13 Aug Agronomy Update – Aug 13
Hi everyone,
Needless to say…it’s hot and dry. This weather is taking a significant toll on the potato crop. Every day without rain and cooler temperatures robs yield and quality, with some fields already at the point of no return. I sincerely hope that the thunderstorms/rain forecast for Thursday arrives and not all at once, followed by additional amounts in the coming days.
While the crop is obviously stressed and stalled, I continue to be amazed how strong some fields look. I believe that it helps that many fields had a low incidence of foliar disease or pest damage before this dry period. The fields that appear to be the most impacted are varieties that are susceptible to Verticillium wilt (ie. Superior, Russet Burbank) as well as those that were planted late and were unable to achieve full canopy.
Between conversations with producers/agronomists as well as those who participated in the Crop Update meeting yesterday, here are some additional observations:
- There are some reports of leafhopper nymphs in some fields. Threshold level is 20 nymphs per 50 leaves (if taking one large leaf per plant for 50 plants)
- Tarnished plant bugs and flea beetles are also around. Have had one report of black-headed cutworms causing damage to stalks in East Prince.
- Common scab is becoming more evident as tubers bulk up.
- Aphids are moving into potato fields during grain harvest and scouts are keeping a close eye on their numbers in both seed and commercial fields.
- Some seed producers would normally be top-killing very soon, but a delay in tuber bulking is delaying that schedule.
Air Spore Update:
| August 11th, 2025 | |||
| Early Blight | Brown Spot | Grey Mold | |
| West Prince | 9 | 13 | 1 |
| East Prince | 8 | 33 | 1 |
| Queens | 23 | 13 | 8 |
| Kings | 80 | 62 | 3 |
- No late blight spores have been detected in PEI or NB this season
- Foliar late blight has been confirmed in Quebec in recent days
- Early blight spore counts remain low in most of province, ticking up in Kings County this week.
- Brown spot spores are present but also not at high levels, considering the dry weather and stress on the crop.
- Grey mold (Bortrytis) spores are low, and this hot, dry weather is generally not conducive to grey mold spread. I have had one report of significant grey mold infection in eastern PEI but not widespread reports.
Aphid Alert Update:
| Region | Date | Number of Samples | Green Peach Aphid | Potato Aphid | Buckthorn Aphid | Bird Cherry-Oat Aphid | Other Aphid | Tarnished Plant Bug | Total Aphids | Ave. Aphids per Sample |
| WEST PRINCE | 11-Aug-25 | 15 | 0 | 9 | 10 | 0 | 47 | 11 | 66 | 4.40 |
| EAST PRINCE | 11-Aug-25 | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA |
| CENTRAL QUEENS | 11-Aug-25 | 11 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 24 | 1 | 30 | 2.73 |
| SE QUEENS/KINGS | 11-Aug-25 | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA |
| EAST KINGS | 11-Aug-25 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 1 | 17 | 5.67 |
| Total | 29 | 1 | 12 | 12 | 1 | 87 | 13 | 113 | 3.90 |
- Aphid numbers continue to sit around 4 per sample without any reported yet this week from East Prince, which has had the highest aphid numbers throughout the season.
- Green peach aphids haven’t taken over the population as they have in years past (which is good); however, we are seeing a growth in potato and buckthorn aphid numbers.
- Tarnished plant bug numbers were elevated this week in West Prince.
- Seed growers should remain vigilant in scouting and application of oils and aphicides, especially during grain harvest as aphids move from grain fields to other nearby crops.
AIM BBQs: Aug 26-28th
Mark your calendars! Join us for our AIM BBQs on August 26th, 27th and 28th!
➡️ Tuesday, August 26th: Arthur Mooney & Sons Farm, 3567 New Harmony Rd, Souris (includes sprayer drone demo).
➡️ Wednesday, August 27th: Wallace Properties, 668 Dock Rd, Elmsdale
➡️ Thursday, August 28th: Cavendish Farms Discovery Farm, 987 Campbellton Road, New London
Showcased will be some AIM trials, trial results from AIM partners, and demos of new technology.
All growers and industry partners are invited to attend.
Take Care of Yourselves!
There have been a few close-calls already this week when it comes to combining in hot and tinder dry conditions. We forwarded an email yesterday from the PEI Department of Agriculture regarding taking extra precautions when combining and baling under these challenging conditions. Please ensure that you have fire extinguishers and access to water to quickly respond to any fire hazards in the field.
In addition, this heat and drought is hard on both physical and mental health. Please ensure that you and your employees are getting enough water and sufficient rest with temperature control.
For those needing someone to talk to about the strains that this weather and everyday farming realities can place on your mental health, please utilize the PEI Farmers Talk helpline at 1-800-736-8000 or visit www.farmerstalk.ca.
Fingers crossed for rain!
Ryan