How to Grow Canola

Agronomic Research

1997 Disease Survey

REPORT ON 1997 WESTERN CANADA CANOLA DISEASE SURVEY

Compiled by
Robin Morrall
University of Saskatchewan

The following pathologists were responsible for collecting the disease data, collating the results and interpretation of the results in this survey: Gary Platford, Debbie McLaren and Jennifer Lamb in Manitoba; Robin Morrall, Lori-Ann Kaminski, David Kaminski, Michael Celetti, Randy Kutcher, Lorne Duczek and Richard Gugel in Saskatchewan; Prem Kharbanda, Ieuan Evans, Ralph Lange, J.P. Tewari, Winnie McNab, Henry Huang and Lorraine Harrison in Alberta. We acknowledge the assistance of several technicians and numerous agrologists from Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development, Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food and Manitoba Agriculture. Without the help of the provincial employees, it would have been impossible to identify the fields and collect the agronomic data. This project is under the general sponsorship of the Canola Council of Canada. Financial support is gratefully acknowledged from Agrevo Canada Inc., Alberta Canola Producers Commission, BASF Canada Inc., Canodev Research Inc., Dow AgroSciences Canada Inc., Dupont Canada Inc., Limagrain Canada Seeds, Manitoba Canola Growers Association, Manitoba Pool, Monsanto Canada, Novartis Crop Protection Inc., Rh-e-Poulenc Canada Inc., Saskatchewan Wheat Pool and United Grain Growers.

The information contained in this report may not be used for advertising purposes without permission from the compiler and the Canola Council of Canada.

Background and Objectives

This survey is part of a three-year project (1996-98), which is the first attempt by pathologists at a co-ordinated disease survey across all the canola-growing areas of western Canada. Before 1996, comprehensive surveys had been done consistently only in Manitoba. In the other provinces disease surveys were intermittent, or were confined to specific regions or specific diseases. Thus, information about the relative importance of diseases, which is useful in setting research priorities, was often lacking. Furthermore, because of time and financial constraints, previous surveys were usually done in randomly chosen fields, with no knowledge of cultivars, rotations, fertilizer and pesticide inputs, etc. Information on the relationships of these agronomic factors with disease incidence could help research workers and growers to improve cropping practices. The need for agronomic data in canola disease surveys is particularly acute in the present context of rapidly changing cultivars and cultural practices.

The objectives of the survey were to gather comprehensive disease data, using standardized sampling methods, as well as background agronomic data on canola crops in all the western provinces. Only the major areas of canola production in each province were included and the numbers of fields surveyed in each province were approximately representative of relative acreages planted. After the three-year survey, we hope to draw conclusions about the effects of agronomic practices on diseases and yield which may benefit canola production. The results will be sent to producers, government extension staff and research scientists.

The help of provincial extension agrologists was enlisted to select small clusters of fields in their local areas and obtain the background agronomic data from the farmers. Each agrologist was asked to identify 6 fields in his or her area, representing a range of cultivars, fertilizer inputs and other production practices. It was considered important not to survey only fields belonging to growers practising the highest degree of management. Most of the background data were to be collected before the pathologists surveyed the fields. Final data, such as late-season pesticide inputs, yields and dates of harvest were to be added later by the agrologists.

Methods

As in 1996, the proposed methods of choosing fields to survey and collecting background data were followed in the majority of cases. However, occasionally data were not collected until fall or late winter and only by telephoning the growers. Two hundred fifty three fields were eventually included in the 1997 survey, with the following distribution among provinces: Alberta-83; Saskatchewan-110; Manitoba-60. The total represents a 24% increase over 1996. Agronomic data were incomplete for about 10 of the fields.

Disease assessments were made in each field shortly before swathing by collecting 20 plants at each of 5 sites separated by at least 20 m from each other. The presence or absence of lesions on each plant was scored to give percent disease incidence figures for the following diseases: blackleg (Leptosphaeria maculans), sclerotinia stem rot (Sclerotinia sclerotiorum), foot rot (Rhizoctonia, Fusarium), brown girdling root rot (Rhizoctonia, etc.), aster yellows (phytoplasma) and staghead (Albugo candida). For blackleg each plant was scored for either a severe basal stem canker or any other type of blackleg stem lesion. For sclerotinia stem rot each plant was scored for either a main stem lesion or an upper branch or pod lesion. Thus, for both blackleg and sclerotinia percent incidence was scored for two kinds of lesions that have a greater or lesser effect, respectively, on the plants. For alternaria pod spot (Alternaria brassicae and A. raphani) the percent severity of lesions on the pods of each plant was assessed.

