Free clubroot tests are available to any provincial grower wanting to know the spore level in their soil.

Private sector agrologists have also been been contacted to ensure the most at-risk fields are identified and tested.

“The agrologists are scouting the fields already (and) they can play a role,” said Wayne Truman, chair of SaskCanola. “They can suggest to the farmer, ‘let’s do a soil test and find out what the soil health is like’. If it doesn’t show up that you have any spores to worry about, that’s great but you should also be following a very good rotation.”

The standard agronomic recommendation is canola once every four years, but due to the oilseed’s profitability, some farmers decide to tighten the rotation.

Truman says keeping tabs on the clubroot spores could prevent a much bigger problem down the road.

“It is probably in most fields, but at such a low level, that it is undetectable, Truman said. “It is only when the spore levels get high enough, that it actually shows up. When you have galls on the roots on the canola plant, you already have a very high spore level.”

The clubroot testing kits are available at no cost. The $100 is being covered by SaskCanola through producer levies. You can get a kit by contacting the SaskCanola head office in Saskatoon or one of the ten regional Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture regional offices located around the province.

(CJWW)