What can we learn from 20 years of rape field research? As it turns out, there’s a lot.
In this episode of the Pests & Predators Podcast, brought to you by Field Heroes, host Shaun Haney speaks with Jennifer Otani, an entomologist with Agriculture and Food Canada based in Beaverlodge, Alberta, who has learned from her 20 years of field research. We discuss lessons learned and why continued monitoring of insect species is so important.
Otani says some surprising discoveries have been made as part of the Peace Region canola research project, which shows the value of continuing to conduct research every year.
Originally launched as a means to track the range of the cabbage seed pod weevil into the region, the Peace Canola Survey now has more than 20 years of data to tease out not only what pest species are lurking in farmers’ fields, but also what predators and beneficial insect populations may be present there as well.
Measuring diversity over time is also the value of annual surveys, and Otani says one of the main benefits of these surveys is that they also serve as benchmarks, meaning they can be measured seasonally or every few decades. Explain that it is something that can be compared and contrasted.
Farmers and landowners play a critical role in continuing research, as researchers and extension workers need permits to complete research. Otani hopes that by recognizing the value of ongoing field research, more people will be able to give it access, support it, and contribute.
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