A SURVEY FOR BLACKLEG AND SCLEROTINIA STEM ROT ON CANOLA IN ALBERTA IN 2018

Blackleg is a disease of canola (Brassica napus L.) caused by Leptosphaeria maculans (Sowerby) P. Karst. Cultivar resistance and crop rotation are the primary management tools for preventing economic losses to the disease. Symptoms of blackleg are common across Alberta however, disease severity is often very low where host resistance to blackleg is deployed (Kutcher et al. 2013; Harding et al. 2016, 2017). Stem rot on canola, caused by Sclerotinia sclerotiorum (Lib.) de Bary, is also a commonly occurring disease in Alberta. Both stem rot and blackleg may be found concurrently on canola plants within the same field. A survey for these diseases was undertaken to characterize the prevalence and incidence of stem rot as well as the prevalence, incidence and severity of blackleg in Alberta canola crops in 2018.