Cereal & Oilseed Update 2026

Field Crop Update - Bi-Weekly update - July 13, 2026

The growing season of 2026 continues to be cooler and wetter than recent years in many parts of Prince Edward Island. Growing Degree Day accumulations remain lower than at this time in both 2024 and 2025, with most reporting stations running about 7–15% behind. O’Leary continues to have the highest heat accumulation, while Souris remains one of the coolest areas.
Rainfall has also been variable. Western PEI has received more rain than last year, while Eastern areas are closer to, or below, 2025 rainfall levels. Overall, PEI reporting stations are averaging about 10% more rainfall than this time last year.

Because crop development is uneven across the province, management decisions should be based on crop stage and field conditions, not the calendar.

Spring Cereals: Scout for Disease and Insects

Spring cereals are variable across PEI this season. Some early-seeded fields are past heading, while later-seeded fields are still at the boot stage. Cooler temperatures have slowed development in many fields.
Recent rainfall and long periods of leaf wetness have created good conditions for cereal leaf diseases, including Septoria, tan spot, net blotch, and scald. Current weather is also favourable for Fusarium Head Blight development, so fungicide timing should be based on crop stage.

Key reminders for cereals

• Scout each field separately.
• Check crop stage before making fungicide decisions.
• Watch for leaf disease on lower and middle leaves.
• Keep Fusarium Head Blight timing in mind as fields move through heading and flowering.
• Continue scouting after fungicide applications, especially if wet weather continues.

Keep Stripe Rust disease on your radar

Stripe rust can spread quickly under cool, humid conditions. Producers should keep scouting susceptible varieties and continue checking fields even after a fungicide has been applied. Early detection is important.

FHB Risk Forecast Tool Now Available

The Fusarium Head Blight (FHB) Risk Forecast Tool is now live on the Atlantic Grains Council website. This tool provides timely, region-specific risk assessments to help growers make informed disease management decisions throughout the growing season. 

Cereal Leaf Beetle Larvae

Cereal leaf beetle larvae have been found during recent scouting in PEI cereal fields. Populations are being monitored, but growers should scout wheat, oats, and barley to see if economic thresholds are reached.

Cereal leaf beetles are a sporadic pest. Control is often not needed but it is good to monitor for outbreaks. They particularly like wheat, oats, and barley.

Typically, natural enemies (beneficial insects) keep cereal leaf beetle populations under control. Only spray insecticides when thresholds are reached, as they can harm beneficial insects that keep other pests under control.

Every 5 days, examine 20 plants in five locations across the field

Control may be warranted if you find:

• Average of three larvae per tiller is found before boot stage.
• One CLB adult or larvae per stem after boot but prior to heading.
• Significant feeding on the flag leaf in the early heading stages

Only use foliar insecticides when thresholds have been reached. Pay attention to pre-harvest intervals on labels!

The larvae are the most damaging stage. They look slug-like because they are covered in dark fecal material. Feeding causes long, narrow “window-pane” strips on leaves. Heavy feeding can make fields look silvery from a distance. Feeding on the flag leaf can reduce grain fill and yield when populations are high.

For photos, refer to Cereal & Oilseed Update file.

Natural enemies, including parasitic wasps, can help control cereal leaf beetles. Insecticide should only be used when thresholds are reached to protect beneficial insects and avoid unnecessary sprays.

Fungicides: Protection Does Not Last All Season

This has been a strong disease-risk season in many crops. It is important to remember that a fungicide application provides a window of protection, not season-long protection.

Products break down over time, new plant growth may not be protected, and wet weather can continue to drive disease pressure.

A good way to think about fungicide is like sunblock. It works well when first applied, but protection decreases over time. If weather conditions continue to favour disease, producers may need to reassess fields later in the season.

Take-home message:

Scout before spraying and scout after spraying. Fungicide is one tool in disease management, but it is not the end of disease management.

Soybeans

Soybeans have benefited from good soil moisture, but cooler growing conditions have slowed crop development. The main concern is whether enough heat units will accumulate for pod fill and timely maturity, especially in cooler eastern and coastal regions.

Growers should monitor flowering and pod development, continue scouting for weed escapes, and pay close attention to fields with a history of white mold.

