A pre-harvest monitoring program took effect this past August and ran through the grape harvest. A vine alert webpage was also launched for cold hardiness in grape vines.
Working closely with researchers from B.C., Nova Scotia, Ontario and Quebec, Dr. Inglis said CCOVI continues to reach out to producers through its winter lecture series and live webcasting.
Drawing from the resources available at Brock University and Niagara College, CCOVI “continues to develop the next generation of talent (for the industry),” Dr. Inglis said.
By Hugh McElhone
Ontario fruit processor receives funding Vineland, Ont., area fruit processor Cherry Lane Frozen Fruits recently received a federal investment of more than $163,000 courtesy of Canada’s Economic Action Plan.
It’s expected this repayable contribution will help the company improve its processing equipment, allowing it to retain its market position against foreign competition.
The money will be used to purchase and install twin advanced colour detector sorting machines. Automating a function previously done manually, the new equipment will sort cherries according to desired quality characteristics. Increased efficiencies and improved consistency in the sorting function allows Cherry Lane to secure a customer base and retain its position in
a competitive market. The project also allows the firm to continue its supply-chain relationship with 22 cherry growers thereby providing another distribution channel to Ontario-based producers.
“We’re very excited about the opportunities that this funding provides,” said Jenifer Smith at Cherry Lane. “We operate in a global market and have been challenged to stay competitive while keeping our commitment to purchase as much Ontario fruit as possible. The new colour sorter will create efficiencies that allow us to process more locally grown cherries from our grower community.”
The investment to Cherry Lane is being delivered by the AgriFlexibility fund through the AgriProcessing initiative, a five-year, up to $50 million initiative designed to enhance the competitiveness of the agri-processing sector in Canada. It provides support to existing companies for projects that involve the adoption of innovative and new-to-company manufacturing technologies and processes that are essential to sustaining and improving the sector’s position in today’s global marketplace. For more information, visit www.agr.gc.ca/api.
Website planned for grape IPM
Ontario’s grape growers will soon have access to a new integrated pest management (IPM) website, says site designer Amelia Balsillie with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA).
The site will be modelled on other crop IPM sites already available at OMAFRA, and will include information on items such as weed identification and control, herbicide injury, pest identification and control, plus grape diseases and disorders.
Using the example of powdery mildew in grapes, Balsillie says that by clicking on the link, photos are opened that display the
Photo by Hugh McElhone
disease in various stages of progression. Further links indicate the registered products available for powdery mildew, plus the spray schedule for each.
A quick link to OMAFRA Publication 360 will also be available.
Balsillie expects to have the website up and running by March 2011 with information workshops to follow. She is also working on getting an application for its use on smartphones so it can be accessed directly from the vineyard.
By Hugh McElhone
Intelligent irrigation saves water, fertilizer
Sensors and decision-support software can help horticultural growers worldwide to reduce their water consumption by 60 per cent and use 30 per cent less fertilizer without sacrificing yield and quality. At the same time, cultivation also becomes more sustainable.
These are among the results of the European Flow-Aid project co-ordinated by Wageningen UR Greenhouse Horticulture. The project brought together scientists and developers from industry from eight countries. The Flow-Aid research results were discussed at a breakfast meeting during the international Horti Fair held in Amsterdam in early October.
Worldwide, water is a major issue in horticulture, and limiting its consumption a vital part of sustainable production.
Within the Flow-Aid project, 10 partners co-operated to develop knowledge and technology for more precise irrigation and fertilization, yielding higher water use efficiency and a reduction in nutrient leaching. The results of the three-year project coordinated by Wageningen UR Greenhouse Horticulture were recently presented in a brochure.
There are many opportunities to increase yield by changing the crop production system and the way in which water and fertilizers are being applied. In the Flow-Aid project, scientists from research institutes and industry developed new water technologies and concepts. By using advanced sensors, innovative data transport, computer models and adapted crop production systems, it is possible to achieve more efficient irrigation and reduce the use of fertilizers, whereby decision-support models are used to support growers. The project also evaluated irrigation techniques that use nutrient-rich, purified wastewater as irrigation water for horticulture. This
would be of particular interest to areas where water is scarce.
