No new cases of visible clubroot were detected in Saskatchewan fields in 2023, while DNA testing confirmed just a single case of the clubroot pathogen being present.
Released Tuesday, the latest annual clubroot distribution map shows a continued downward trend in the soil-borne disease which is a major threat to canola production. In 2022, the province reported visible clubroot symptoms in two fields, while the pathogen turned up in four others. Those numbers in 2021 were five and nine, and 24 and 18 in 2020.
The province has been conducting a clubroot survey since 2018, and to date clubroot symptoms have been discovered in a total of 82 fields, while the pathogen has been found in 43 others.
Clubroot prevents plants from getting the nutrients they need by attacking their roots. Being soil-borne, it is imperative to know where clubroot exists to limit its spread. By proactively monitoring clubroot in Saskatchewan, the provincial government is working with producers and other industry partners to minimize the impact of the disease, contributing to healthy plants and high yielding crops.
In 2023, over 500 fields were examined with producers' permission.
"As we navigate the evergreen landscape of biosecurity, investing in clubroot testing continues to raise awareness and support mitigation," SaskCanola Chair Keith Fournier said in a release. "SaskCanola remains dedicated to investing levy dollars into clubroot-related research to protect canola's sustainability as a core crop into the future."
