Science

Fungicide strategies for blackleg

Science Edition 2015—Key practice: Consider early application of fungicide for blackleg management only when disease risk is high due to short crop rotations, erosion of cultivar resistance, or hail damage. Project title, Lead researcher: “Mitigating the risk of blackleg disease of canola using fungicide strategies,” 2011-15, Gary Peng, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC); Dilantha Fernando, University of...

Science

Monitor stored canola heading into summer

Science Edition 2015—Key practice: As winter transitions into summer, monitor the temperature profile in canola bins for any rapid increases that may indicate spoilage. Aerating and turning seed to warm up canola stored throughout the cold western Canadian winter is not necessary. Project title, Lead researcher: “Determining Best Practices for Summer Storage of Canola in Western Canada,”...

Science

Reseed when fewer than two plants per square foot

Science Edition 2015—While hybrid canola has a high degree of phenotypic plasticity that allows it to compensate for low plant populations, growers need to know when the population is likely too low to compensate for the reduced plant stand. Reseeding is more likely to provide an economic benefit when: the population is below 20 plants per square...

Science

Blackleg metabolites do not add risk to canola products for export

Science Edition 2015—Key Practice: L. maculans, the fungal pathogen that causes blackleg in canola, can produce a mycotoxin called sirodesmin PL, but this study found none of it in Alberta canola samples. Project Title, Lead Researcher: “Evaluation of the toxicity of the secondary metabolites produced by Leptosphaeria maculans,” 2012-14, Xiujie (Susie) Li, Alberta Innovates — Technology Futures...

Science

Diversity key to blackleg resistance stewardship

Science Edition 2015—Key practice: Diversity of cultivar resistance, crop rotation and fungicide usage can prevent both infection and breakdown of blackleg resistance. Project title, Lead researcher: “Blackleg Resistance Stewardship: Improving our management of host resistance,” 2010-14, Dilantha Fernando, University of Manitoba Grower organization funder: ACPC, MCGA, SaskCanola Leptosphaeria maculans, the fungal pathogen that causes blackleg in canola,...