The new techniques were tested in practice in case studies on eggplant, tomato, cucumber, and lettuce plants in Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey, Italy, Spain and the Netherlands. The research showed that, depending on the local situation, fresh water savings of up to 60 per cent and fertilizer savings up to 30 per cent can be achieved without having a negative influence on yield or quality.
The Flow-Aid project has now been concluded and the results were presented to the European Commission. The EU was recommended to stimulate the introduction of the new techniques in practice by supporting demonstration and educational projects in which research institutes, industry and the agricultural and water sectors participate. This will ensure that the research results have maximum impact on the sustainable production of horticultural crops.
P.E.I. offers new potato seed testing service
The Prince Edward Island Department of Agriculture is offering a new service to potato growers that will test potato seed lots for the Fusarium dry rot disease.
If found, the Fusarium species will be tested for sensitivity to commonly used fungicides. The service will help growers ensure that they are using a fungicide that is effective against any Fusarium that may have affected seed lots.
“Seed potatoes infected with Fusarium can rot after planting and cause misses in the field,” said Brian Beaton, potato industry co-ordinator with the department. “Even if plants grown from infected seed do emerge, they often have reduced vigour and yield.”
Beaton said that over the last number of years there has been an increasing amount of Fusarium seed piece decay in seed lots, and a number of the strains of Fusarium are showing resistance to commonly used fungicides.
The test will take approximately two weeks. Growers are advised to collect a sample of about 10 tubers. Any tubers that are showing disease symptoms should be included in the sample especially if they have cuts or cracks. Tubers that are completely rotted or broken down should not be included.
The samples can be placed in a sealed plastic bag and submitted as soon as possi-
ble to the research station in Charlottetown. There is no cost for the testing service.
Plant Products Co. appoints commercial division general manager
Jerry Weber has been appointed to the newly created position of general manager of the commercial division at Plant Products Co. Ltd., effective immediately.
Weber has been the sales manager for the Ontario group within the commercial division of Plant Products since August 2006, when he originally joined the company.
“Jerry’s leadership has resulted in a strong and unified sales team and he has been a key contact with our customers and vendor marketing partners,” said Robert Caucci, vice-president of sales with Plant Products. “As general manager, Jerry will co-ordinate the Eastern sales team for the commercial division and act as a liaison and principal contact for key vendors, plus Plant Products’ logistics and administration.”
Plant Products is a Canadian-based company that manufactures watersoluble fertilizers and markets plant protection products.
Actigard approved for use in Canada
Syngenta Crop Protection Canada, Inc. has received approval for Actigard™, a plant growth regulator that provides protection against bacterial speck and bacterial spot in tomatoes, and blue mould in tobacco.
Applied preventively, Actigard works to stimulate the plant’s natural defence mechanisms against bacterial and mould infections.
A systemic compound, Actigard contains the active ingredient acibenzolar-Smethyl, which has a mode of action that mimics the natural Systemic Activated Resistance (SAR) response found in many plants. The activation of this response by Actigard helps activate the plant’s natural defences to provide plants with enhanced protection against target diseases.
Actigard has been accepted for registration and will be available for use across Canada for the 2011 season.
www.syngenta.com
CombiScale Primo 360 Weigher
CombiScale displayed two Primo 360 Weighers during the Pack Expo 2010 show in Chicago, held from October 31 to November 3, 2010.
A complete system was demonstrated in full operation, including a Primo 360 Weigher with 14-heads and 2.5 litre buckets, an r2b Bagger, and infeed system. Also on display was a Primo 360 Weigher with 14-heads and 2.5 litre buckets.
Features of the Primo 360 Multihead Weigher include:
The open frame design makes the Primo 360 Weigher simple and easy to operate, wash, and service
All contact parts are tool-less; pans, buckets, chutes, and the hopper are supplied with quick disconnects for quick and easy removal.
The swing-out centre hopper assembly simplifies product change over and cleaning; setting the height of the hopper requires little effort.
Uses readily available software, including Windows, Crystal Reports, Skype, and integrates with most resource planning and networking soft-
New Products
ware, including Oracle, Plaintree, Syspro, and JDEdwards to generate customized reports.
The Primo Pocket Control allows remote control of all scales.
This feature allows users to connect to the Pri mo 360 Weigher from anywhere in the world for remote diagnostics, troubleshooting, and technical support.
Electronics are centrally located in a remote mounted electrical enclosure at floor level. Safety of electronics is assured during wash down and from machine vibration.
