Stand up to flea beetles

By Keith Gabert

When we asked canola farmers what the greatest economic risk to their canola production was, they ranked flea beetles #1*. Scenarios that require multiple in-season foliar sprays are often the result of a slow-establishing non-competitive crop. Strong stand establishment can help reduce flea beetle risk – here are tips to achieve this objective.

Target 5-8 plants per square foot

Canola crops that establish quickly and have five to eight plants per square foot usually face minimal risk from flea beetle feeding. A plant population at the high end of that range will mean more plants for a fixed number of flea beetles. That means fewer beetles per plant, a situation more likely to keep leaf area loss below the threshold of 25 per cent. The graphic below is a visual representation of this point.

Seed shallow into warm, moist soil

These soil conditions are ideal. A later seeding date may reduce the flea beetle risk if it means warmer soils and faster growth. Like most agronomy decisions, delayed seeding comes with trade offs: it may reduce flea beetle risk but may not be ideal to avoid summer heat on flowers and limit fall frost risk. If soils are dry, seeding down into moisture may allow for seed germination, but often results in poor emergence and an extended emergence period. With any delays, seed treatment protection may not last through the at-risk period.

Use safe rates of seed-placed fertilizer

The recommendation is to use only phosphorus in the seed row and no more than 20 lb./ac. of actual phosphate. Higher rates of seed-placed fertilizer add more stress, slow the pace of growth and reduce the stand. 

Flea beetles will emerge from hibernation hungry and increase their activity once air temperatures reach 15°C. Regular scouting for flea beetle damage is essential and should be done until your crop is well established.

For more on flea beetle management tips, how to make the spray decision and how to improve foliar spray results, check out these Canola Watch articles available at canolawatch.org/fundamentals: Flea beetles: Management tips and The flea beetle spray decision: 8 steps. While there, please sign up to receive the weekly Canola Watch e-newsletter, answering the top canola agronomy questions from across the Prairies.

*Canola Council of Canada 2022 survey results

Keith Gabert is an agronomy specialist with the Canola Council of Canada. Email gabertk@canolacouncil.org.