Research Objective

• To study changes in resting spore populations in different soil types:
  • with or without perennial grass cover crop species
  • with or without pH adjustments with hydrated lime
• Evaluate whether perennial grass cover and/or lime applications affects spore populations
• Develop a molecular-based technique to improve accuracy for estimation of resting spore concentrations

Project Description

This research project is to help canola producers manage small patches of clubroot, which will slow the spread of clubroot and help overall canola production on the Prairies. The goal of this project is to develop a management practice that producers can use when they have newly infested fields, especially since clubroot has been spreading since the first report of it in Alberta in 2003 to now being a major disease. Clubroot also has many new developing pathotypes, so even if a field is resistant to one strain of clubroot, it can become infected with another. This is why a risk management strategy would be so important to have in place. One possible strategy seeks to combine the benefits of crop rotation and liming with soil stabilization using perennial grasses to stop spreading of clubroot spores. This method needs to be tested in other sites and soil types across Western Canada, as well as having a better molecular method to identify resting spores to track if the strategy makes a difference. If the spread of clubroot can be slowed, it will benefit the entire canola value chain by giving breeders an opportunity to catch up with the number of novel pathotypes that they need to breed for and by reducing the risk of yield instability for the industry as a whole. This project will provide a direct benefit to both researchers and producers.