Today, Manitoba Pulse and Soybean Growers (MPSG), as part of the Pulse Root Rot Network, launched a new website, rootrot.ca, to catalyze a collaborative approach to root rot research and management focused on agronomy, breeding and pathology in peas and lentils.
Western Canadian pulse crop commissions, including MPSG, Saskatchewan Pulse Growers (SPG), and Alberta Pulse Growers (APG), developed a National Pulse Research Strategy that aligns research priorities and targets coordinating pulse research across Canada. The strategy identified controlling root rots in peas and lentils, particularly Aphanomyces and Fusarium, as the top priorities.
As root rots are a top priority, this website was developed to allow consistent messaging and increase the collaborative approach to addressing this issue by connecting researchers. This website includes resources, tools, and research to create a central location for growers, agronomists, researchers and the pulse industry. Rootrot.ca highlights these areas:
- Agronomy: Provide growers with recommendations and tools for practical on-farm root rot risk assessment and management.
- Breeding: Work towards the availability of robust genetic resistance to root rot pathogens into the future.
- Pathology: Deepen understanding of biology, pathogenicity, and interactions of root rot pathogens in pulses.
Root diseases significantly impact yields and limit production for peas and lentils. Aphanomyces euteiches, Fusarium spp., and other fungal pathogens dominate the root rot complex. Eliminating this risk is essential for profitable and sustainable pea and lentil production in Western Canada. Work on pea and lentil root rot also provides insight into solutions for dry bean and soybean root rot – an important area of focus for Manitoba farmers.
In addition to the work led by the Pulse Root Rot Network, MPSG has invested over $1 million in root rot-related research from 2018-2024. This research has also been supported by previous federal-provincial programs and the current Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership AgriScience Program Clusters Component. MPSG intends to continue the search for a solution through an additional commitment of $150 thousand in 2025.
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