Blackleg in canola.

Helping our plants to help themselves

One day, farmers may be able to use natural products to fight blackleg and other diseases

New research that could lead to a biological alternative to chemical fungicides began with work into food safety. “We were interested in whether food-fermenting lactobacilli would produce molecules that prevent fungal growth,” says Dr. Michael Gaenzle, who is leading the research into antifungal lipids at the University of Alberta. Gaenzle’s team came across some molecules […] Read more

Fusarium infected wheat.

Use those fusarium maps

Know your risk: fusarium maps offer another metric for spraying decisions

What if farmers could predict Mother Nature’s moods in the growing season? The idea is becoming less and less far-fetched with advances that help producers put a number on disease risk. But fusarium head blight (FHB) risk assessment maps are only one factor among many influencing spraying decisions. FHB risk assessment maps have been available […] Read more


Fababean growers should also make sure they don’t plant fababeans adjacent to last year’s fababean, pea, or lentil fields.

Yield-robbing fababean diseases

If you’re putting fabas in the ground, be ready to manage these common diseases

Farmers with aphanomyces-infested fields are faced with a tough decision. Stretch the rotation between susceptible pulse crops to six or eight years, or drop them altogether? Some farmers are opting for less susceptible pulses, including fababeans in moist areas. Of course, fababeans could be vulnerable to disease as well. Here are the foliar diseases fababean […] Read more

blackleg infection on a canola stem

‘Canola and snow’ is not profitable

New research says mixing cultivars does not mitigate the effects of continuous canola

Reconsider those plans to seed back-to-back to canola this spring, recommend Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) scientists. And they have new data to back that up. Dr. Neil Harker and other study researchers recently published the results of their five-year of the effects of continuous canola crops in The Canadian Journal of Plant Science. The […] Read more


When scouting, pull plants. This photo shows blackleg stem cankers.

The sweet spot for fungicide use

Variety resistance and the level of disease pressure impacts fungicide effectiveness

Early fungicide applications reduce blackleg severity when disease pressure is high and the varieties lack resistance, a researcher told delegates at the International Rapeseed Conference in Saskatoon. But fungicide has little effect when varieties are resistant or moderately resistant, he said. “We need to find kind of a sweet spot with fungicide use,” said Dr. […] Read more

Larvae of a parasitic wasp emerging from an armyworm.

Manitoba crop insect and disease update

Conditions as of July 7, 2015

Some localized higher populations of armyworms and grasshoppers are present. Scouting is encouraged, although in many cases populations are noticeable but not economical as of yet. Armyworms in cereal crops are present in noticeable levels in many areas of Central Manitoba. Larvae can be scouted for by counting the number of larvae per square foot on average. The majority of larvae will be on the ground during the day and often hidden […] Read more



pea plants in stubble

Aphanomyces hurting pea yield for Sask. producer

After repeated aphanomyces problems, Bernie McLean 
is taking a break from growing peas

Bernie McClean usually has a positive outlook on everything. But after three years of dealing with aphanomyces, he’s taking a break from peas. “It’s just too risky. I can’t afford the risk,” says McClean over a cup of coffee at his farm, which sits between Glaslyn and Medstead in northwestern Saskatchewan. Up until two weeks […] Read more


stripe rust on winter wheat

Stripe rust update for southern and central Alberta

Stripe rust continues to be reported in southern and central Alberta. Eric Amundsen at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada in Lethbridge surveyed winter wheat fields for stripe rust last week and reported finding the disease in five of 12 fields (two in Cardston County, one field in each of Lethbridge County, County of Warner and M.D. […] Read more

stripe rust on wheat

Winter wheat stripe rust update

Four Alberta counties reporting, fungicide applications may be necessary in some cases

Stripe rust on winter wheat has now been reported in the following counties: Cardston, Lethbridge, Lacombe, and Warner. Additionally, there was a report of potential stripe rust in the Edmonton area and there is some evidence that stripe rust overwintered in Alberta again this year. Frequent scouting of winter wheat fields across the province is […] Read more