Digging into Research
Digging into Research
FHB status updateFusarium head blight incidence increased steadily after 1995, peaking in the epidemic year of 2016, but with low levels since then. Severity has remained relatively low over time, and not always correlated to incidence levels. Fusarium head blight (FHB) emerged as a serious…
A seeding rate of 50% chickpea and 50% flax resulted in maximum combined yield and land productivity, and reduced Ascochyta blight disease severity by 50 to 67% compared to monocrop chickpea, but flax competed with chickpea and reduced chickpea yield. Ascochyta blight, caused by Ascochyta…
Aphanomyces root rot severity increased when oospore levels rose above 100 oospores per gram of soil. Below this level, Aphanomyces root rot did not develop in most soil types. Aphanomyces root rot, caused by the oomycete pathogen Aphanomyces euteiches, was first confirmed in Saskatchewan and…
The optimum conditions for infection by Botrytis cinerea, the most common pathogen causing blossom blight in alfalfa in Canada, was a temperature between 15C and 20C with 12 to 24 hours of surface leaf wetness at flowering. Alfalfa seed production on the Prairies can be…
In small plots and greenhouse conditions, blackleg severities on 2 canola hybrids were generally higher when Leptosphaeria maculans was co-inoculated with Verticillium longisporum than when L. maculans was applied alone. Blackleg disease, caused by L. maculans, has been an important disease in western Canada for…
Researchers explored FHB management strategies focusing on a systems approach of Genotype (G) x Environment (E) x Management (M) interactions. They reviewed current literature, and included a recent western Canadian FHB research project as a case study of this approach. The results showed that a…
Using a cultivar with greater disease resistance and applying a fungicide reduced leaf spot diseases in winter wheat. Fungicide application resulted in a 3.3 to 13.2% (2 to 8 bu/ac) yield increase over the untreated check. Leaf spot diseases are commonly seen on winter wheat…
Research found that foliar fungicide application at early anthesis for Fusarium Head Blight control also provided adequate control of leaf spotting diseases. While leaf spotting diseases were slightly higher at this timing, yields were similar. In years when environmental conditions are favourable, leaf spot disease…
Mechanical wounds on canola cotyledons, simulating flea beetle feeding, allowed infection of the blackleg pathogen while no infection occurred on un-injured cotyledons. Wounds that were 8 hours or older before inoculation had lower levels of infection. Temperature, leaf wetness and relative humidity also played a…
The application of hydrated lime to bring an acidic soil up to pH 7.2, and/or weed control of cruciferous weeds did not affect clubroot severity on a clubroot resistant variety. The yield of a susceptible canola variety almost doubled with the application of hydrated lime,…
Yield losses to clubroot disease, caused by Plasmodiophora brassicae, increased linearly as the Disease Severity Index (DSI) increased. Under greenhouse conditions, an increment of 1% in DSI resulted in a decrease of 0.9% to 1.0% in yield; under field conditions, this percentage was reduced to…
Ten lentil cultivars were found to be susceptible to Sclerotinia white mold and Botrytis grey mold. The highest yields were found on dryland plots at a seeding rate of 16 seeds/ft2. Irrigated plots yielded significantly less, and had significantly higher disease incidence. Sclerotinia white mold,…
A nitrogen fertilization rate of 44.5 lbs N/ac maximized canarygrass seed yield. Foliar fungicide application increased seed yield by 8.5%, and is important in areas where septoria leaf mottle is prevalent. The fungicide application did not improve the responsiveness of canarygrass to N fertilizer, so…
Botrytis grey mould doesn’t share the same limelight as Anthracnose or Ascochyta blight, but it can be an occasional foliar disease in lentil. Limited research has been conducted on foliar fungicide application timing, but one study in 2002 and 2003 found that a single application…
Fungicide applications at flag leaf emergence and heading growth stages reduced net-blotch severity and increased malt barley grain yield and kernel quality, but early fungicide applications at the 2- to 3-leaf stage generally had a limited impact. Placement of seed with 11 inch shovel openers…
