Club Root Plan
Municipal Club Root Plan
What is Clubroot?
Clubroot is a soil-borne disease caused by a microbe, Plasmodiophora brassicae (P. brassicae).
Clubroot affects the roots of host plants, which include cruciferous field crops such as canola, mustard, camelina, oilseed radish and taramira, and cruciferous vegetables such as arugula, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, Chinese cabbage, kale, kohlrabi, radish, rutabaga and turnip.
Cruciferous weeds (e.g. stinkweed, shepherd’s purse, wild mustard) can also serve as hosts for the clubroot pathogen.
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There has been no reported cases of Clubroot in the RM of Montrose No. 315.
Since 2017, visible symptoms of clubroot have been confirmed in 51 commercial canola fields. This has increased by eight fields since the release of the map in January 2019.
In addition, the clubroot pathogen was detected in five fields without visible symptoms in 2019. These results were compiled through ministry surveys or through reports or samples submitted to the ministry and SaskCanola by producers and agrologists.
The ministry and SaskCanola offered farmers the opportunity to take home soil testing kits to fill and mail in for testing. There were 180 kits submitted and sent to Discovery Labs, where they were tested for the clubroot pathogen. Of these kits, four returned positive results. Visible symptoms were also known to be present in two of the four fields. SaskCanola covered the costs of testing the submitted kits.
More than 1,700 fields were tested as part of the survey during the summer and fall of 2019. The landowners of all fields with visible clubroot symptoms or the presence of the clubroot pathogen have been contacted. The locations of these fields have also been shared with the appropriate RM office if the RM has enacted a clubroot-specific bylaw.
Select the following link to view the Clubroot Map as distributed by the Government Saskatchewan.
- Extend your crop rotation. Aim for a four year rotation (three-year break between host crops), even when clubroot-resistant varieties are used. A minimum of a three-year rotation (two-year break between host crops including clubroot-resistant varieties) should be followed. Longer crop rotations are encouraged for fields with high disease severity and high pathogen levels (resting spore concentrations) and for those wishing to further reduce the impact of clubroot.
- Crop rotation will not prevent the introduction of the clubroot pathogen to fields that are free of the pathogen, but it will restrict clubroot development by limiting the increase of clubroot pathogen population (resting spores) in the field, maintaining the effectiveness of clubroot-resistant varieties while also alleviating the impact of other plant pathogens.
- Crop rotation will not prevent the introduction of the clubroot pathogen to fields that are free of the pathogen, but it will restrict clubroot development by limiting the increase of clubroot pathogen population (resting spores) in the field, maintaining the effectiveness of clubroot-resistant varieties while also alleviating the impact of other plant pathogens.
- Use clubroot-resistant varieties when clubroot has been identified on your farm or within your community.
- Resistance to clubroot does not mean full immunity to the disease. Tight rotations of resistant varieties may lead to propagation and spread of new clubroot pathogen pathotypes that the variety has no resistance to, thus breaking down the effectiveness of the variety’s resistance to clubroot. To prevent this from happening, clubroot varieties should be grown in extended rotations with a minimum of two years between host crops.
- Resistance to clubroot does not mean full immunity to the disease. Tight rotations of resistant varieties may lead to propagation and spread of new clubroot pathogen pathotypes that the variety has no resistance to, thus breaking down the effectiveness of the variety’s resistance to clubroot. To prevent this from happening, clubroot varieties should be grown in extended rotations with a minimum of two years between host crops.
- Control canola volunteers and brassica weeds, such as wild mustard, stinkweed
and shepherd’s purse, throughout the crop rotation. - Minimize the movement of contaminated or potentially contaminated soil to non-contaminated regions by:
- Restricting entry of vehicles, machinery or industrial equipment with adhering soil from another area (earth tag) into fields unless they have been properly sanitized. Ask questions about where the equipment is from and what sanitation measures have been used before the equipment left the infested area, dealer or auction site (prior to entering the field or farm).
- Cleaning steps may include: removal of crop debris and soil, washing of equipment with a power washer using hot water or steam and misting with a disinfectant (two per cent sodium hypochlorite solution) for 20 to 30 minutes, followed by an optional additional rinse with water.
- Sodium hypochlorite is the active ingredient in bleach that is used as a disinfectant for clubroot. Bleach products range in the concentration of sodium hypochlorite and typically contain between approximately four and eight per cent. As a result, different dilutions will be needed for different bleach products to create a two per cent sodium hypochlorite disinfectant solution. For example, Clorox disinfecting bleach contains six per cent sodium hypochlorite. To make 750 mL of a two percent sodium hypochlorite, you would need to add 250 mL of the Clorox disinfecting bleach and 500 mL of water.
