The old battle against potato virus Y (PVY) is becoming harder there, noted Tyler MacKenzie, research and development co-ordinator at the Agricultural Certification Services Lab of Potatoes New Brunswick, and it’s a sneaky problem. Infected plants are hard to spot. With the strains the region is dealing with, there often aren’t a lot of above-ground symptoms to warn of a budding issue.

WHY IT MATTERS: Manitoba Agriculture is on the watch for aphid populations, known vectors for PVY, every year.

PVY remains the top cause of mosaic disease in potatoes, bringing down yields and tainting seed stocks, according to Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. Growers know it by its common signs: stunted growth, vein banding, leaf drop and early death of plants, with infected potato crops often showing dwarfed size and crinkled leaves.

It’s also an insect management problem. The virus hangs out on the mouthparts of aphids who have fed on infected plants, spreading through a field. It doesn’t take much PVY in a field for seed potatoes to be rejected, resources published by AAFC note.

Necrotic strains like PVYntn have made the problem worse, according to research by MacKenzie and other potato virologists with the Agricultural Certification Services Lab.

These strains cause brownish necrotic rings in tubers while producing minimal leaf symptoms.

Research from potato commodity groups shows that the newer strains of the virus spread faster than older varieties, affecting more plants even when individual impacts were lower. The strains also cause severe tuber necrosis in susceptible varieties.

The problem has grown as New Brunswick’s potato industry consolidated, attendees heard. The number of seed growers has declined, while more operations mix seed production with processing crops.

“In recent years, you can see that the exclusive seed growers … managed to keep their PVY levels low, but the mixed growers really lost control of their PVY,” MacKenzie said.

Why management matters

But the data also showed growers using strict management practices kept infection rates low even during severe aphid years.

The virus can overwinter in tubers left in the field and is easily transmitted during seed cutting operations, or when poor handling causes tissue damage. Aphids, especially the green peach aphid, are the primary mode of transmission. Alternative host plants include other members of the nightshade, goosefoot and legume families.

The most effective control measure is using clean seed.

Fields planted with seed containing around two per cent PVY had five times the failure rate in bad years compared to cleaner seed, MacKenzie said.

Oil sprays as an aphid control also reduced infection rates. Growers applying at least two litres per acre of mineral oil weekly saw infection rates drop by half or a third compared to those using lower concentrations, research showed. Combined with strategic insecticide use and monitoring through aphid alert programs, these tools help growers control the disease, attendees heard.

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A new mobile app in development at the University of Saskatchewan promises to identify field insects instantly, map local populations and deliver management advice.

WHY IT MATTERS: Tracking pests and beneficial insects in real time could help farmers make quicker, better-informed pest management decisions and cut unnecessary pesticide use.

The app, called IPPM Now, is expected to combine artificial intelligence (AI), geospatial data and entomology expertise to turn a smartphone photo into real-time agronomic insight. Its developers say it recognizes both harmful and beneficial insects.

Farmers could therefore learn not only what insect they’re dealing with, but whether pressure has reached economic thresholds and what conservation steps might protect beneficial species.

“It will be super useful for farmers, agronomists and scientists scouting insect pests,” says project lead Teresa Aguiar, a PhD student at the University of Saskatchewan. “Scouting takes a lot of time, and the information from researchers, agronomists and farmers is often disconnected.”

From photo to field map

Each image submitted through the app is tagged to a rural municipality, not to an exact GPS point, to protect user privacy. Those records build a colour-coded map that shows where pests, pollinators and biocontrol insects are active.

“We want a practical tool that integrates insect identification, spatial reference, data collection and management recommendations in one platform to make decisions with all the variables involved in pest management,” Aguiar says.

Smart traps and sweep-net scouting

Alongside the app, Insect Track Solutions, the Saskatoon-based startup commercializing the project, is testing a smart trap that photographs insects and uploads images to the same AI model used by the app, identifying and counting adult insects automatically.

Because sticky cards only capture flying adults, Aguiar’s team also designed a simple, low-tech workaround for ground or juvenile stages.

“To solve this problem, make a sweep and then put that sweep in a ziplock bag with a white background and take a picture of that ziplock bag using our mobile app,” she says. The model can then identify and count nymphs and instars in the sample, giving a fuller picture of population levels.

What the app can do today

The prototype version already supports canola and wheat and recognizes 10 key insect groups common to the Prairies. Pests include lygus, flea beetles, grasshoppers and weevils; beneficials include lacewings, lady beetles, hoverflies, bumblebees and honeybees. The app draws on field data and photo libraries, including data and images supplied by Manitoba entomologist John Gavloski, to keep improving its accuracy toward species-level ID.

Future updates will broaden crop coverage and add weather and growth-stage links to help predict pest risk or pollinator timing.

Beta testers wanted

Before IPPM Now officially launches this spring, developers are inviting farmers, agronomists and crop scouts to test it out. Beta users will get early access, provide feedback on design and function, and can volunteer to host free smart-trap trials in 2025.

Aguiar says user input will guide the final version.

“We are sending beta testing invitations. If you’re interested, we can put the app in your phone early access to give us feedback and help us to shape the app and get it ready for next season.”

Farmers and agronomists interested in early testing or hosting field validation sites can contact Insect Track Solutions Inc. via email.

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If you’re a grower, you’ve likely got pest insects at some level and hopefully at a minimum. As John Gavloski, extension entomologist with Manitoba Agriculture, pointed out at the Crop Diagnostic School last month in Carman, there are particular crop pests to keep a close eye on this year. In this video, Gavloski shares which insects are getting most of the attention in the 2023 growing season and some ‘good news’ for producers on at least one insect front.

The post VIDEO: What’s ‘bugging’ Manitoba growers this year? appeared first on Manitoba Co-operator.