When alternaria pod spot was present in a field, but at a level estimated to be below 1%, the disease was recorded as a "trace". Similarly, when the other diseases were observed in a field, but not among the sample of 100 plants, the disease was also recorded as a "trace". In calculating means, all trace values were counted as 0.1%.

Results and Discussion

Disclaimer

The results presented here are from a one-year survey of fields in which observations were made by many people. The data were not derived from experiments in which variables were carefully controlled. In commercial fields multiple variables affect disease incidence and severity, including some which have not yet been considered in the analyses. Until three years' survey data have been obtained and additional analyses have been conducted, great care should be exercised in interpreting the results. Under no circumstances should disease management decisions be based entirely on the findings presented here.

Rotation and Canola types - Definitions

Crop rotation is a common method of disease control and is referred to frequently below. In this report the lengths of crop rotations are defined as follows: 1-year = no interval between 2 crops in question; 2-year = 1 year between 2 crops in question; 3-year = 2 years between 2 crops in question; etc. The two canola species grown in western Canada, Argentine and Polish, are referred to in this report as Brassica (B.) napus and B. rapa, respectively.

Blackleg (Leptosphaeria maculans)

Levels of severe basal stem canker were low and yield losses, therefore, probably limited. There were only 25 fields (about 10%) in which the incidence of severe cankers was 10% or more. Consequently comparisons were mainly based on total incidence of blackleg by summing the individual values for stem lesions and basal cankers.

Percent blackleg incidence was summarized in relation to the blackleg resistance ratings of the cultivars and the length of rotations between canola crops in the fields (Table 1). Since two major control practices for blackleg are planting resistant cultivars and using a long crop rotation, trends of increased blackleg incidence with shorter rotations and lower resistance might be expected. As in 1996, such trends were not consistently evident (Table 1). However, when small sample-size groups were eliminated there was a trend towards lower blackleg incidence (a) with longer rotations and (b) in resistant (rating = 1) cultivars compared with all other categories of susceptibility. In 1996 percent blackleg incidence was higher in fields on 2-year and 4-year rotations than in those on 3-year rotations. This difference was not evident in 1997.

Mean incidence of blackleg was lower in 1997 than in 1996 in all susceptibility categories (overall 9% vs 16% incidence). The distribution of fields in the survey among cultivars resistant and moderately resistant to blackleg was similar to that in 1996. However, there was an increase over 1996 of 14% in moderately susceptible cultivars and decreases of 4% and 10% in susceptible cultivars of B. napus and B. rapa, respectively. Very few fields of B. rapa from Manitoba and Saskatchewan were included in the survey, reflecting the low acreage of B. rapa in these provinces.

Mean yields were poorly correlated with blackleg resistance of the cultivars (Table 1). The relatively high mean yield of susceptible (rating =4) B. napus cultivars may be related to the small number of fields surveyed in that category; these fields were mostly in Manitoba and Saskatchewan. As in 1996, but to a lesser extent, there was an indication of mean yields increasing with length of rotation up to 4 years, then declining with rotations of 5 or more years. The lower yields in fields on rotations of 5 or more years may be associated with farmers who are not consistent canola growers. In contrast to 1996, increased yield with longer rotations up to 4 years was consistent with decreased disease incidence.

Mean yields were consistently lower in all blackleg susceptibility categories than in 1996; overall mean yield was 16% lower than in 1996. This undoubtedly reflects the drier conditions in many parts of western Canada in 1997 than in 1996, rather than lower blackleg levels. Overall, B. rapa crops yielded 67% of B. napus crops (18 vs. 27 bus/acre); the percent difference is identical to that in 1996. Mean rotation lengths were slightly shorter in 1997 than in 1996 for all blackleg categories.

Sclerotinia stem rot (Sclerotinia sclerotiorum)

Since main stem lesion and upper branch or pod lesions appeared to be correlated with each other in infested fields, the two values were summed to give an approximate overall disease incidence value. This overall incidence was examined in relation to (a) geographical region (province) (b) the length of rotation between canola crops, (c) the length of rotation between sclerotinia-susceptible crops, (d) canola species, (e) the use of fungicides (Benlate, Ronilan or Rovral) to control stem rot, and (f) nitrogen input (Tables 2 and 3). Cultivar differences were not considered, as all current cultivars are susceptible to stem rot.