White mold risk in soybeans

Current weather may favour white mold, especially in dense fields with high moisture and a field history of the disease. Risk is higher in narrow rows, high plant populations, early closing canopies, and frequent rainfall during flowering.

Fungicides can help suppress white mold when applied at the right growth stage, usually during early flowering from R1 to R3.

Scout for aphids and spider mites in your crops:

Aphids and spider mites should also be on the radar over when scouting corn and soybeans fields. Last year’s hot, dry August and September created favourable conditions for these pests, and by September management options were limited in many fields.  Scouting for these insects can be difficult so please reach out to your agronomist or myself if you need any help with identifying them.  

Scout soybean and corn fields now, especially fields under moisture stress, fields near edges, or fields with past insect pressure. This is especially important before applying fungicide. If you are already planning a pass across the field, check for insects first so you can make the best decision.

For soybean aphids, treatment is generally considered when fields average 250 aphids per plant, with 80% or more of plants infested, and populations are still increasing from R1 to R5.

For spider mites, there is no fixed economic threshold. Decisions should be based on active mites, leaf stippling or bronzing, crop stress, weather forecast, and whether the infestation is spreading from field edges.

Also look for beneficial insects such as lady beetles, syrphid fly larvae, minute pirate bugs, parasitic wasps, and fungal-infected aphids. These natural enemies can help keep aphid populations in check. Unnecessary insecticide applications can disrupt beneficial insects and may worsen mite issues.

Key message:

Do not wait until September to find out these pests are present. Scout now, especially before fungicide applications, while there is still time to make good management decisions.

Canola:

Many canola fields across PEI have been flowering over the past week. Cooler conditions have slowed crop development, so producers should continue to monitor crop stage closely.

For photos, refer to Cereal & Oilseed Update file.

White mold risk is highest in fields with dense canopies, moist soils, frequent rainfall, high humidity during flowering, and a history of the disease.

Fungicide timing is most effective when the crop is about 20–50% bloom and petals are beginning to fall into the canopy. Fungicide decisions should be based on crop stage, canopy density, disease history, and weather conditions.

Cabbage seedpod weevil is also being monitored. This insect is important because larvae feed inside developing pods and can reduce yield. Adult feeding on buds and flowers usually causes little economic injury.

Current monitoring indicates populations remain below the economic threshold, so no control is needed at this time.

Corn: Dig Deeper and Check Stand Issues

Corn remains one of the crops most affected by lower heat accumulation this season. Corn in western PEI is generally more advanced than corn in eastern PEI because of higher heat accumulation. If cooler conditions continue, some fields may face maturity challenges later in the season.

For photos, refer to Cereal & Oilseed Update file.

Uneven emergence and variable plant development are showing up in some corn fields. While planter maintenance matters, uniform stands are also affected by planting conditions, soil temperature, soil moisture, residue, seed placement, seed-to-soil contact, and weather after planting.

Uniform emergence is often more important than perfect plant spacing for protecting yield potential.

Now is a good time to take a shovel or spade and dig up plants in areas where corn is uneven, delayed, or not keeping up with the rest of the stand. Looking below ground can tell us a lot about what happened earlier in the season.

Things to look for:

• Runted or delayed plants
• Twisted or malformed leaves
• Corkscrew-shaped seedlings
• Slug damage
• Wireworm feeding injury
• Poor root development
• Sidewall compaction
• Seed trench issues
• Differences between healthy and struggling plants in the same field

For photos, refer to Cereal & Oilseed Update file.

Slug damage and wireworm feeding have both been observed this season. Wireworms are most active when soil temperatures are between 10°C and 26°C. They can be hard to find when digging, especially when soils are dry and warm, because they may move deeper in the soil.

For photos, refer to Cereal & Oilseed Update file.

Even if you do not find the wireworm, feeding damage may still be visible on the seed, roots, mesocotyl, or lower stem.

The answers are often underground — take a shovel, dig a few plants, and see what your corn is telling you.

European Corn Borer (ECB)

A quick update from Dr. Suqi on ECB: we caught 16 last week, which is higher than last year, and we anticipate 70%-80% ECB adult emergence this week. Because of that, timing for ECB spray is critical.  It has to hit right at the blackhead egg stage. Applying either before or after this window will dramatically reduce the efficacy.  If you have any question please don’t hesitate to reach out.  ECB is a pest in many other crops not only Corn production!   

