By: Wendy McDonald – MPSG Production Agronomist – West
This update covers field conditions up to June 19, 2026.
Myself (Wendy McDonald) checking on soybeans that had received a glyphosate application in a field near Gilbert Plains on June 11. Photo credit: Wendy McDonaldThe first application of glyphosate injured the majority of the wild buckwheat but some looks like it may regrow. Photo credit: Wendy McDonaldHere is some Smartweed, also known as Lady’s Thumb that was found in another soybean field close by. Photo credit: Wendy McDonaldA wild tomato that was found in another soybean field. Photo credit: Wendy McDonaldThis mysterious, bright aqau blue insect found in a soybean field sitting on a glyphosate damaged lambs quarters plant. It was identified by Provincial Entomologist John Gavloski as a species of cuckoo wasp. Cuckoo wasps are kleptoparasites, meaning they lay eggs in the nests of other solitary bees and wasps and their larvae to eat the hosts provisions and larvae. Photo credit: Wendy McDonaldThis first trifoliate soybean was already showing some nodule formation. Photo credit: Wendy McDonaldSoybeans in standing water in a field east of Gilbert Plains on June 11, 2026. Photo credit: Wendy McDonaldThe same soybean field, with water no longer standing in the field on June 15, 2026. The soybeans tolerated the standing water fairly well. Photo credit: Wendy McDonaldA quick check in at MPSG’s regional variety trials south of Dauphin on June 11, 2026. Photo credit: Wendy McDonaldThe pea leaf weevils have been nibbling at the leaf edges of these faba beans. The green foxtail is also thriving. Photo credit: Wendy McDonaldRound leaf mallow was found at MPSG’s regional variety trials south of Dauphin. Photo credit: Wendy McDonaldThe Storksbill was already fairly advanced in size too. Photo credit: Wendy McDonaldAn intense wind ripped the unifoliate leaf of this soybean. Photo credit: Wendy McDonaldDry beans were unrolling their first trifoliate leaf. Photo credit: Wendy McDonaldSome dry beans had impressive sized unifoliate leaves. Photo credit: Wendy McDonaldSome dry beans had sustained damage to their cotyledons and would soon be dropping off the plant. Photo credit: Wendy McDonaldFaba beans near Elphinstone on June 11, 2026 that have been sprayed with herbicide. They look very good in most areas of the field. Photo credit: Wendy McDonaldThe farmer noticed from the sprayer that some areas seemed to be thinning out in the field. Photo credit: Wendy McDonaldWe found nice pink nodules developing at the crown of the faba bean root. Photo credit: Wendy McDonaldOh no! We found lygus bugs already in the fields. Photo credit: Wendy McDonaldFaba beans have the amazing ability to regrow from their below ground growing point after sustaining any damage to the root or stem. Photo credit: Wendy McDonaldWe suspected wireworms may be the cause of the blackened lesions and tunnelling in the faba bean root. Photo credit: Wendy McDonaldWe found these chunks taken out of the root and pin holes in the leaves. They looked like something larger than wireworms may have made them. Photo credit: Wendy McDonaldWe compared a “sad” plant with a damaged root to a great looking faba bean plant with a thick, healthy, white root. Photo credit: Wendy McDonaldLooking closer we could find stems broken off just above the soil surface. Photo credit: Wendy McDonaldAfter a little digging, we quickly found a cutworm. Photo credit: Wendy McDonaldI squished this cutworm between two rocks. His stomach content was green indicating that he was still eating. Photo credit: Wendy McDonaldThe cutworm didn’t quite get all the way through this stem when it was feasting on it. Photo credit: Wendy McDonaldWe also found more “soon to be completely clipped” plants with more cutworms in a small patch of the field. The plant stand was decent with the faba beans were growing well and considering the cost of control, the decision was made to not spray insecticide for cutworms. Photo credit: Wendy McDonaldOn June 11, 2026 I (Wendy McDonald) inspected