ST. JEAN, Man. – Red River Valley farmers didn’t have a problem with soybean aphids last summer.
“We almost didn’t see one,” said Manitoba Agriculture oilseed specialist Bruce Brolley.
That’s bad news for this year, because soybean aphids tend to have a two year cycle.
Brolley spoke to a roomful of eager farmers at St. Jean Farm Days, which is in the heart of Manitoba’s soybean-growing country. Soybeans have exploded in popularity with Red River Valley farmers in the past few years as varieties were developed that survive well in the short growing season and as farmers develop expertise with the crop.
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Soybean aphids are sap-sucking bugs that can ruin a crop if they get out of control. They were first spotted in North America in 1995 in Wisconsin and have since spread to all major soybean regions.
More than a decade of experience with the pest shows that outbreaks tend to happen about every two years. In Ontario, for example, 2001 had a heavy infestation but 2002 had few aphids. Then in 2003 there was a heavy infestation while 2004 only had a borderline outbreak, generally below the spraying point.
A major outbreak hit in 2005 while the 2006 outbreak was light.
“Do you see a trend here?”
Brolley said that many Manitoba farmers had to spray for soybean aphids in 2006, but last summer almost no one had any problem.
“I think (this coming summer) will be the year that we see some soybean aphids in the area here,” said Brolley.
Just because the aphids appear doesn’t mean farmers should spray. Threshold levels have been established and weather conditions can determine whether spraying is the best option. Wet conditions can allow natural fungi to control the aphids.
Brolley said there is a lot of knowledge among experts about how to control soybean aphids, so there is no need to panic if they appear and a farmer is unsure what to do.
The internet contains information on many control resources and the Manitoba government will hold meetings during the growing season if the bugs appear.
Generally Manitoba growers will have a heads-up about whether there will be an infestation because most are blown up from the United States. If there is a heavy infestation in North Dakota, Canadians can start getting ready.
“We won’t be surprised by soybean aphids,” said Brolley.
