Sansk. Wild rice harvester desperate for solution to prevent ‘disastrous’ pest

Phyllis Smith Agumik To survey your dense wild rice patches on the clear water of the lake, to check the size and quality of the grain by knocking the plant against your boat.

While hard rice exits some kernels, others are empty – rice is eaten and destroyed by insects, an insect that is wreaking havoc for harvester in northern Suskekewan and damaging their livelihood.

“Every year it seems bad,” Fillis said, which has been picking up rice for more than 30 years. “You are almost in a disadvantage now what is expected.”

Since rice insects spread from America and Manitoba to Suskechewan waterways, calls from harvester to find a solution, damaging the crop for traditional crops.

Many warns that to find a way to reduce the loss before the future of wild rice – food used by indigenous people for thousands of years – is in danger.

‘It’s very devastating’

Filis and her husband Tommy Smith have been cut around 380 km north of Saskatoon for decades around the pinehouse, Sansk community, for decades, learn how to grow and choose a plant from their own families.

He started seeing insects in rice during the first few years, but the insects were vigorously in the previous year crop. The couple collected about 20 bags before the insects arrive, below about 400 bags.

“You are dependent on rice for many things, so it is very disastrous,” said Tommy, who estimates that he has lost more than $ 40,000 previous harvest.

“This is a huge disadvantage. It takes a toll on you financially.”

Wild Rice is a major economic driver in several crements and Metis communities in northern Suskechewan. A good crop can bring more as a family as $ 100,000, which often hire help.

A large processing plant and local buyers who transport rice bags also generate employment.

But low crop income has decreased, leaving some employees with very little work and some harvester is motivating them to consider selling their equipment.

Search for a solution

A team of researchers from Suskechewan University, Suskechewan Polytechnic and Canadian National Research Council is collaborating with a harvester and trying that insects are moving north.

Tim Charbel, a plant science professor at the University of Suskechewan, is part of the group that is visiting northern communities to connect with harvester and work towards a solution.

He said that researchers do not know why in

“You get a new growth and then this rice gives an opportunity to the worm moths,” Sharabel said. “Kites can actually feed on the nectar of fireweed or milkweed. We are not yet sure.”

The team is also developing a type of trap, which was tested on some lakes with PAS, man. It uses pheromones – a natural chemical from insects – rice worm kites are attracted before laying eggs before they remove kites.

The first stage of the test proved to be successful in collecting large amounts of insects, and researchers are expecting more tests in this spring.

“I think it’s very promising,” said Charbel. “We have great support from the harvesters we are working with. Clearly, people’s livelihood is being affected by it.”

Pankaj Bhomik, a senior research officer of the National Research Council, is working with a handheld device called “electronic nose” to study the structure of rice and how it contributes to taste. It is expected to deploy more techniques to harvester to help collect precious information on crops.

“We can have both traditional knowledge and modern science and data that we are producing,” he said.

‘we will continue’

At the weight station at the pinehouse – a large blue scale installed next to a truck – arrive with bags to sell local harvester.

The rice, which will go to the beuwal and then for processing, is crawling with rice insects, on La Ronj.

Lionel Smith, who works as a local buyer, also has a long -standing harvester in the community.

But this season, his crop was killed by so much pests that he decided not to collect rice.

He said, “30 percent of your top is damaged, something more. So we don’t choose the area because we can tell that it is heavy, inserted by insects,” he said.

In addition to his work as a commercial fisherman, Wild Rice earns Lionel anywhere from $ 70,000 to $ 100,000 per year.

He hopes that there will be an effective solution for cooperation pests with scientists.

“We will continue. This is not something we will give up. It will never happen,” he said.

Lionel said that a major problem is the challenge of an aging workforce, in which most of the harvester are now entering the field in the 60s and some youth.

On the Agumic Lake, Filis Smith is getting ready to see what this year’s crop is. An initial pick showed some insects to test the quality, but lower than the final decline.

She said that some harvesters, including her and her husband, have thought of selling their equipment and leaving the industry.

“You almost feel that there is no use for me to be a boat of harvesting. I don’t know if I am going to keep healthy rice anytime,” she said.

“I almost want to give up.”