a soybean field south east of Kenton, with a farmer whose field had experienced an intense plow wind at the end of May. Photo credit: Wendy McDonaldThis soybean growing point was trying very hard to grow back from where the one cotyledon had been. Photo credit: Wendy McDonaldBoth cotyledons were damaged but growing point is growing back. Photo credit: Wendy McDonaldThe amazing resiliency of soybean plants. Photo credit: Wendy McDonaldThe wind folded this soybean plant right over and damaged the stem below the cotyledons. Eventually this plant will die. Photo credit: Wendy McDonaldThe growing point of this soybean was too severely damaged to grow back. Photo credit: Wendy McDonaldSome areas of the field didn’t have all the stubble removed by the wind. In these areas the soybeans were more protected. There was some leaf shredding but they are growing well. Photo credit: Wendy McDonaldThe more you dig, the more interesting things you find! This soybean took the long way looking for the soil surface. Photo credit: Wendy McDonald This volunteer canola emerged around the same time as the peas did or sooner at this field south of Grandview on June 12, 2026. Photo credit: Wendy McDonaldI was pleasantly surprised to find the pea leaf weevil nibbles here were far less than what was found in the same area in 2025. Photo credit: Wendy McDonaldYellowing of pea plants from water stress was showing up in the runs in this field. Photo credit: Wendy McDonaldAgronomists in the Roblin area found unusual symptoms on pea leaves. Photo credit: Brandy ChuchmuchThe symptomatic plants had normal and healthy roots and had not yet been sprayed with in-crop herbicide. They were in a sheltered field surrounded by bush with the newest leaves being healthy. After discussion, the suggestion was made that these symptoms were environmental and likely a result of the windy weather and hot temperatures experience at the end of May. Photo Credit: Brandy ChuchmuchIn a field west of Grandview these peas are looking very good, but we did find some pea leaf weevil bites present on June 12, 2026. Photo credit: Wendy McDonaldThis field was part of the provincial pea leaf weevil survey. There were 10 plants from five different sites within the field that were collected. Later, I counted and recorded the number of pea leaf weevil notches on the entire plant and on the clam leaf only. Photo credit: Wendy McDonaldThis pea field had standing water. Photo credit: Wendy McDonaldThis is north of Assessippi Valley on Highway #83 on June 12, 2026. Unfortunately this was a common site in many areas of the province which received heavy and intense rainfall. Photo credit: Wendy McDonaldOn June 12, 2026 I (Wendy McDonald) made a detour to this pea field near Inglis. It had very eye caching, but in small percentages, these off- type pea plants that grew totally yellow rather than green. Photo credit: Wendy McDonaldThe “albino” pea plants had normal roots. Photo credit: Wendy McDonaldThese pea plants had absolutely fantastic nodulation on June 12, 2026 near Salt Lake. Photo credit: Wendy McDonaldFound some Lady Slippers blooming in the ditch. Photo credit: Wendy McDonaldAfter an in crop herbicide application, the newest leaves have a more yellow colour than the bottom leaves, which looks like an ombre effect. When I (Wendy McDonald) returned to the same field two days later the effect was no longer visible and the plants were all the same colour of green again. Photo credit: Wendy McDonaldSome odd white symptoms were found on pea leaves on June 12, 2026 near Menzie. Photo credit: Wendy McDonaldSome odd white symptoms were found on pea leaves on June 12, 2026 near Menzie. Photo credit: Wendy McDonaldSome odd white symptoms were found on pea leaves on June 12, 2026 near Menzie. Photo credit: Wendy McDonaldThis video shows you each leaf on the pea plant. It starts with healthy roots, and normal leaves then part way up, and then some white symptoms were visible on both sides of the leaf, with upper leaves showing no symptoms. Video credit: Wendy McDonaldCounting