Project Code: PRR15-050
Project lead
Charles Vincent - Agriculture and AgriFood Canada
Summary of Results
In recent years, significant increases have been seen in grape production and the area planted to vineyards in Canada. Research underway in Canada since the mid 1990’s has shed light on a number of the pests affecting grapes in various grape growing regions of Canada, and the beneficial species which can be found in vineyards. However there are few resources available for grape growers, particularly in Eastern Canada, to help them identify and make informed decisions to manage insect pests in their vineyards according to the principles of integrated pest management (IPM).
Growers in many parts of the country use insecticide sprays throughout the season to protect their high value crops from damaging insect species. However, with the phase-out of some of the older chemistries, the rise in incidence of resistant pest populations for some chemistries, and concerns about impacts of insecticides on beneficial species, including natural enemies, identification of arthropods of vineyards is a priority for grape growers to address their pest issues in a sustainable manner.
Over the course of this approximately three year project, Dr. Vincent and his team assessed and compiled existing scientific information on insect and mite pests of vineyards in Eastern Canadian vineyards as well as the beneficial arthropod organisms that are also present as important elements of vineyard ecosystem. Where necessary, new photographic images were obtained with the help of collaborators from federal and provincial governments, researchers located in Ontario, Québec and Nova Scotia, and private enterprises. The project team developed descriptions of damage and life cycle related to the pest organisms, as well as information of relevance to beneficial species. All of the compiled information was used in the creation of a new, illustrated grape production reference guide, the Guide to the key arthropods of vineyards of Eastern Canada. This 114 page guide, freely downloadable in both English and French in a graphic intensive and print-ready field sized format, also addresses methods to conserve and enhance the performance of beneficial species and other IPM approaches available for implementation in vineyards in Eastern Canada. It is anticipated that application of techniques such as conservation and augmentation of natural enemies, selection of pest management tools compatible with beneficial organisms, and with better understanding of the numerous arthropods present in the vineyard, growers will be better equipped to produce grapes using sustainable pest management programs with reduced reliance on chemical interventions.
The Guide to the key arthropods of vineyards of Eastern Canada is available from Government of Canada Publications.
For more information about the Guide please contact Dr. Charles Vincent, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, St. Jean-sur-Richelieu, Québec.