YS Ag Consulting

YS Ag Consulting Out Standing in Your Field
CCA and RTAg registerered agronomist

This week...cutworms. Cutworms have been out in central Alberta this spring mowing down some peas which thankfully tend ...
06/10/2026

This week...cutworms.

Cutworms have been out in central Alberta this spring mowing down some peas which thankfully tend to get angry and throw up a few more shoots to overcompensate for the damage (try hards). While numbers are nowhere near as bad as the 2023 outbreak populations seem to be lingering at slightly higher levels than I'm used to seeing.

While we tend to think of cutworm as moving along the soil surface chewing through anything in front of it that is only one type of cutworm feeding habit. Others are subterranean feeders, doing the majority of the damage from underground and climbing cutworms cause defoliation rather than stem damage.

https://prairiepest.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Cutworm-booklet-Final-EN-May1-2017.pdf. is a great resource book available for cutworm identification, lifecycle and feeding habits.

Worm Wednesday.... it's wireworm time. Seeing patches of yellowed plants in the row when you're checking wheat and barl...
05/27/2026

Worm Wednesday.... it's wireworm time.

Seeing patches of yellowed plants in the row when you're checking wheat and barley? Time to break out the shovel and check for wireworm.

These orange worms are the larval stage of the click beetle but they're not in a hurry to grow up. Wireworm can live up to 11 years in the soil before becoming beetles with the average being 3-5 years and are able to survive 2 years without a plant food source so they're pretty tough to starve out and will feed on most major crops grown in Alberta if cereals aren't available. They also thrive in grassland and can affect crops following breaking in high numbers.

Wireworm larva are attracted to the carbon dioxide germinating seedlings give off and will tunnel through seeds, destroying them before emergence, or will partially shred underground stems, limiting nutrient and water movement up to the plant causing eventual wilting and death. Since wireworm never come to the soil surface foliar insecticide is useless, seed treatments are available but risk damaging beneficials like last week's stiletto fly larva.

A great wireworm resource I keep in my truck can be found athttps://publications.gc.ca/collections/collection_2021/aac-aafc/A42-125-2021-eng.pdf in PDF form.

05/20/2026

For 2026 it's Worm Wednesday

I shared about this insect last July but I've already gotten several calls this spring about long, thin white worms in the ground and what to do about them so we're going to highlight them again.

Stiletto fly larvae seem to be showing up in more scoops of soil the last few years which is great with the increased wireworm pressure central Alberta has been seeing lately. Stiletto fly larva feed on grasshopper eggs, wireworms and other larva in the soil while the adults feed on nectar and prefer to be in open areas with sandy soil. The larvae will throw themselves around dramatically when disturbed.

Seeing their numbers appear to be increasing alongside the wireworm and grasshopper numbers is extremely encouraging that the below ground ecosystem seems to be keeping itself balanced.

Is your seed as field ready as you are? Did a germination test over the winter in an old peanut butter jar on top of the...
04/17/2026

Is your seed as field ready as you are? Did a germination test over the winter in an old peanut butter jar on top of the fridge and things look good?

While doing a germination test in the house gives you an idea of seed survival at room temperature it doesn't tell you what will happen in real spring soil conditions. That's where a vigor test comes in, its a cold stress test mimicking early spring temperatures and gives you a real picture. Vigor will also begin to drop ahead of germination, signaling an issue soon to come. And a fall seed test is great but things don't always come out of the bin in the same condition they went in.

For this grower a fall seed test showed things were decent, rates were calculated according to the test and the lower germination rate was compensated for...then only half the plant stand emerged emerged. After double checking a ton of potential causes before sending away a seed test and finding the vigor to be an exact match for the 50% emergence. Many of the remainder did eventually emerge in late June to early July once the soil was warmer but that isn't what anyone plans for when they're seeding field peas. 4 plants/ft2 when 8 is intended leaves a lot of room for w**d establishment between, especially in kochia country and leaves a lot of potential on the table.