for pea leaf weevil study, a few big notches were taken along the leaf margin. Photo credit: Wendy McDonaldJust one notch bitten on this plant. Photo credit: Wendy McDonaldRe-seeding near Pipestone on June 15, 2026. Photo credit: Wendy McDonaldRe-seeding near Pipestone on June 15, 2026. I (Wendy McDonald) followed the drill down the highway. Photo credit: Wendy McDonaldYellowing of peas, happening only in certain areas due to peas metabolizing herbicide application, on June 15, 2026 in a field south of Reston. Photo credit: Wendy McDonaldLupins in a field at the Melita regional variety trials are also showing some yellowing on June 15, 2026. Photo credit: Wendy McDonaldThe lupins here have yellowed true leaves but have nice and green cotyledons. Photo credit: Wendy McDonaldSweet white lupins at Melita. Photo credit: Wendy McDonaldHealthy looking narrow leaved Lupins. Photo credit: Wendy McDonaldCanada fleabane is making an appearance. We had heard the comment that Canada fleabane seems to be more prominent in Manitoba fields this year compared to years past. Photo credit: Wendy McDonaldSlightly battered soybeans at the first trifoliate stage. Photo credit: Wendy McDonaldDry beans with damaged cotyledons putting out their first trifoliate leaf. Photo credit: Wendy McDonaldFlixweed are already starting to flower. Photo credit: Wendy McDonaldOn June 15, 2026, north of Waskada the temperature dropped and the wind picked up and I (Wendy McDonald) decided to put my jacket on. Photo credit: Wendy McDonaldI (Wendy McDonald) was collecting root and soil samples for the aphanomyces testing project. Photo credit: Wendy McDonaldThe sow thistle is yellowing from the herbicide application. Photo credit: Wendy McDonaldOn June 15, 2026, west of Deloraine this field of dry beans sustained damage from intense wind, rain, and hail. The growing points are trying to regrow. Photo credit: Wendy McDonaldOn June 15, 2026, west of Deloraine this field of dry beans sustained damage from intense wind, rain, and hail. The growing points are trying to regrow. Photo credit: Wendy McDonaldNew plant growth after the unifoliate leaves were very badly damaged. Photo credit: Wendy McDonaldStanding water in portions of the field. Photo credit: Wendy McDonaldThe receeding standing water left a beach of residue and silt that the dry bean will have to try and grow through. Photo credit: Wendy McDonaldThis stem appears to be very heavily damaged and not likely to grow back. Photo credit: Wendy McDonaldThe plants did have healthy roots. Photo credit: Wendy McDonaldThis wild oat patch protected some of the dry bean plants from more intense damage. Photo credit: Wendy McDonaldApproximately five plants per hoop in this area. There were approximately 50,000 plants per acre. Photo credit: Wendy McDonaldIf you really look close you can see the tiniest bit of new growth from the growing point. Photo credit: Wendy McDonaldDamaged unifoliate leaves. Photo credit: Wendy McDonaldThis mosquito, from front leg to back legs, is almost the size of a dime. Photo credit: Wendy McDonald Pea leaf weevil notch counts were recorded and sent in to Provincial Entomologist John Gavloski, who is compiling data from all across the province. My (Wendy McDonald) impression is that pea leaf weevil number are down from 2025. I suspect they took longer to emerge into the pea crops this year, as most nibbles occurred on leaves at the fourth node and not as many on the first few nodes. Photo credit: Wendy McDonaldRe-seeding being happening near Eden on June 16, 2026. Photo credit: Wendy McDonaldPeas showing yellowing from water stress in lower corner of this field near Plumas on June 16, 2026. Photo credit: Wendy McDonaldWatch closely! Can you see the pea leaf weevil? They love to “play dead”. Video credit: Wendy McDonaldThe pea leaf weevil have been here and eaten notches on the leaves in this field near Plumas on June 16, 2026. Photo credit: Wendy McDonaldFirst pass herbicide applications for soybeans have been completed in most areas. Photo credit: Wendy McDonald
