The Saskatchewan Canola Development Commission (SaskCanola) has announced a budget of $170,000 for the 2019 provincial clubroot survey. This is the second year the organization has funded the survey in partnership from the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture and the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities (SARM) Plant Health Officers.
“We have a responsibility, as an organization representing Saskatchewan canola growers, to better understand the spread of this disease,” says Lane Stockbrugger, chair of SaskCanola.
He adds that, over the last few years, Saskatchewan has had an increasing number of farmers observing clubroot symptoms in the field, and there have been 43 confirmed cases.
“There is still an opportunity to manage it effectively,” Stockbrugger says. “In 2019 we are encouraging farmers to participate in the soil survey on an individual basis.”
The clubroot pathogen was first identified by a provincial soil survey in 2008. It was placed on the provincial Pest Control Act shortly after as a regulated pest.
Samples for the 2019 Clubroot Survey will be collected in August through September by Plant Health Officers, with support from Ministry of Agriculture and Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corporation staff. Farmers can also submit a voluntary sample from their field by obtaining a free sample bag from a Ministry of Agriculture Regional Office from July to September or at summer events, such as Saskatchewan CanolaPalooza.
Confirmed cases from the voluntary samples will be used to help update the Saskatchewan Clubroot Map. Individual farm locations are not included on the map.
For more information, growers can call SaskCanola by calling 1-877-241-7044.
Related:
- Canola School: Clubroot sanitation takes time, but is well worth it in the long run
- Updated map shows location of over 46 cases of clubroot confirmed in Saskatchewan
- Canola School: Fumigation in the fight against clubroot
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