Quick Stand Count Reminder

Doing a stand count is a simple and useful way to understand how close a field is to the target population.

Take 5–10 counts per field, avoid headlands, count only live plants, and average the counts before making decisions.

Corn Population (1/1000 Acre Method)

Count plants in ONE row

Row Width	Count Length
30"	17 ft 5 in
22"	23 ft 9 in
20"	26 ft 2 in
15"	34 ft 10 in

Formula

Plants counted × 1,000 = Plants/acre

For 30-inch row Corn, measure 17 ft 5 in of row. Multiply the number of plants counted in 1 row by 1,000 to estimate plants per acre.

Example:

34 plants × 1,000 = 34,000 plants per acre

Soybean Population (1/10,000 Acre Method)

Row Width	Count Length
30"	17 ft 5 in
15"	34 ft 10 in
7.5"	69 ft 8 in

Count plants in ONE row

Formula

Plants counted × 10,000 = Plants/acre

For soybeans, the same 17 ft 5 in length in 30-inch rows can be used with the 1/10,000 acre method. Multiply the number of plants counted by 10,000.

Example:

12 plants × 10,000 = 120,000 plants per acre

Quick Reference

CORN			SOYBEAN
Plants Counted	Populations / ac		Plants Counted	Population / ac
28	28,000		10	100,000
30	30,000		12	120,000
32	32,000		14	140,000
34	34,000		16	160,000
36	36,000		18	180,000

Pro tip:

Cut a rope or board to the length you require for your planter row width and keep it in the truck. It makes stand counts quick and easy.

NEW!  Plant Health Section

The PEI Department of Agriculture's new Plant Health Section is a centralized resource dedicated to protecting the health of crops, gardens, and natural plant resources across the province. Available to producers, industry partners, home gardeners, and the public, the section provides information on pests, diseases, integrated pest management, and plant health best practices to support sustainable agriculture and environmental protection.

Measles: What you should know (factsheet)

We have been asked to share the attached measles fact sheet. Due to the continued circulation of measles in some countries, there is an ongoing risk of cases being imported into Canada. Please read and consider sharing the attached Public Health Agency of Canada fact sheets. Additional language versions are available through the link below if needed.

Measles: What you should know (factsheet)

PEI Weather Update from April 1, 2026, until July 12, 2026

For weather data related to crop production implcations, see the Cereal & Oilseed Update file.

Final Take-Home Messages

• Crop development is behind recent years in many PEI fields.
• Base decisions on crop stage and field conditions, not the calendar.
• Scout cereals for leaf diseases, Fusarium risk, stripe rust, and cereal leaf beetle.
• Continue scouting after fungicide applications.
• Watch soybeans for white mold, aphids, spider mites, and maturity concerns.
• Monitor canola for white mold risk during flowering.
• Cabbage seedpod weevil remains below threshold at this time.
• Dig corn plants now to investigate uneven emergence, wireworm injury, slug damage, and root issues.
• Take notes and pictures. What we learn this season can help guide better decisions next year.

Stay Connected

Producers and industry partners are encouraged to reach out at any time throughout the season with questions, concerns, or for field-specific guidance.

I look forward to meeting with growers across Prince Edward Island and working together through the growing season. Whether you need support with scouting, management decisions, or discussing field conditions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Your observations and feedback are invaluable in strengthening our understanding of crop conditions across the Island.
 

Patti Ann Baird Gill CCA, T. Ag. 
Cereal & Oilseeds Development Officer
Agriculture Resources
Telephone: (902) 314-0233
Email: pabairdgill@gov.pe.ca

Disclaimer

This update is provided for informational purposes only and reflects current conditions and best available information at the time of publication. Weather patterns, soil conditions, and crop responses can vary significantly across locations and over time.
Management practices, fertilizer rates, and application timing should be based on individual field conditions, soil test results, and professional judgment. Producers are encouraged to consult with a certified agronomist or other qualified advisor before making management decisions.

The information presented does not constitute a recommendation or endorsement of any specific product, practice, or management strategy, and no liability is assumed for actions taken based on this information.