Managing cabbage seedpod weevils (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) in canola (Brassicaceae) – are Lygus (Hemiptera: Miridae) affected?

Abstract

AbstractCabbage seedpod weevil (Ceutorhynchus obstrictus Marsham; Coleoptera: Curculionidae) and Lygus Hahn (Hemiptera: Miridae) species are part of the late season insect pest complex of canola (Brassica Linnaeus; Brassicacea) in the southern prairies of Canada. From 2010 to 2013, large strips in 73 commercial fields were studied in southern Alberta to validate action thresholds for cabbage seedpod weevil and assess the impact of insecticide spraying at the early flower stage for cabbage seedpod weevils on abundance of Lygus at the pod stage. Only fields planted in April accumulated the damaging populations of cabbage seedpod weevils, such that the application of an insecticide resulted in significant yield protection. The economic injury level for the cabbage seedpod weevil was calculated at 20 cabbage seedpod weevils per 10 sweeps, but an action threshold of 25–40 is recommended because sampling mainly occurs along the edge where cabbage seedpod weevils are initially concentrated. At the pod stage, Lygus were lower in strips sprayed with insecticides at the early flower stage than in those not sprayed, but the differences were not statistically significant. Furthermore, Lygus were generally below economically damaging levels in early seeded fields. Therefore, there is no benefit of spraying early seeded fields to attempt to prevent Lygus outbreaks when cabbage seedpod weevils are below thresholds because Lygus may pose a risk only in fields planted later in the season.