The Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture has developed new survey maps for various crop pests including pea leaf weevil, wheat stem sawfly, grasshoppers and cabbage seedpod weevils.
The 2024 pea leaf weevil survey show a large reduction in notches per plant as compared to 2023. The most damage was along the eastern edge of Saskatchewan.
Wheat stem sawfly populations were significant in several regions with severe cutting noted in some fields in the Moose Jaw – Pense area. An area bounded by Maple Creek, Swift Current, Outlook and Kindersley had a lot of moderate to severe sawfly damage.
Good news on grasshoppers. The 2024 survey indicated great reductions in populations as compared to 2023, likely due to cool, wet conditions this spring. However, moderate to severe densities were detected in several southern sites with reports of spraying in multiple crops. The survey assesses four roadside sites per RM for grasshopper density. A few spots of moderate to severe infestation are scattered through west central and southwest Saskatchewan.
Cabbage seedpod weevil attacks canola, brown mustard and oriental mustard. The 2024 survey shows the highest levels in an area south of Swift Current, but weevils at lower levels were discovered in many areas across southern Saskatchewan.
The new maps are posted on the Saskatchewan Agriculture website.
