Alberta Agriculture has developed a tip sheet containing best management practices for disinfecting farm machinery to prevent the spread of clubroot between canola fields.
Basic sanitation
Remove soil and plant debris from equipment by scraping clumps off before leaving the field.
Clean residual soil and debris from surfaces by using compressed air, steam or by pressure washing.
Use a one to two percent bleach solution as a disinfectant.
Equipment must be cleaned before disinfecting.
Potential contamination
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Various types of farm equipment and machinery may come into contact with soil, seed and crop debris from clubroot-infected fields:
- Fertilizer and pesticide applicators.
- Tillage equipment.
- Seeders.
- Tractor, grain trucks, pickups, cars and ATVs.
- Swathers and combines.
- Augers, grain dryers.
- Forage harvest equipment.
- Equipment used for soil sampling, trenching, brush clearing.
Hard to clean equipment
Some equipment is more difficult to clean because of its size, design and complexity.
Electronics may not be compatible with water, detergents and disinfectants. Compressed air may be used instead.
Check with equipment manufacturers for correct cleaning procedures.
Demonstration equipment
Avoid using farms and fields where clubroot is known or suspected.
Avoid working in fields or yards where the soil is wet or muddy.
Develop cleaning protocols for specific pieces of equipment.
Clean and disinfect equipment, vehicle tires and boots before leaving the field or farm.
Demonstrate equipment on only one farm in the area.
Enter fields with a minimum amount of equipment.
Park personal vehicles and display machines off fields.
