Clubroot and SCN — A Stitch in Time Saves Nine

Aug 24, 2022

Clubroot and soybean cyst nematode are soil borne pests that can have devastating effects on their respective host crops. Currently, there are no economical control measures available to remove the clubroot pathogen Plasmodiophora brassicae, or the parasite soybean cyst nematode (Heterodera glycines) from a field once it has been infected.

Early and effective management strategies are key to dealing with any pests, let alone ones that are difficult to control and remove. Therefore, testing is of the utmost importance with these pests; if you know you have it, you can implement effective management strategies to deal with it.

Those of us in the Prairie provinces are no stranger to clubroot and its devastating effects. Management of clubroot infested fields through minimizing the risk of soil movement, proper sanitization, scouting and record keeping, controlling host weeds and volunteer canola, utilizing clubroot-resistant cultivars, practicing effective crop rotation, and using patch management techniques for infested areas are the most effective methods of controlling this disease.

Testing fields and knowing where the risk of clubroot infestation may occur is essential for good management practices.

What makes the clubroot pathogen so difficult to control is its hearty resting spores. The clubroot pathogen may persist in the soil for up to 20 years once introduced as the resting spores will patiently wait for ideal conditions and the presence of a good host crop before causing disease. Billions of spores can exist in a single gram of soil, and as spore concentration increases so does the risk for disease.

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Video: Winter Canola Trial in Mississippi | Can It Work for Double Cropping? | Pioneer Agronomy

Can winter canola open new opportunities for growers in the Mid-South? In this agronomy update from Noxubee County, Mississippi, Pioneer agronomist Gus Eifling shares an early look at a first-year winter canola trial and what farmers are learning from the field.

Planted in late October on 30-inch rows, the crop is now entering the bloom stage and progressing quickly. In this video, we walk through current field conditions, fertility management, and how timing could make this crop a valuable option for double-cropping soybeans or cotton.

If harvest timing lines up with early May, growers may be able to transition directly into another crop during ideal planting windows. Ongoing field trials will help determine whether canola could become a viable rotational option for the region.

Watch for:

How winter canola is performing in its first season in this Mississippi field

Why growers chose 30-inch rows for this trial

What the crop looks like as it moves from bolting into bloom

Fertility strategy, including nitrogen and sulfur applications

How canola harvest timing could enable double-cropping with soybeans or cotton

Upcoming trials comparing soybeans after canola vs. traditional planting

As more growers look for ways to maximize acres and diversify rotations, experiments like this help determine what new crops might fit into existing systems.