- The concentration of sodium hypochlorite will decrease during storage. Purchase bleach in small quantities and use it relatively quickly (within a few months). If you are storing bleach, store it in a cool, dry location.
- Organic matter will inactivate the sodium hypochlorite. If using a two per cent sodium hypochlorite solution to disinfect foot wear or other equipment, refresh the solution frequently or as it becomes dirty to maintain a two per cent solution.
- Sodium hypochlorite is the active ingredient in bleach that is used as a disinfectant for clubroot. Bleach products range in the concentration of sodium hypochlorite and typically contain between approximately four and eight per cent. As a result, different dilutions will be needed for different bleach products to create a two per cent sodium hypochlorite disinfectant solution. For example, Clorox disinfecting bleach contains six per cent sodium hypochlorite. To make 750 mL of a two percent sodium hypochlorite, you would need to add 250 mL of the Clorox disinfecting bleach and 500 mL of water.
- The level of sanitation used should be representative of the risk associated with the particular activity.
- When possible, consider creating a separate exit as far as possible from the field entrance to reduce the movement of the pathogen inoculum out of an infected field. If possible, create the exit on higher ground to further reduce the amount of soil leaving the field. Testing the new exit to ensure that clubroot or the clubroot pathogen is not present is also a good idea.
- Consider restricting unwanted vehicles entering your field by posting with “no trespassing” and “no hunting” signs.
- Use direct seeding, zero-tillage and other soil conservation practices to reduce erosion.
- Resting spores can be moved in soil transported by wind or water erosion. Reducing the amount of tillage will reduce the spread of the organism within the field and to other fields.
- Resting spores can be moved in soil transported by wind or water erosion. Reducing the amount of tillage will reduce the spread of the organism within the field and to other fields.
- Clubroot spores can be found in soil particles on seed and may survive livestock digestion. Avoid use of seed or seed potatoes with earth tag, straw, hay, silage and/or manure from infested or potentially infested areas. The risk of spreading clubroot through contaminated plant material or manure is much lower than through transporting contaminated soil on field equipment and vehicles.
- Cleaning steps may include: removal of crop debris and soil, washing of equipment with a power washer using hot water or steam and misting with a disinfectant (two per cent sodium hypochlorite solution) for 20 to 30 minutes, followed by an optional additional rinse with water.
- Restricting entry of vehicles, machinery or industrial equipment with adhering soil from another area (earth tag) into fields unless they have been properly sanitized. Ask questions about where the equipment is from and what sanitation measures have been used before the equipment left the infested area, dealer or auction site (prior to entering the field or farm).
- Scout crops, including both susceptible and resistant varieties, regularly and carefully. Early detection is important for clubroot management. Symptoms can be quite severe below ground while remaining healthy above ground. As a result, randomly pulling plants at the field entrance is suggested, even if the plants look healthy
- Scouting should include full plant assessment at field entrances, low areas or areas with above-ground symptoms including wilting (will be more apparent in hot weather), stunting, yellowing and premature ripening. Plants should be dug and pulled up and the roots examined for the presence of clubroot galls.
- Field entrances and approaches are likely to be contaminated with clubroot pathogen first. Therefore, symptoms will often appear there first.
- Scouting should include full plant assessment at field entrances, low areas or areas with above-ground symptoms including wilting (will be more apparent in hot weather), stunting, yellowing and premature ripening. Plants should be dug and pulled up and the roots examined for the presence of clubroot galls.
- If the clubroot infestation is only near the current field access or a limited area of the field, consider seeding that area to a perennial grass and create a new access point as far as possible from the contaminated area.
- This will allow time for the pathogen levels to decrease while also minimizing the movement of contaminated soil on equipment and via wind or water erosion.
- This will allow time for the pathogen levels to decrease while also minimizing the movement of contaminated soil on equipment and via wind or water erosion.
- Seed canola early. Early crop establishment has been shown to reduce the effects of clubroot if it is present in a field.
If Clubroot is detected in our Municipality, the land owner must notify the Municipality in which the land is located of the presence of clubroot, within 30 business days of becoming aware of the same.
Occupant(s) of any clubroot infested land shall develop a Clubroot Management Agreement with the assistance of an agrologist currently practicing with the Saskatchewan Institute of Agrologists and the Municipal Weed Inspector in accordance with the Plant Health Network (CAP-PHN) administered by SARM.
Our municipality is currently in the approval stages of our Clubroot Management Bylaw. The Bylaw will be uploaded upon adoption.
