As farmers wait for fields to dry or crops to fully mature, they are pulling canola plants and looking for visible symptoms of clubroot.
“Once you get too far after swathing, the clubroot galls start to break down in the field,” said Ian Epp, an agronomy specialist with the Canola Council of Canada. “So, now is the perfect time to be checking your fields for clubroot.”
In addition to the visual check, growers can take advantage of a free soil sample to test for the clubroot pathogen.
SaskCanola is covering the cost as part of the provincial clubroot monitoring program. Kits are available by calling SaskCanola at (306) 975-0262 or going to your regional Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture Office.
The Canola Council of Canada reports visible clubroot symptoms have been found in two fields in northwest Saskatchewan. Both are located in rural municipalities that have not had any previously confirmed cases.
Meantime, after being in Alberta for a few years, the 3A clubroot pathotype has been found in Manitoba for the first time. It is able to overcome the first-generation sources of genetic clubroot resistance.
Canola Council clubroot specialist Dan Orchard was a bit surprised to find the 3A pathotype this early in Manitoba because even though there have been other clubroot cases, there have no major outbreaks.
“There is still time because it was found early enough that I think the entire Prairies can proactively step up their game and manage the disease on a higher level,” said Orchard.
There have been no confirmed cases of the 3A pathotype yet in Saskatchewan, but farmers seeding clubroot resistance varieties should also be checking those plants.
“Anytime we can find clubroot earlier in small patches, we can negate the risk a lot better,” said Epp. “Once it’s in large areas, it’s a lot harder to manage on your farm.”
While checking for clubroot, Epp advises growers to scout for blackleg and sclerotina as well. The full interview can be heard here.
(photo: courtesy of SaskCanola Twitter feed)