Research Objective

• Examine the viability of a harmonized clubroot map
• Determine what such a map would look like
• Communicate findings and recommendations to stakeholders, including the Clubroot Steering Committee

Project Description

Clubroot (Plasmodiophora brassicae) is an important disease facing Canadian canola producers. It is established in Alberta, and has been spreading to Saskatchewan and Manitoba fields. The purpose of this study is to develop a clubroot map across the Prairie provinces to serve as an important tool for grower education, the selection of effective disease management strategies, and assessing disease risk in specific regions. Currently, each province has taken a different approach to mapping the intensity and distribution of the clubroot outbreak, which makes it hard to map the disease consistently. If a map can show the clubroot situation in a uniform manner across the provinces, it will help to communicate the need for proactive approaches to clubroot management, and may be of particular value in highlighting the need for action before the disease becomes prevalent in a region. Ultimately, a harmonized clubroot map across provinces will better reflect the nature of this disease as a biological entity that is not constrained by borders or other artificial boundaries.