Researchers are in the process of developing new wheat varieties that will be resistant to wheat midge, a tiny insect that’s attacking prairie fields.
The development of midge-resistant wheat is being done at Agriculture Canada’s cereal research centre in Winnipeg. It’s hoped that at least one of the new varieties will be available by 2000, said Bob Lamb, one of the centre’s research scientists.
“We’re making really good progress,” he said. “The first varieties are in the final level of testing. They’ll be one or more years in testing before they’re released.”
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The research centre is also working with wheat growers and Manitoba Agriculture to develop a trapping system for wheat midge. Lamb said farmers could place the traps in their wheat fields for three days and then count the trapped midge to decide levels of infestation.
That information could then help them decide whether to apply pesticides to control the midge.
The traps are being tested on farms across Manitoba and Saskatchewan this year. About 150 wheat growers are participating in the tests, Lamb said.
“If the trap works, it’ll be available next year. If it doesn’t, it’s back to the drawing board.”