So instead of just putting that peanut butter jar of wet paper towel and seed on the fridge think about putting one in the fridge as well to stress your seed out. Or better yet just leave it to the experts to check things for you.

I get asked a lot if agronomists take the fall and winter off since there's not really much to do. So this fall I decide...
11/05/2025

I get asked a lot if agronomists take the fall and winter off since there's not really much to do. So this fall I decided to use that free time to do a few calculations.

932- the number of pounds of soil being sent to the lab this fall by YS Ag alone.

552- the number of individual bags of soil brought in, labeled, packed and shipped.

286- the number of individual fields (and gardens) represented by the samples. Each will get an in depth analysis and recommendation through the winter so the results can be turned into something usable and useful on farm.

Millions- the value of these soil test results when translated into fertilizer bought, fertilizer that wasn't bought and applied because the recommendation was lower than the 'grower standard', and the value of the resulting crops (even with crop prices where they are right now)

1- the number of times I've talked in my sleep about soil testing this fall (allegedly)... it might be time to take a break

What does one do with leftover treated pea seed that had the vigor drop over the winter to only 50% and soil moisture af...
09/02/2025

What does one do with leftover treated pea seed that had the vigor drop over the winter to only 50% and soil moisture after barley silage has been taken off? Hook up the drill and put oats down with the peas for some late season grazing.

Taking one last walk through your best wheat crop before harvest and suddenly it's seems half if it has fallen down over...
08/20/2025

Taking one last walk through your best wheat crop before harvest and suddenly it's seems half if it has fallen down overnight? There's a few culprits to blame this year; Hessian fly, foot/crown/common root rot, and wheat stem sawfly.

Hessian fly prefers spring and winter wheat with barley, oats, triticale and rye considered resistant. Flies lay 250-300 eggs in their 2-3 day lifespan in May and June. Eggs hatch shortly after and larva feed for 2-3 weeks on lower plant tissue causing stems to deform, fall over or can even cause plants to be severely stunted or die. To check for whether Hessian fly is causing your crop loss pull back the lower leaf sheaths or open stems near lower nodes and stem bends to look for small flax seed looking puparium. Early seeding and good crop rotation are management strategies.

Common root/foot/crown rot can be identified by shiny dark brown stems below the first node, roots or subcrown internode above the seed to the soil surface. Plants are typically leaning right from the ground but the full stem is still attached.

Wheat stem sawfly lay eggs in wheat stems in June and July which hatch and larva begin feeding on the inner stems moving toward the bottom of the plant. Once plant moisture content is below 50% larva cut a notch into the bottom of the stem causing the wheat to become susceptible to falling over. The bottom of affected stems are typically quite blunt and can be identified by the sawdust like frass and plant material inside the stem.

07/19/2025

Focus on Beneficials- Stiletto Flies

This classy sounding beneficial is found across the world helping farmers and gardeners out. The larvae prowl the soil looking for grasshopper eggs, wireworms and other soil dwelling larva to prey on. When disturbed stiletto fly larva become very active, moving rapidly. Adults feed on nectar and plant exudates but can be difficult to find.

Make sure not to confuse them with wireworms which are always orange, significantly smaller and much less fun to have around.

07/17/2025

🚨 Happening next week! 🚨

Don’t miss a powerhouse day of insight and in-field learning — hear from Ryan Copithorne on navigating the cattle cycle 🐂, Ken Van Driesten on whole system forage planning 🌱, plus enjoy local field tours showcasing perennial success 🌾, sod seeding, and cocktail cropping in action 🚜!

Growing canola and wondering whether this will be the year bertha armyworm will be treating your crop like an all you ca...
07/15/2025

Growing canola and wondering whether this will be the year bertha armyworm will be treating your crop like an all you can eat buffet?

Check out https://www.agric.gov.ab.ca/app68/listings/bertha/bertha_map.jsp to follow the current bertha trap results for an early warning. 276 pheromone traps are being monitored across Alberta by volunteer agronomists, counties and ag retails weekly including one at Altario set up by YS Ag.

While these surveys don't replace in fields scouting they're a great way to know where to focus your energy (and worry).

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