News Fungicides
Fungicide application underway in Manitoba beans

Dry beans across Manitoba currently range from R1 to R3 and are mostly R2, or at the beginning pod stage, according to the latest bean report from the Manitoba Pulse and Soybean Growers (MPSG).

The beginning pod/pin bean (R2 stage) is the best time to apply fungicide for effective white mould control and fungicide application is underway in most of the province.

On-Farm Network research from 2016-2018 (total of nine site years) has shown an 11 per cent chance of a positive yield response (+55 lbs/ac, on average) from a single fungicide application in pinto and navy beans in Manitoba. The MPSG encourages farmers to use registered products and check with their buyer for potential restrictions, in addition to monitoring for other diseases such as bacterial blight.

Other highlights from the latest bean report include:

• Pea aphids have been spotted in southwest Manitoba and along the Canada-U.S. border near Emerson, but there have not been any confirmed sightings of soybean aphids in Manitoba yet.
• Caution should be taken to follow defoliation thresholds for both grasshoppers and green cloverworms, which is 15-20 per cent tissue loss now that crops are in the reproductive stages.
• Mycosphaerella blight is present in the lower canopy of some pea crops, so producers are encouraged to watch for the spread of disease into the mid- to upper canopy, which may warrant a second fungicide application.
• Questions have been coming in to MPSG about spraying glyphosate on soybeans during flowering. The MPSG say to only consider this if weed pressure is severe enough to threaten yield and if the crop canopy is still open and to not spray glyphosate if pods are developing.

View the full bean report here.