Soil pH may be an important factor in the growth of a destructive fungus emerging in Western Canadian canola crops, new University of Alberta research shows.
The study — the first to assess how soil's alkalinity or acidity affects Verticillium longisporum infection in canola — shows that the fungus, which causes a disease called Verticillium stripe, grows quickly and spurs more severe symptoms under neutral to alkaline conditions, meaning high pH.
First found in Manitoba canola crops in 2014, V. longisporum has since been identified in parts of Alberta, Saskatchewan, British Columbia, Ontario and Quebec, and has resulted in yield losses ranging from 10 to 50 per cent.
The study's findings can help pinpoint which canola-producing areas of the Prairies are most at risk for the disease, says Becky Wang, who led the study to earn a PhD in plant science in the Faculty of Agricultural, Life & Environmental Sciences.
"That information can give growers an idea of where Verticillium stripe could potentially take hold in their fields, and alerts them to the importance of monitoring soil pH for prevention."
