12 Sep Agronomy Update – Sept 12th
Hi everyone,
While the 20-25 mm that most of the province received last week was welcome, it comes too late for some varieties and some fields. A number of fields are senescing on their own quickly after the rain, while some longer season russets are making use of the moisture. As such, yield expectations are all over the map. I dug some red potatoes today with encouragingly high yields, considering the lack of rainfall in their area. Some other fields on my trial digging schedule will be definitely under budget, as rains came too late to bulk up what appears to be an above-average set of tubers. Here’s hoping that there are some pleasant surprises awaiting most of your once harvest begins.
Late Season Foliar Management:
- Both Spornado and Airspore programs were negative for Late Blight again this week. No late blight has been confirmed in the Maritimes, and the dry air of the last week reduces the risk of development.
- Bortrytis (grey mold) spore counts spiked much higher this week following the weekend rain. For those trying to keep canopies alive for another couple of weeks to finish bulking, consider using Bravo/Echo in your spray program.
- A number of producers are spraying commercial acres for aphids, as high aphid numbers have been observed.
| Aphid Alert: Last Week | ||||||
| Region | Week ending | Number of traps | Green peach Aphid | Other Aphid | Total | Average per trap |
| CENTRAL PRINCE | 7-Sep-24 | 4 | 44 | 61 | 105 | 26.3 |
| CENTRAL QUEENS | 7-Sep-24 | 4 | 1 | 10 | 11 | 2.8 |
| EAST KINGS | 7-Sep-24 | 0 | NA | NA | NA | NA |
| SE QUEENS/KINGS | 7-Sep-24 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 3.0 |
| WEST PRINCE | 7-Sep-24 | 11 | 16 | 288 | 304 | 27.6 |
| Total | 20 | 63 | 360 | 423 | 21.2 |
Aphid Alert – Collections from Sept 9th:
| Region | Date | Number of traps | Green peach Aphid | Other Aphid | Total | Average per trap |
| CENTRAL PRINCE | 9-Sep-24 | 5 | 7 | 13 | 20 | 4.0 |
| CENTRAL QUEENS | 9-Sep-24 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 |
| EAST KINGS | 9-Sep-24 | 0 | NA | NA | NA | NA |
| SE QUEENS/KINGS | 9-Sep-24 | 0 | NA | NA | NA | NA |
| WEST PRINCE | 9-Sep-24 | 10 | 75 | 30 | 105 | 10.5 |
| Total | 18 | 82 | 43 | 125 | 6.9 |
- Aphid numbers are trending down a bit this week after a big spike up last week. Green peach aphids per trap have increased, but the # of other aphids has fallen.
- For those with seed still alive, use of non-pyrethroid aphicides is highly recommended.
Additional comments:
- For those with AIM trials: Bethany or I will be in touch early next week to check on the status of your fields and discuss your anticipated harvest schedule for those fields. If you are planning on digging any fields in the next 7 days, please contact me so we can arrange to get harvest samples next week.
- For those getting cover crops seeded, we will soon be out of the window for the best establishment of brassicas (radish, mustard). If you plan to keep planting brassicas for another week, I would recommend mixing with oats or barley to ensure something catches and has time to grow.
- As you and your staff get harvesters and handling equipment serviced and ready to go, pay attention to any areas where padding is missing or insufficient. I expect that gravities will be higher this year, and that comes with potential for shatter bruise and cracking, as well as black spot bruise. In addition, minimize all drop heights and optimize the flow of potatoes up elevator chains and escalators to minimize bruising.
- Farm safety is important all year round, but particularly at harvest season when many of you will be working long hours, often with part-time or short-term staff. Ensure that all staff are fully trained on the safe operation of their equipment, and ensure everyone has enough rest…tired people are much more likely to make potentially serious unsafe decisions.
Have a great weekend. Thanks to those farms that are opening their doors for Open Farm Day on Sunday!
Ryan