The data showed a substantially higher incidence of sclerotinia stem rot in Manitoba and Alberta than in Saskatchewan (Table 2). This no doubt reflects the generally drier weather in Saskatchewan in July during the critical flowering period when infection occurs. In non-sprayed fields, mean incidence of stem rot did not show a consistent decline with longer canola rotations; in Alberta, where the incidence of stem rot was highest, the highest mean incidence was associated with 4 and 5-year rotations. Mean incidence was also not related to the number of years since the previous sclerotinia-susceptible crop (Table 2). These results are similar to those of the 1996 survey and earlier studies; they probably reflect the longevity of sclerotial bodies of sclerotinia in the soil. However, there are many other reasons to recommend long rotations between canola crops.

Approximately 17% of fields were sprayed with a fungicide, similar to the percentage in 1996. Most of these were in Manitoba. The mean incidence of stem rot in sprayed fields was about the same as the mean incidence in non-sprayed fields (Table 2). A high incidence of stem rot in a few sprayed fields suggests that timing of application may not always have been optimal in high-risk fields.

Conventional wisdom is that sclerotinia stem rot is more severe in fields managed with a high level of inputs because dense stands provide a more favorable microclimate for disease development. Therefore, incidence was investigated relative to an approximate measurement of input level, namely amount of actual N incorporated into the soil (see section on fertility below) (Table 3). There was a positive relationship between mean incidence of stem rot and N input in non-fungicide sprayed fields, both in B. napus and B. rapa. The association with N input is in contrast with results from the 1996 survey, when stem rot incidence was generally higher. However in 1996 the measurement of N fertility level was very crude.

It is noteworthy that the proportion of crops sprayed with a fungicide to control sclerotinia was higher in fields that received a high N input (Table 3). This probably reflects high-level management practices and the desire of growers to protect an already above-average investment. In effect, the disease may affect agronomic practices as much as, or more than agronomic practices affect the disease.

Alternaria pod spot (Alternaria brassicae and A. raphani)

Alternaria pod spot is known to be more prevalent on B. rapa than on B. napus, although part of the difference may be related to environmental conditions under which the two species are commonly grown. Furthermore, alternaria pod spot develops extensively late in the season, including after swathing. Thus, the damage it causes from pod shattering, seed shrivelling and green seed may not be reflected well in surveys that are conducted shortly before swathing.

Because of the dry weather in mid-to late summer, levels of alternaria pod spot in 1997 were extremely low in many areas, especially in Saskatchewan (Table 4). Pod spot was again confirmed to be more severe on B. rapa than on B. napus. However, as most of the B. rapa was grown in Alberta, the data for B. rapa should be considered mainly as a subset of Alberta data in judging the difference between canola species. With some exceptions, there was generally a trend towards lower levels of alternaria pod spot with longer rotations between canola crops (Table 4). The anomalous higher levels of pod spot in fields on 5 or >5 year rotations in Alberta and Manitoba may reflect small sample sizes or the ability of Alternaria spores to spread from field to field by wind during the growing season. Even when long rotations are practised in fields, there is a possibility that surrounding fields contain 1-year-old canola residues.

Staghead/white rust (Albugo candida)

In western Canada staghead is a disease found on only B. rapa because the cultivars of B. napus are immune to the prevalent races of Albugo candida. Cultivars of B. rapa vary considerably in susceptibility to Race 7 of Albugo, which is the oldest-established race in western Canada.

In 1997, considering the small sample sizes, mean staghead incidence was similar in fields on rotations from 1-4 years long, but lower in rotations of 5 or >5 years (Table 5). Since Albugo produces long-lived resting spores which persist in infested plant debris, long crop rotations should be beneficial to control staghead. However, in 1996 a major difference in staghead levels was observed between 3 year and longer rotations.

There was a clear relationship in 1997 between staghead incidence and level of susceptibility to Race 7 of Albugo (Table 5). Staghead incidence was generally higher than in 1996 in cultivars rated very good or good but lower in cultivars rated fair or very poor. The results emphasize the benefit of growing resistant cultivars but suggest that Race 7v of Albugo may be increasing in prevalence on cultivars resistant to Race 7.

Brown girdling root rot (Rhizoctonia solani, etc)

This is a highly destructive disease that has traditionally been found almost exclusively in the Peace River region. Its cause is complex and poorly understood. In 1997, brown girdling root rot was also reported in the Bonnyville, Sedgewick and Vegreville regions of central Alberta. Data for these regions and for the Peace River, for B. napus and B. rapa combined, were summarized according to crop rotation (Table 6). As in 1996, incidence of brown girdling root rot was extremely high in the Peace River region, but there was no clear relationship with length of crop rotation. In specific fields on rotations from 1-5 years, incidence ranged up to nearly 100%. It is likely that the extremely high levels of the disease in the Peace River region were partly associated with the excessive rain that fell in the area in 1997.

