Healthy (right) versus infected (left) roots in lentils.

Managing aphanomyces root rot in your fields

Q & A with CPS

Q: What is aphanomyces and how should I manage this disease? A: Aphanomyces is a relatively new root rot disease in pea and lentil crops that is quickly expanding across the Prairies. Aphanomyces root rot is caused by aphanomyces euteiches, a soil-borne plant pathogen. The symptoms of aphanomyces root rot are yellowing and stunting of […] Read more

Once root rot has been confirmed, a six to eight year crop rotation can help manage the pathogen's progression.

Managing aphanomyces and root rot

2017 survey results showed a high prevalence of root rot in Prairie pulse crops


Root rot is a soil-borne disease that affects the roots of developing peas and lentils. Root rot can infect crops at any stage, and once it sets in there is no way of stopping the infection. Saskatchewan Pulse crop advisor Sherrilyn Phelps advises growers on best prevention practices. Disease prevention Proper rotation is important. Peas […] Read more



Four canola diseases to watch for

Four canola diseases to watch for

Is that canola crop afflicted by blackleg, root rot, both, or something else entirely? It’s a messy question farmers and agronomists encounter every year. Presenters tried to untangle those problems at CanoLAB in Vermilion this winter. Here are four diseases to watch for in canola fields this summer, and tips on diagnosing them.


A sclerotinia-infected canola stem. Eastern Prairie crops are expected to face added disease pressure. (Photo courtesy Canola Council of Canada)

Rain increases disease pressures on eastern Prairies

CNS Canada — The recent batch of wet weather across parts of Saskatchewan and Manitoba have been a welcome relief to some fields that were suffering from excess dryness. However, soggy conditions have also enabled certain disease pressures to rear their ugly head, according to some government specialists. “Root rot is showing up in peas […] Read more

Pea root rot.

Researching root rot control in peas

Evaluating the benefits of seed treatments, soil amendments and soil tests

There’s still a lot to learn when it comes to managing root rot, especially aphanomyces. When are seed treatments most effective? Do soil amendments help? And can soil testing help farmers pick the best pea fields? Fortunately, research is underway to answer those very questions. Dr. Syama Chatterton, an Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) researcher […] Read more


Manage root rot before seeding

Saskatchewan plant disease specialist recommends good agronomy to reduce root rot

Lentil and pea growers struggling with root rot need to manage the disease before the seed is in the ground, according to Saskatchewan Agriculture’s plant disease specialist. Fusarium, pythium, and rhizoctonia are root rot pathogens long familiar to farmers. But aphanomyces is a relatively new problem, only detected in Saskatchewan in 2012. “It probably was […] Read more

Pea plants in the pale green areas were small and struggling compared to the larger, healthier-looking plants in the lush green areas.

Crop Advisor’s Casebook: Puzzling patterns in a pea field

A Crop Advisor's Solution from the October 21, 2014 issue of Grainews

Back in late spring, Allan was alarmed to see some strange patterns showing up in his crop of field peas at his 2,000-acre mixed grain farm near Aylsham, Sask. Irregular sections of pale green peas were appearing in the field, in contrast to the lush green growth of the rest of the crop. The pea […] Read more



root rot in a pea plant

Minimizing the impact of Aphanomyces

There are no in-crop solutions to root rot in peas and lentils. But there 
are ways to minimize your risk of losing yield to Aphanomyces

Given the wet springs and dry summers we’ve seen in recent years, Aphanomyces euteiches — Aphanomyces root rot — has become a real problem for pea and lentil growers. First confirmed in Saskatchewan in 2012 and then in Alberta in 2013, the disease has been slowly creeping across the country, destroying crops in its wake. Making […] Read more