REGINA — The Government of Saskatchewan has released the 2022 Saskatchewan Clubroot Distribution Map, which outlines the rural municipalities where clubroot has been identified.
In 2022, visible clubroot symptoms were recorded in two more commercial canola fields and the clubroot pathogen was detected in four new fields. according to the Ministry of Agriculture. To date, visible clubroot symptoms have been confirmed in 82 commercial fields while the clubroot pathogen has been detected through DNA-based testing in 42 fields where there were no visible symptoms. These results show the importance of continuing to monitor and manage clubroot, which is a declared pest under The Pest Control Act, the ministry states in a press release.
All producers with visible clubroot symptoms or fields with the presence of the pathogen have been notified. The specific land locations are kept confidential and not shared publicly to protect the producer’s privacy. Land locations are only shared with the appropriate RM if they have clubroot-specific bylaws enacted and visible symptoms have been confirmed.
In 2022, more than 500 fields were inspected as part of the clubroot monitoring program. Producers and industry agrologists were able to receive a free soil-testing bag kit via the Ministry of Agriculture’s website or a regional office. In total, 39 soil samples were submitted for laboratory analysis and SaskCanola covered the cost of each test.
“SaskCanola funds province-wide disease testing for clubroot to ensure we have a good understanding of the regions where the disease is present. This way canola growers can make the best management decisions for their farm to prevent the spread of this invasive soil-borne disease,” Chair of SaskCanola's Research Committee Keith Fournier said.
The Ministry of Agriculture, in collaboration with SaskCanola, the Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corporation and plant health officers, implemented the clubroot monitoring program to understand the distribution and severity of the disease in the province and where it has been already detected. The program includes in-field surveillance, free on-farm soil DNA testing for producers and agrologists and encouraging clubroot reporting from producers and industry.
Clubroot is a soil-borne disease that can cause significant yield loss when pathogen levels are high, a susceptible crop is grown and when environmental conditions are favourable. Proactive clubroot management, a combination of rotation, resistant varieties and sanitation practises, is key to reducing possible yield losses due to clubroot, the Ministry says.
