Insect Response to Climate Change and Ag-Inputs Across the Prairies (Current) and Coordinated monitoring of field crop insect pests in the Prairie Ecosystem (Initial)

The current phase of this project has the following objectives: 1) Understand insect pest population dynamics and forecast pest populations. The project will evaluate the response of insect pests to climate variables to understand their population dynamics, outbreak frequency, and recent changes to insect distribution and relative abundance, using experiments and by continuing annual insect monitoring by the Prairie Pest Monitoring Network. 2) Assess the current status of insecticide resistance in western Canada. This portion will evaluate the current susceptibility of insect pests of cereal, pulse, and oilseed crops to registered insecticides commonly used in western Canada.
3) Develop new insect information resources. Lastly, the project will create information resources to augment insect outreach activities in western Canada.

The first phase of this project supported The Prairie Pest Monitoring Network, a collaborative project; participants include federal and provincial entomologists, university scientists, agronomists, industry, and producers. Participants monitor insect pests annually across Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and the BC Peace Region. Data is released on a weekly basis when insect pests pose the greatest threat to crop yield. Annual data is collected and compiled into distribution maps, and in some cases, forecast maps for the subsequent season. These tools provide up-to-date, relevant information that can be used by agronomists, industry representatives, and farmers to make decisions regarding insect pest management.

Project Details

  • Listing ID: 3713
  • Project Status In Progress
  • Principal Investigators Dr. Meghan Vankosky, AAFC Saskatoon
  • Projects With Results Projects with Results
  • Project Dates April 2018 – March 2028
  • Abstract/Summary The Prairie Pest Monitoring Network is a collaborative project and participants include federal and provincial entomologists, university scientists, agronomists, industry, and producers. Participants monitor insect pests annually across Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and the BC Peace Region. Data is released on a weekly basis when insect pests pose the greatest threat to crop yield. Annual data is collected and compiled into distribution maps, and in some cases, forecast maps for the subsequent season. These tools provide up-to-date, relevant information that can be used by agronomists, industry representatives, and farmers to make decisions regarding insect pest management.