Research trials found that hydrated lime may be an effective tool for managing clubroot disease in canola when optimal timing and rainfall are achieved. Field and greenhouse trials found hydrated lime more effective than limestone applications, but is much more costly. Clubroot disease, caused by…
For improved leaf disease management and yield in malt barley, fungicide applications should include a flag leaf stage timing or later for adequate protection of upper canopy leaves, which are key contributors to yield and grain filling. A tank-mix of a one-half rate fungicide with…
Surveys of alfalfa seed production fields on the Canadian Prairies from 1993 to 2017 demonstrated that epidemics of blossom blight caused by Botrytis cinerea Pers. and Sclerotinia sclerotiorum (Lib.) de Bary developed almost every year at some locations. It appears likely that blossom blight continues…
Researchers investigated the efficacy and durability of canola lines carrying single and multiple clubroot resistance (CR) genes against ‘new’ and ‘old’ pathogen pathotypes. Stacked CR genes of different modes of action improved resistance and enhanced durability. Cultivar resistance is a cornerstone of clubroot management. Most…
In 10 of the 13 trials, double-nozzle configurations provided a 15% reduction in disease severity and up to a 60% increase in yield compared to the untreated control. However, droplet size and angle of application had no effect on field pea yield. Moderate water volume…
The most profitable practices were applications of propiconazole (Tilt 250E0), benzovindiflupyr and azoxystrobin (Trivapro A+B) at BBCH 39-45 (flag leaf) or prothioconazole and tebuconazole (Prosaro XTR) at BBCH 61-63 (early anthesis) — when environmental conditions were conducive for disease development. The objective of this study…
Application of foliar fungicides at the 2 to 4 leaf stage reduced blackleg disease incidence and severity, and improved yield on the susceptible Westar canola cultivar. On two resistant cultivars, however, this fungicide treatment reduced the disease but showed no yield benefit. Since resistant canola…
All of the fungicides and fungicide mixtures tested in field experiments reduced root rot in Fusarium infected soybean seedlings. Varieties were identified that could be used in plant breeding programs to develop Fusarium-resistant varieties. The potential for growing soybean in southern Alberta has increased with…
“The agriculture industry in North America will take the first steps towards a dramatic change of direction during the next decade. The much anticipated shift to autonomous field equipment will eliminate the need for the enormous and expensive pieces of farming equipment currently used for…
Yield losses increased from 18% to 99% in the hybrid canola ‘73-15RR’ and 26% to 86% in hybrid ‘1950RR’ when disease severity rose from 2 to 5 compared with plants with severities of 0–1. Understanding the yield loss relationship with blackleg severity will help agronomists…
Research conducted over the past decade set the foundation for today’s clubroot management practices. This research covered the potential of biofungicides/fungicides, cultivar resistance, and crop rotation for management of clubroot disease caused by Plasmodiophora brassicae. Synthetic fungicides ineffective The fungicides Allegro and Omega (fluazinam) and…
Fusarium solani f. sp. pisi and F. avenaceum were the most aggressive species on CDC Meadow pea. Both F. solani f. sp. pisi and F. avenaceum caused significant disease symptoms on pea, chickpea, dry bean, and faba bean, but not on cereal crops, soybean, green…
SaskCanola administered Growing Forward 2-funded blackleg research projects that concluded over the past year or so. Results from these studies make it possible for farmers to test for the predominant blackleg races in a field and use this information to make strategic decisions for the…
Eight of nine fungicides tested helped to manage Fusarium root rot in soybeans in Alberta. Several soybean varieties were identified with partial resistance to Fusarium root rot. Root rot caused by Fusarium spp. is prevalent in soybean crops in Alberta. The objectives of this study…
Research on root rot diseases of pulse crops is summarized to provide a brief description of the important pathogens and their management. In addition to existing tools such as seed treatment, crop rotation, and early, shallow seeding to manage root rot risk in the short…