The Primo 360 Weigher is available in 10, 14, 16, 20, and 24-head configurations with 1.5-, 2.5-, and 5-litre bucket sizes.
www.combiscale.com
ILIP unveils new packaging at Fruit Logistica
ILIP unveiled an array of new packaging products during Fruit Logistica 2011, which took place in early February in Berlin.
The manufacturer of plastic packaging for fruit and vegetable produce exhibited its full range of punnets, trays and tray liners made of RPET (recycled PET), PP and PLA.
The major new product at the show was the SETB35 2FT punnet made of RPET (recycled PET) with cavities ideal for storing round fruits. The idea to produce this 500-gram clamshell punnet was a direct consequence of the success of the PLA version, which won the 2010 Macfrut Oscar for innovation in the packaging sector.
Also making its debut at the Berlin exhibition was the new ILIP product
catalogue, which is completely revised and updated. Divided into three separate sections corresponding to the different types of products on offer (punnets, trays and tray liners), the new catalogue features detailed technical drawings of each model, along with specifications of available sizes and explanatory photos. To coincide with its launch, the www. ilip.it website has also been updated and revamped in line with the new catalogue.
New Holland T8 Series Tractor
New Holland T8 Series tractors combine speed and stability with the agility expected from a short wheelbase on a longer wheelbase. The five models in the new T8 Series range from 235-hp to 339-hp.
The long wheelbase allows full use of the 18,000-pound rear lift capacity without needing the heavy front ballast that conventional tractors require. The TerraGlide front axle suspension system smoothes the ride over rough terrain and offers greatly improved, 55-degree turning performance, a significant advantage for tight headland turns or when maneuvering in tight spaces.
For front three-point hitch work, the balanced long wheelbase makes it easier to make full use of the 12,000-pound front lift capacity, and a slim engine hood design provides excellent forward visibility.
The T8 Series operator environment is quiet and spacious, with 109.5 cubic feet of interior space. It features the SideWinderTM II armrest console, includes the CommandGrip control lever and the IntelliViewTM IV touch screen monitor.
All T8 Series tractors feature an Ultra Command full powershift transmission, powered by Tier IVa Cursor 9L engines developed and produced by Fiat Powertrain Technologies. These engines provide constant hydraulic flow even under extreme load. Standard hydraulic flow is
43 gallons per minute (gpm) and with the Megaflow pump option, capacity climbs to 72 gpm. Engine Power Management provides up to 50-hp of extra power in high-demand conditions.
www.newholland.com
Onset adds plug-and-play soil moisture sensor
Onset Computer Corporation recently announced it has expanded its line of soil monitoring solutions with the new 10HS Soil Moisture Smart Sensor.
The 10HS sensor measures soil moisture over a large volume of soil to provide a more accurate picture of average soil moisture in a given area. Its plugand-play design reduces deployment time, saving users time and money. Users can simply plug the sensor into an Onset HOBO U30 or H21 Weather Station and begin monitoring without having to spend time wiring or programming.
Since the 10HS sensor is compatible with a range of Onset HOBO Weather Station products, users have a choice as to how they access their soil measurement data. This includes direct data offload in the field using a HOBO data shuttle or laptop computer, or remotely accessing the data over the Internet via cellular, WiFi, or ethernet communications. www.onsetcomp.com
Stafford Plastic Shaft Collars
Custom shaft collars machined from various thermoplastics to match process applications requiring chemical resistance and frequent wash-downs are
available from Stafford Manufacturing Corp. of Wilmington, Massachusetts.
Stafford Plastic Clamp-Type Shaft Collars are offered in one- and twopiece styles and are supplied with stainless steel clamping screws for use in FDA- and USDA-approved processing equipment and conveyors. Machined from Teflon®, Delrin®, nylon, and other thermoplastics, they let designers specify collars that precisely match other system components.
Available in one-inch to 4-inch inner dimension bore sizes, Stafford Plastic Clamp-Type Shaft Collars are suited for many applications requiring chemical resistance and/or frequent wash-downs, such as food- and pharmaceutical processing. Stainless steel, steel, and anodized aluminum collars are also offered.
Stafford Plastic Clamp-Type Shaft Collars are priced according to material size, and quantity. Samples and price quotations are available on request.
www.staffordmfg.com
WITT Oxybaby with Bluetooth
WITT has improved its Oxybaby 6.0 handheld gas analyzer with the addition of a Bluetooth interface and a built-in bar code reader.