Other diseases

Levels of foot rot and aster yellows were too low in the fields surveyed to investigate their possible relationship with agronomic or other factors. In most fields these diseases were absent or at trace levels. Downy mildew (Peronospora parasitica) cannot be studied in an end-of-season survey because the symptoms are usually most evident on rosette leaves. Symptoms of sulphur deficiency were observed in a few fields.

Fertility, yield and geographic region

The questionnaires completed by farmers and agronomists included questions about fertilizer input so that we could attempt to relate certain diseases, such as sclerotinia stem rot, to soil nutrient level. Fields for which this information was provided were classified according to actual N input level and actual S input level and mean yields in the classes calculated. The raw data showed that the majority of fields where N input was very low were summerfallow crops.

Considering the limitations imposed by small sample sizes in some N-input categories, mean yields generally increased with increased N input in both B. rapa and B. napus (Table 7). However, there was no trend of yield relative to actual S input. The ratio of N input to S input was also examined in relation to yield, but there was no trend of yield relative to the ratio (data not shown). In fields in which S was added, the N:S input ratio varied from 1 to 42.

As in the 1996 survey, there was a wide range of individual yield values in each N-input category (Figure 1). Very low yields could often be explained by drought (e.g. in central Saskatchewan) or by excessive rainfall (e.g. in northern Alberta). The drought resulted in early ripening in many areas and necessitated conducting the survey much earlier in August than in 1996. The effects of moisture conditions on yield were also very evident in the classification of fields in relation to province and soil zone (Table 8). In Alberta and Saskatchewan yields were lower in the drier dark brown soil zone than in the black soil zone. In Manitoba, yields were lower in the black soil zone than the grey zone, which was generally wetter, and yields were generally higher than in Saskatchewan. In Alberta, low yields in the grey soil zone reflected excessive moisture in the Peace River region coupled with a higher proportion of fields of B. rapa.

Conclusion

As in 1996, readers are cautioned that the data presented here are not derived from controlled experiments with replication. It is dangerous to draw premature conclusions or base management decisions on single-year survey data. Additional analyses of the 1997 or combined 1996-98 data may reveal other management practices and additional variables that affected disease incidence in the fields surveyed. Also, the mean yield of 27 bushels/acre for all fields in the survey (Table 1) was higher than the national average for 1997. This suggests that the survey did not include a completely representative cross-section of canola growers in Canada.

Table 1 Mean Incidence of blackleg and yields in relation to blackleg resistance levels and length of crop rotation, western Canada, 1997



Table 2 Mean incidence of sclerotinia stem rot in non-sprayed crops in relation to province and crop rotations and overall mean incidence in sprayed crops, Brassica napus and B. rapa combined - western Canada, 1997

Rotation
No. of Years
Alberta
Saskatchewan
Manitoba
Overall
 
No. of fields
% incidence of sclerotinia
No. of fields
% incidence of sclerotinia
No. of fields
% incidence of sclerotinia
No. of fields
% incidence of sclerotinia
Since previous canola crop
1
3
11%
1
0%
1
0%
5
7%
 
2
22
9%
9
<1%
0
-
31
7%
 
3
19
9%
27
1%
9
7%
55
4%
 
4
12
16%
22
1%
11
8%
45
7%
 
5 or >5
10
20%
30
<1%
6
2%
46
5%
 
Unknown
8
1%
15
3%
3
2%
26
2%
Since previous

sclerotinia-susceptible crop.

1
3
11%
4
1%
1
0%
8
4%
 
2
26
11%
32
2%
7
3%
65
6%
 
3
20
8%
30
1%
11
10%
61
5%
 
4
10
12%
12
<1%
6
9%
28
6%
 
5 or >5
8
25%
16
1%
2
0%
26
8%
 
Unknown
7
1%
10
1%
3
2%
20
1%
Overall Non-sprayed
74
11%
104
1%
30
6%
208
5%
Overall Sprayed
9
5%
5
1%
30
6%
44
5%

Table 3 Incidence of sclerotinia stem rot in non-sprayed fields in relation to canola species and nitrogen input in the crop and overall number of sprayed fields in relation to nitrogen input, western Canada, 1997

Actual N input (lbs./acre)
Brassica napus
Brassica rapa
No. of crops sprayed
 
No. of fields
Mean % Incidence
No. of fields
Mean % Incidence
0 -20
15
0.3%
3
0.3%
2
21- 40
8
0.1%
7
3.1%
1
41- 60
33
5.7%
7
10.8%
6
61-80
65
3.0%
7
9.0%
13
81-100
32
6.3%
5
22.8%
15
>100
9
14.4%
-
-
7
Unknown
10
4.3%
5
8.0%
0

