A newly released 2015 clubroot map shows that the disease is continuing its steady march toward Saskatchewan. “Even though we don’t see a lot of disease in Saskatchewan yet, it’s banging on the door,” said Bruce Gossen, a plant pathologist with Agriculture Canada. “Our growers have to be really aware that the disease is probably […] Read more
Tag Archives crop disease
VIDEO: Canola losing resistance
Clubroot resistant lines of canola are under siege in Alberta. In 2014, researchers identified a new strain of the disease that appeared in six fields in central Alberta in 2013. The strain, known as 5X, was able to overcome resistance built into new varieties. Last week, researchers announced that a data analysis based on a […] Read more
Stripe rust found in winter wheat in southern Alberta
Some advice is so good that it is worth repeating. So it is with plant pathologist Mike Harding’s advice regarding stripe rust: scout your fields. The crop fungus has had a resurgence in some parts of Alberta, fostered by recent showers and cooler weather. Harding reported that researcher Krishan Kumar found higher levels of stripe […] Read more
Aster yellows not a risk, thanks to wind
Aster yellows disease and diamondback moths are not expected to be big problems this year because of favourable spring wind patterns, says a researcher. Agriculture Canada and Environment Canada have created a model that measures wind trajectory at 50 locations across Canada. “To date, we haven’t had a lot of winds that have a lot […] Read more
Control measures urged to keep diseases from spreading
LETHBRIDGE — Bumper crops made headlines across the Prairies last year, but plant diseases also reared their smutty heads. “The single most important factor that affects the development of infectious diseases is the weather,” said Ron Howard of the Alberta Crop Development Centre in Brooks, Alta. Mike Harding, a plant pathologist with Alberta Agriculture, warned […] Read more
Variety selection key to disease control
Crop rotation also important | Scientist says canola-cereal rotation is not long enough
LACOMBE, Alta. — Neil Olstad used to buy his seed based on its yield potential. In the future, he plans to take a closer look at disease resistance. “I have a serious interest in leaf disease,” Olstad, who farms near Millet, Alta., said after spending a day in Lacombe listening to cereal disease specialists. “Every […] Read more
Conditions favour sclerotinia spread
Wet weather across much of the Prairies could create ideal conditions for the spread of sclerotinia, a fungal disease that affects canola and pulse crops and thrives under moist, humid conditions. With frequent rain across much of the West and ample soil moisture, conditions are favourable for the development of spore producing apothecia, small mushroom-like […] Read more
Ergot blamed on weather, poor rotations
A hard-to-control fungal disease that comes and goes in cereal crops has been on a rampage of late. “Close to 30 percent of the hard red spring (wheat) in Alberta last year was downgraded due to ergot, so that’s a pretty significant level,” said Kelly Turkington, a research scientist with Agriculture Canada’s Lacombe Research Centre. […] Read more