Companies involved in the modified atmosphere packaging of foods can now perform quality control checks that are 100 per cent mobile, allowing quality controllers to be autonomous in their work.
The analyzer weighs 580 grams and, measuring 187 x 106 x 91 millimetres, is small enough to fit in a jacket pocket. The Oxybaby uses a needle to take random samples and measure the concentration of the industrial gases carbon dioxide (CO2) and oxygen (O2) in packages. The mea-
surement results appear instantly on the illuminated graphics display and are stored in the circulating memory, which has a capacity of 500 measurements. Using the Bluetooth connection, the readings can be printed out on a compact label printer that can be worn on a belt. The adhesive printouts can then be attached to the test record or the outer packaging, or can be put in with the products right away.
Controllers can transfer the readings to a Windows PC for further processing via Bluetooth, either right away or at the end of their shift.
WITT has also incorporated a bar code reader into the analyzer’s casing, resulting in faster workflows. A controller can use it to assign his/her own name, a line of packaging or a product to a measurement, simply by scanning the relevant bar code.
The analyzer is able to distinguish between up to 25 users, 50 lines of packaging and 100 products. It takes six seconds to determine the gas concentration, which is then displayed in increments of 0.1 per cent. Measurements are taken in a range between 0 and 100 per cent. It can also recognize when the measuring needle is obstructed, thus ruling out any measuring errors.
The casing of the Oxybaby 6.0 is ergonomically shaped, hygienic and impactresistant. The integrated software includes menu navigation in several languages. Bluetooth and the bar code reader are optional extras. In addition to wireless technology, every Oxybaby can be attached to a printer or a PC via its USB port, while bar code readings can be replaced by manual selection via the menu. WITT has also incorporated an SD card slot with future product updates in mind, allowing the user to install new firmware.
www.wittgas.com
Wind turbines helping crops
Wind turbines in farm fields may be doing more than churning out electricity.
The giant turbine blades that generate renewable energy might also help crops stay cooler and dryer, help them fend off fungal infestations and improve their ability to extract growth-enhancing carbon dioxide from the air and soil.
Speaking at the recent annual meeting of the American Geophysical Union, a researcher at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Ames Laboratory and his co-researcher from the University of Colorado announced the preliminary findings of a months-long research program aimed at studying how wind turbines on farmlands interact with surrounding crops.
“We’ve finished the first phase of our research, and we’re confident that wind turbines do produce measureable effects on the microclimate near crops,” said Ames Laboratory associate and agricultural meteorology expert Gene Takle.
According to Takle, who is also a professor of agricultural meteorology and director of the Climate Science Program at Iowa State University, the slow-moving turbine blades that are becoming a familiar sight, channel air downwards, in effect bathing the crops below via the increased airflow they create.
His colleague in the research is Julie Lundquist, assistant professor, Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, at the University of Colorado at Boulder, joint appointee at the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory, and Fellow of the Renewable and Sustainable Energy Institute. Lundquist’s team uses a specialized laser known as a light detection and ranging, or LIDAR, to measure winds and turbulence from near the Earth’s surface to well above the top tip of a turbine blade.
“Our laser instrument could detect a beautiful plume of increased turbulence that persisted even a quarter-mile downwind of a turbine,” Lundquist said.
Both Takle and Lundquist stressed that their early findings have yet to definitively establish whether or not wind turbines are in fact beneficial to the health and yield potential of crops planted nearby. However, their finding that the turbines increase air-
Wind turbines in farm fields might be helping crops stay cooler and dryer, helping them fend off fungal infestations and improving their ability to extract growth-enhancing carbon dioxide from the air and soil.
flow over surrounding crops, suggests this is a realistic possibility.
“The turbulence resulting from wind turbines may speed up natural exchange processes between crop plants and the lower atmosphere,” Takle said.
For instance, crops warm up when the sun shines on them, and some of that heat is given off to the atmosphere. Extra air turbulence likely speeds up this heat exchange, so crops stay slightly cooler during hot days. On cold nights, turbulence stirs the lower atmosphere and keeps nighttime temperatures around the crops warmer.