Several fungicides were evaluated for control of cotyledon infection by Leptosphaeria maculans and blackleg disease of canola. Under controlled environmental conditions, fluopyram showed greater efficacy than fluquinconazole in limiting cotyledon infection, while regular seed treatments with Prosper EverGold or Helix Vibrance were ineffective. In field…
When stripe rust severity was low, resistant and intermediate wheat and barley varieties did not suffer significant yield losses. When leaf spot and stripe rust disease levels were high, a foliar fungicide application was necessary to reduce yield losses even on resistant varieties. Seven spring…
A ≥2 year break from clubroot-resistant canola resulted in a 95% decrease in clubroot resting spore concentrations. In the third year after the harvest of clubroot-resistant canola, resting spore concentrations were similar to those of host-free control plots. Previous small plot research showed the value…
Canola yield with a three-year break between canola crops was significantly higher than a tighter canola-barley rotation by 18 bushels per acre. Growing clubroot resistant canola in a tight rotation was not a strategy that could be implemented to keep clubroot spore populations low, and…
The maintenance of a naturally occurring clubroot nursery provided an evaluation site for over 60 canola lines, varieties and cultivars over 4 years in southern Alberta. The nursery site was also used extensively for training and extension activities. When you get served lemons, make lemonade….
A set of clubroot surveillance practices was developed for effective monitoring of the occurrence and severity of Plasmodiophora brassicae in commercial fields. Clubroot, we’re watching you. A major focus of research into clubroot disease caused by P. brassicae is surveillance of the geographic spread of…
The canola growth stage prediction model and sclerotinia stem risk index deployed on www.canoladst.ca are useful tools for managing the disease. The major objectives of this project were to develop and deploy forecasting tools for canola growth stages, sclerotinia stem rot risk model, and a…
Heads Up, a resistance activator applied to seed, was found to enhance resistance against Sclerotinia sclerotiorum causing white mould in dry bean, but showed no benefit in canola. Adding a micronutrient to a foliar fungicide improved control of S. sclerotiorum with two of the eight…
A 4-year research project at the University of Saskatchewan’s Crop Development Centre set the platform that will assist plant breeders in developing leaf blotch resistant oat varieties. Growing resistant varieties in combination with adequate crop rotation intervals will be the most effective, economical and eco-friendly…
Bleach (sodium hypochlorite) was most effective in killing clubroot (Plasmodiophora brassicae) spores at concentrations above 1.7%. Spray Nine was almost as effective, while 5 other products achieved greater than 95% control. Sanitation of equipment, vehicles, scouting tools and footwear is an important part of preventing…
Seedling blight and root rot in soil-inoculated Rhizoctonia solani plots decreased soybean stand establishment by 48% and reduced yield by 52% compared to control plots with low levels of R. solani. No significant differences in disease severity, nodulation or yield loss were observed among the…
Lygus bug and chocolate spot disease can damage faba bean seed. Research found both organisms are widespread in central and southern Alberta. Seed damage occurs independently of each other, and is primarily caused by lygus bug. Seed damage caused by lygus bug (Lygus spp.) or…
A break from susceptible canola of at least 2 years resulted in more than 90% reduction in clubroot pathogen resting spores compared to continuous canola or a 1-year break. Clubroot resistant varieties grown with a 2- to 4-year break yielded 32 to 76% higher than…
For every 1-unit increase in disease severity rating on a scale of 1 to 5, yield loss in a susceptible variety was 17.2% and pod loss was 13.0%. Disease severity was lower and seed yield was 120% to 128% higher in the moderately resistant to…
Basamid (dazomet) soil-applied fumigant was effective against clubroot and seedling blight in canola. Basamid appears to have good potential as a tool to maintain canola yield and reduce the spread of clubroot where the disease is concentrated, usually at field entrances. Clubroot, caused by the…
