Lavender Crop Update – The Start of Bloom – June 23, 2022

Posted on June 23, 2022 by Sean Westerveld

The first cultivars of Lavandula angustifolia are beginning to bloom in my research plots in Simcoe (Figure 1) and likely other farms in the southwest. ‘Big Time Blue’ was the first to bloom in my cultivar trial. Areas further north may be delayed a week or so. Early bloom is the time to harvest for bundles and buds so there are fewer dead and dried petals once they are dried.

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Ginseng Crop Update – Nitrogen Fertilization – June 17, 2022

Posted on June 17, 2022 by Sean Westerveld

The ginseng crop is progressing normally this year after several years of spring cold temperature and frost damage. This should reduce pressures of foliar diseases. As temperatures warm, the added stress could lead to higher Alternaria pressures over the next few weeks. Since there is minimal damage to ginseng tops and drier weather is in the forecast, the risk of Botrytis should be lower going forward.

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OMAFRA’s Brewer’s Guide to Ontario-Grown Hop Varieties 2022-23 Now Available

Posted on June 17, 2022 by Evan Elford

OMAFRA’s new 28-page Brewer’s Guide to Ontario-Grown Hop Varieties is now available online or as a hard copy in both English and French. The guide is intended as a resource to connect Ontario brewers with hop varieties currently grown and available from Ontario hop growers.

Information on individual hop varieties have been compiled to assist brewers in selecting the very best Ontario-grown hops for their brewing needs.

This free guide is available as a hard copy in both English and French and is also available as an e-version on the OMAFRA ONSpecialtycrops blog.

This is a brand-new resource which will be updated as needed. We invite feedback on what is useful or lacking in the guide to make future versions more useful to brewers in making informed decisions on their local hop purchasing needs.  To request a hard copy (in English or French) or to provide feedback on the guide, please contact Evan Elford, OMAFRA New Crop Development Specialist at evan.elford@ontario.ca or download an e-version at the bottom of this posting.

The Brewer’s Guide to Ontario-Grown Hop Varieties was written and produced by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) in collaboration with the Ontario Hop Growers’ Association and the Ontario Craft Brewers.

Download your free e-version here:

English

French

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Ontario hop growers invited to attend a June 22, 2022 ONHoppenings Lunch & Learn

Posted on June 9, 2022 by Melanie Filotas

Overview: OMAFRA specialists Evan Elford and Melanie Filotas are back for with online Zoom discussions about Ontario hops to be held periodically during the growing season. The noon-hour discussions will have a slightly new format for 2022. The first half of the session will cover a focused topic of interest to hop growers in Ontario, while the second half will be opened up for participants to ask Melanie and Evan any questions about hops or to discuss timely issues affecting hops in Ontario. Bring your questions and discussion points.

This month our focused topic will be Diaporthe leaf blight, a new disease affecting hops in northeastern North America. Melanie will provide an overview of what is known about the disease so far, in particular major symptoms for growers to be watching for. Melanie will be joined by this month’s guest speaker, Katie Goldenhar, OMAFRA’s Horticulture Crops Pathologist, who will discuss use of fungicides to control Diaporthe, in particular Fullback, which recently received an emergency use registration for Diaporthe on hops in Ontario for the 2022 growing season only.

This month’s ONHoppenings Lunch and Learn will take place on Wednesday, June 22 from 12-1pm. Attendance is free and open to anyone, however you must pre-register to receive the meeting log-in details. Anyone wishing to ask questions in advance can email Melanie (melanie.filotas@ontario.ca) or Evan (evan.elford@ontario.ca) by 8:30 am on Tuesday, June 21 OR enter it in the question field during registration, and we will do our best to have an answer for you during the session.

Register in advance for this meeting by clicking on the link below:
https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZIlf–tqjosHtXdwY67q1z7fxyd_rlA98cd

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

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Hop growers receive emergency use registration for Diaporthe leaf blight

Posted on June 9, 2022 by Melanie Filotas

Joshua Mosiondz, Minor Use Coordinator, OMAFRA and Melanie Filotas, Horticulture IPM Specialist, OMAFRA

The Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) recently announced the approval of an Emergency Use Registration (EUR) for FULLBACK® 125 SC Fungicide for control of Halo Blight (Diaporthe Leaf Blight – Diaporthe humulicola) on hops in numerous provinces in Canada. This EUR for FULLBACK® 125 SC Fungicide on hops can be used only in Ontario, Quebec, and, Prince Edward Island from June 1st, 2022, until December 31st, 2022.

Diaporthe leaf blight, also known as halo blight, is a new disease affecting hops in northeastern North America since 2017. Symptoms begin as brownish-grey, eliptical lessions on leaves that may have white margins. Severe disease can lead to leaf browning, reduced cone development, and cone browning and shattering. Significant losses from this disease have been reported from hopyards in Quebec and the northeastern US. Diaporthe leaf blight was first observed in an Ontario hop yard in June 2020, and has since been reported from several others.

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Closer® Insecticide Label Expanded via Minor Use Program to Help Manage Aphids and Leafhoppers on Field Basil

Posted on June 7, 2022 by Sean Westerveld

By Josh Mosiondz, Minor Use Coordinator, OMAFRA

The Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) recently announced the approval of a minor use label expansion registration for Closer® Insecticide for control of aphids and suppression of leafhoppers on field basil. Closer® Insecticide was already labeled for management of insects on a wide range of crops in Canada. This minor use proposal was submitted by the Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada, Pest Management Centre (AAFC-PMC) as a result of minor use priorities established by growers and extension personnel. 

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