“In this case, we anticipate turbines’ effects are good in the spring and fall because they would keep the crop a little warmer and help prevent a frost,” said Takle. “Wind turbines could possibly ward off early fall frosts and extend the growing season.”
Other benefits of wind turbines could result from their effects on crop moisture levels. Extra turbulence may help dry the dew that settles on plants beginning in late afternoon, minimizing the amount of time fungi and toxins can grow on plant leaves.
Another potential benefit to crops is that increased airflow could enable plants to more readily extract atmospheric carbon dioxide, a needed “fuel” for crops. The extra turbulence might also pump extra carbon dioxide from the soil. Both results could facilitate the
crops ability to perform photosynthesis.
Takle’s wind turbine predictions are based on years of research on so-called agricultural shelterbelts, which are the rows of trees in a field, designed to slow highspeed natural winds.
“In a simplistic sense, a wind turbine is nothing more than a tall tree with a wellpruned stem. For a starting point for this research, we adapted a computational fluid model that we use to understand trees,” said Takle. “But we plan to develop a new model specific to wind turbines as we gather more data.”
The team’s initial measurements consisted of visual observations of wind turbulence upwind and downwind of the turbines. The team also used wind-measuring instruments called anemometers to determine the intensity of the turbulence. The bulk of the wind-turbulence measurements and the crop-moisture, temperature and carbon dioxide measurements took place in the spring of 2010.
“We anticipate the impact of wind turbines to be subtle. But in certain years and under certain circumstances the effects could be significant,” said Takle. “When you think about a summer with a string of 105-degree days, extra wind turbulence from wind turbines might be helpful. If turbines can bring the temperature down below 100 degrees that could be a big help for crops.” ❦
Wireworm specialist provides update on latest IPM programs
By Myron Love
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada entomologist Dr. Bob Vernon, one of Canada’s leading authorities on the control and elimination of wireworms, recently updated Saskatchewan potato growers on the latest developments in the fight against wireworms.
Wireworms are click beetle larvae that usually spend three or four years in the soil, feeding on decaying vegetation and the roots of plants such as potatoes, corn and wheat. In the spring, during planting, wireworms mostly congregate just below the soil surface feeding on grasses, weeds and winter cover crops, Vernon said.
“Although you might use an insecticide while planting, you won’t kill many wireworms,” he said. “But control must be close to 80 per cent in the first month after planting.”
Wireworms are attracted to carbon dioxide, Vernon noted. The primary source of carbon dioxide during spring planting is seed pieces. A granular or liquid wireworm insecticide planted in the seed furrows provides growers a good chance of killing most wireworms in a well-fallowed field, he said.
Vernon identified a number of insecticide options that have been used in the past to control the insect pests. He noted that Thimet, Temik, Dyfonate, Furadan, Counter and Lindane are no longer being licensed for use in Canada – although most are still available for use in the United States – while Mocap has never been registered in Canada and chlorpyrifos is being used by growers in British Columbia.
Some potential newer insecticides he listed are imidacloprid (Admire), clothianidin (Poncho), thiamithoxam
In the spring, during planting, wireworms mostly congregate just below the soil surface, feeding on grasses, weeds and winter cover crops.
(Cruiser), fipronil (Regent), tefruthlin (Force) and chlorpyrifos (Pyrinex).
But do these new products work and how well do they work?
To answer those questions, Vernon displayed slides showing the results of field trials across Canada. Over a sixyear period (2000 to 2005) fipronil used as a spray proved to be the most effective alternative in killing wireworms, he said, while in field trials in B.C., Pyrinex alone, or in combination with Poncho or Cruiser, worked best.
In Canada, Pyrifos 15G (for damage and wireworm suppression only) and Pyrinex have been registered for use, he adds, although the products are not registered for use in the U.S. In light of this, Vernon cautioned that Canadian growers shipping potatoes raw or in processed form south shouldn’t use these products.
Clothianidin and Poncho 600 have also been approved for use in Canada, he said, although Poncho 600 is only approved for seed piece treatment damage suppression. ❦
Wireworms are click beetle larvae that usually spend three or four years in the soil, feeding on decaying vegetation and the roots of plants such as potatoes, corn and wheat.
• harvestAug 15 , 2010 Grownwithpride
• herbicideJune20 , 2010
• liquidfertilizerJune29 , 2010
• seedandfertilizerMay27 , 2010
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