In the past couple of weeks, we have observed this individual feeding on sweet potato plants in the Simcoe area.
Sweet potato producers who used to grow tobacco will likely recognize this as a hornworm, however it is not the same species as the more common tobacco or tomato hornworm. This is likely a sweetpotato hornworm.
Tobacco blue mold was recently found in broadleaf and shade tobacco in Connecticut and Massachussets. In past weeks, the disease was also reported in Pennsylvania and Tennessee.
While there have been no reports of tobacco blue mold in Ontario so far this year, tobacco growers should be scouting their fields regularly for signs of blue mold. Please report any findings or suspected infections of blue mold immediately.
For more information, refer to the Canadian Tobacco Research Foundation’s blog.
From Evan Elford, New Crops Development Specialist, OMAFRA and Melanie Filotas, Specialty Crops IPM Specialist
We’ve had a number of questions from hops growers lately. Here’s an update on what’s going on in Ontario and some answers to the more common questions.
“Hops: a potential niche crop for Ontario” is a three year research project led by the University of Guelph and funded by OMAFRA’s New Directions Research Program. When the project was conceived in 2011, its purpose was to provide baseline data on hops production in Ontario and help provide answers to the majority of questions received by growers.
The main objectives of the project include:
1. Identify market opportunities for hop production in Ontario; and,
2. Evaluate commercial hop cultivars under Ontario growing conditions for plant establishment and vigour, susceptibility to insect pests and diseases, yield and visual quality of cones, levels of hop resin components, and winter hardiness.
As a lead up to the University of Guelph’s Hop Research Twilight Meeting (July 23, 2015), which will provide more in-depth information of project findings, here is a summary of the initial reports and results to date:
Establishment Year, 2013 Growing Season
Overview of cultivar evaluation (variety trial) and pest complexes, 2013
Summary of resin analysis in replicated field trial, 2013
Year 2, 2014 Growing Season
Overview of cultivar evaluation (variety trial) and pest complexes, 2014
Summary of resin analysis from grower samples, 2014
Available soon: Summary of resin analysis in replicated field trial, 2014
During the twilight meeting, Dr. Mary Ruth McDonald’s team from the Department of Plant Agriculture at the University of Guelph will discuss cultivar and pest management results to date of the three year project (2013-2015). They will also provide a brief overview of hop downy mildew research conducted by the team over the past few years. The research update will also feature a presentation and discussion of market opportunities and grower/brewer survey results completed in 2013-2014 by Elliott Currie, Associate Professor in the Department of Management (College of Business & Economics) of the University of Guelph.
Additionally, Dr. Melanie Filotas and Evan Elford (OMAFRA) will provide an overview of other applied hop research projects during a tour of the research hop yard. These projects include a frost management trial and leaf stripping trial.
Research yard establishment year , Spring 2013
Year 2, Spring, Summer, & Autumn, 2014
Thank you to supporting project partners: OMAFRA, University of Guelph, Loyalist College, Erie Innovation and Commercialization, Ontario Craft Brewers, Ontario Hop Growers’ Association, and various commercial Ontario hop growers.
If you are interested in attending the Hop Research Twilight Meeting, please RSVP to the Agricultural Information Contact Centre at 1.877.424.1300 or ag.info.omafra@ontario.ca
In a recent article, Bart Watson, Chief Economist for the Brewers Association in the US, analysed the USDA’s June Hop Acreage Report. Although the article focuses mainly on the primary hop growing regions of the Pacific NorthWest of the US, he does touch on some consideration for small, but increasing hop acreage in Eastern North America.
Of particular interest for hop growers in all regions is Watson’s caution on historical hop prices: “Historically, hops prices have been incredibly sensitive to demand. When there is a shortage, they tend to rise very quickly. On the flip side, when there is a surplus, prices can drop rapidly.”
To read Watson’s full article, follow the link to the Brewer’s Association website: http://www.brewersassociation.org/insights/hop-acreage-report/
From Jim Chaput, OMAFRA Minor Use Coordinator and Melanie Filotas, OMAFRA Specialty Crops IPM Specialist.
The Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) recently announced the approval of an EMERGENCY USE for Regalia® Maxx biofungicide (Reynoutria sachalinensis) for suppression of downy mildew on hops in New Brunswick, Quebec, Ontario and British Columbia. Regalia® Maxx biofungicide was already labeled for use on a number of crops in Canada for control of diseases. Continue reading
