The cranberry weevil, Anthonomus musculus Say; the blackheaded fireworm, Rhopobota naevana (Hübner); and the cranberry fruitworm, Acrobasis vaccinii Riley, are major cranberry pests in Québec. Currently the only insecticide registered to control the cranberry weevil in conventional production is Actara® 25WG (thiamethoxam), a neonicotinoid considered extremely toxic to bees.
After reviewing the potential risks the active compound poses to aquatic invertebrates, the Canadian Pest Management Regulatory Agency decided to withdraw thiamethoxam products by 2021. The only two effective registered products available for controlling the blackheaded fireworm and cranberry fruitworm are Altacor® (chlorantraniliprole) and Intrepid® 240 (methoxyfenozide).
Due to the high prevalence of these pests, insecticide treatments are required every year to limit crop damage. Given there are just two products available, farmers are obliged to rotate them over a two-year period. This project’s aim is to evaluate the effectiveness of HARVANTA® 50SL to control these three insect pests, with the goal of providing data to support an URMULE program application.
From 2019 to 2021
Project duration
Fruit production
Activity areas
Pest, weed, and disease control, Ecosystem protection
Services
This initiative will help Québec growers better control cranberry pests, while protecting beneficial insects.
Ministère de l'Agriculture, des Pêcheries et de l'Alimentation | Quebec Cranberry Growers Association
Exploration of the potential of detecting water stress in lowbush blueberries using a thermal infrared imaging sensor installed on a drone.
Researcher: Carl Boivin
Exclusion nets have proven to be effective against nearly all of these insect pests, which means that it’s possible to develop apple growing practices in Québec that are not only neonicotinoid free, but also devoid of all pesticides (including acaricides, given that mite problems are a consequence of broad-spectrum insecticide use). Although the net exclusion microsystem studied in Québec since 2012 has demonstrated its effectiveness in controlling insect pests, some issues remain to be studied before it can be unreservedly recommended. Among these are the handling times for the nets, i.e., installation/removal and opening/closing, and the system’s profitability and durability over the long haul for various cultivars.
Researcher: Mikaël Larose
This project aims to examine whether improving soil health can help check strawberry decline.
Researcher: Christine Landry