Yield-robbing vegetable insects now easier to identify with new free guide
March 4, 2010
Vegetable growers across Canada now have a valuable tool to help correctly identify 39 of the most common insects affecting the productivity of vegetable field crops. A Field Guide to Vegetable Insects – a new publication produced by Bayer CropScience – is the first of its kind and includes full-colour photos of 39 insect pests, as well as keys for identification, crops affected and management notes.
The guide can be ordered at no charge at: BayerCropScience.ca/VegInsectGuide or by calling 1 888-283-6847.
“Accurate identification of insect pests can be a difficult task – but one that’s critical for making pest management decisions,” says David Kikkert, Portfolio Manager, Horticulture for Bayer CropScience. “Growers now have a dedicated resource to help them correctly identify vegetable pests, and make sound crop protection decisions.”
According to a 2007 report by John R. Meyer, Department of Entomology at North Carolina State University: “The economic impact of insects is measured not only by the market value of products they destroy and the cost of damage they inflict but also by the money and resources expended on prevention and control of pest outbreaks. Although dollar values for these losses are nearly impossible to calculate, economists generally agree that insects consume or destroy around 10% of gross national product in industrialized nations.”
“We continue to be committed to providing Canadian vegetable growers and the horticultural industry with valuable resources,” says Kikkert. “This guide is another great example of collaboration between Bayer CropScience, industry and government, and we sincerely thank all organizations involved for their support of this project.” Content and photos for the new guide was provided by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development, BC Ministry of Agriculture and Lands, Government of Manitoba, Government of Prince Edward Island, The Ohio State University, Colorado State University and the University of Minnesota.
About Bayer CropScience
Bayer is a global enterprise with core competencies in the fields of health care, nutrition and high-tech materials. Bayer CropScience AG, a subsidiary of Bayer AG with annual sales of about EUR 6.4 billion (2008), is one of the world’s leading innovative crop science companies in the areas of crop protection, non-agricultural pest control, seeds and plant biotechnology. The company offers an outstanding range of products and extensive service backup for modern, sustainable agriculture and for non-agricultural applications. Bayer CropScience has a global workforce of about 18,000 and is represented in more than 120 countries. Further information on Bayer CropScience Canada is available at BayerCropScience.ca
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Bayer CropScience is a member of CropLife Canada.