Table 4 Severity of alternaria pod spot in relation to province, canola species* and length of crop rotation, western Canada 1997

 

Crop Rotation

Alberta

Both species combined

Manitoba

Both species combined

Saskatchewan

Both species combined

 

Overall

 
Brassica napus
Brassica rapa
 
No. of fields
Mean % pod spot
No. of fields
Mean % pod spot
No. of fields
Mean % pod spot
No. of fields
Mean % pod spot
No. of fields
Mean % pod spot
1 year
3
4.5%
1
20.0%
1
0%
3
6.7%
2
6.7%
2 year
24
3.7%
5
2.0%
9
<0.1%
29
2.0%
9
4.6%
3 year
23
2.5%
19
1.0%
26
0.1%
56
0.8%
12
3.0%
4 year
14
3.1%
22
0.8%
27
0.2%
59
0.9%
4
4.3%
5 or >5 year
11
5.7%
7
2.4%
30
0.1%
43
1.5%
5
3.1%
Unknown
8
1.9%
6
9.2%
15
0.4%
24
2.6%
4
2.0%
Overall
83
3.4%
60
2.3%
108
0.1%
214
1.4%
36
3.6%

* Distribution of canola species relative to province: Alberta: B. napus = 56 B. rapa =27. Manitoba: B. napus = 60 B. rapa = 0. Saskatchewan: B. napus = 99 B. rapa = 9

Table 5 Incidence of staghead disease on Brassica rapa* in relation to length of crop rotation, western Canada, 1997

Crop rotation
Number of fields
# Incidence of staghead
1 year
2
6.5%
2 year
9
7.2%
3 year
12
7.4%
4 year
4
9.0%
5 or >5 year
5
2.2%
Unknown
4
1.0%

Mean staghead incidence in relation to white rust susceptibility level: Very good = 2.4% (8 fields); Good = 5.1% (9 fields); Fair = 7.1% (11 fields); Very poor = 10.2% (7 fields).

Table 6 Incidence of brown girdling root rot in relation to length of crop rotation, Alberta, 1997*

Crop rotation
Peace River Region
Bonnyville, Sedgewick and Vegreville Regions (Central Alberta)
  No. of fields Mean % incidence (and range) of brown girdling root rot No. of fields Mean % incidence (and range) of brown girdling root rot
1 year 3
90%
(80 - 98%)
0
-
-
2 year 13
79%
(17 - 100%)
5
13%
(1 - 41%)
3 year 7
64%
(33 - 100%)
6
14%
(5 - 26%)
4 year 4
70%
(54 - 100%)
6
15%
(7 - 20%)
5 or >5 years 4
67%
(32 - 100%)
1
6%
( n/a )
Unknown 4
82%
(66 - 90%)
1
21%
( n/a )

Table 7 Yield of crops in relation to canola species and nitrogen and sulphur inputs in the crop, western Canada, 1997

Actual input (lbs./acre)
Brassica napus
Brassica rapa
 
No. of fields
Mean yield (bus./acre)
No. of fields
Mean yield (bus./acre)
0 - 20 N
17
24.2
4
20.6
21 - 40 N
8
29.6
8
19.1
41 - 60 N
39
26.2
7
20.3
61 - 80 N
77
28.8
7
23.1
81- 100 N
47
30.3
5
16.4
> 100 N
16
34.6
-
-
Unknown N
10
20.1
5
6.5
0 S
6
24.8
3
21
1 - 5 S
18
29.4
-
-
6 - 10 S
60
26.6
13
16.8
11 - 15 S
46
30.2
3
20
16 - 20 S
13
36.8
2
31.6
21 - 25 S
8
29.1
1
28
> 25 S
4
31.6
-
-
Unknown S
60
28.5
11
17.5

Table 8 Yield of canola in relation to soil zone, irrigation and province - western Canada, 1997

Soil Zone
Alberta
Manitoba
Saskatchewan
 
No. of fields
Yield (bus./ac.)
No. of fields
Yield (bus./ac.)
No. of fields
Yield (bus./ac.)
Grey
48
21.3
10
36.8
-
-
Black
23
34.9
50
30.3
74
26
Dark Brown
6
28.3
-
-
29
21.9
Irrigated
6
38.3
-
-
5
46
Total
83
26.8
60
31.4
108
25.8



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