![]() ![]() ![]() In crops other than grapes, the arrival a few years ago in Quebec of an insect could probably be linked to climate change, milder winters and a longer growing season, Légaré said. "With warming, a certain number of parasites and diseases are coming to Quebec that didn't exist before, which we were protected from thanks to the cold temperatures in winter," said Lasserre. For example, milder winters could jeopardize the production of ice wines." On the one hand, new grape varieties can be planted in Quebec and further north in the province, but on the other hand, this comes with certain risks. "These temperature changes come with their own set of adaptations. This means that during the growing season - from spring to harvest - the heat has increased, which allows for a faster and more efficient ripening of most grapevines," said the professor at Laval University's geography department. "There is clearly an increase in the number of cumulative degree-days in a year. Geographer Frédéric Lasserre, who has studied the development of Canadian vineyards and the impact of climate change, has already observed warming across Quebec. ![]() The effects of climate change are also already being observed in agriculture, and particularly in grape cultivation, also called viticulture. "For example, if an insect in the past made one generation per year, today there are some insects that are able to make two generations, that will make two egg stages during the year," he said. Longer summers are also appreciated by insects, which are cold-blooded animals whose metabolism is influenced by temperature. "We see it in some pests, as soon as there is a milder winter, the populations in the spring are higher," he said. CLIMATE CHANGEĪlthough Légaré believes that it is difficult to measure the impact of climate change on the presence of new pests, certain changes in climate do play a role. Except that for (the spotted lanternfly), there is no method of capture," said Légaré. In this case, we would have put them in vineyards near transportation routes. "Normally, traps will be placed in areas where the risk of introduction is highest. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File)īy feeding on the sap of plants, the spotted lanternfly can cause significant losses in vineyards as well as in fruit and forestry crops.įor the moment, both the CFIA and MAPAQ are focusing on awareness - posters have been put up at rest stops, for example, so that people returning from the United States check their vehicles for the insect. 19, 2019, file photo shows a spotted lanternfly at a vineyard in Kutztown, Pa. "Its spread over long distances is facilitated by human transport of infested material or objects containing masses of eggs," reads the IRIIS phytoprotection website reads, managed in part by MAPAQ.įILE - This Sept. Its presence in New York State, only 45 kilometres from the Ontario border and the Niagara wine region, suggests it may arrive in Canada soon. Its arrival in North American is likely a consequence of international trade. Instead, it belongs to the same family as aphids. The spotted lanternfly is a brightly coloured insect that looks like a butterfly, but is not. Last month, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) issued a warning regarding the spotted lanternfly, an insect that originated in Asia, but has been well-established in the United States since 2014. "Add to that the fact that we have cultivars that we can grow further north, the pests follow those crops as well.' "In the last few years, with international trade and probably climate change, there are definitely more and more risks associated with (these) species," said biologist-entomologist Jean-Philippe Légaré, who works at a plant-protection lab with Quebec's Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAPAQ). New insects are appearing regularly in Canada, and some of them may pose a threat to Quebec's crops. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |