Canola AgriScience Cluster Theme 5: Sustainability and Climate Change - Integrated Pest Management
Term: 5 years, beginning in 2018
Status: Complete
SaskCanola Investment: $885,920 in Canola AgriScience Cluster Themes 3-6
Total Project Cost: N/A
Funding Partners: ACPC, MCGA and AAFC Canadian Agricultural Partnership
Administered By: Canola Council of Canada
Project Descriptions
1. Feasibility of Using Trichomalus perfectus for Biological Control of Cabbage Seedpod Weevil in the Prairies
Researchers: Héctor Cárcamo, Meghan Vankosky, Boyd Mori, Kevin Floate, Tara Gariepy, Patric Bouchard, Peter Mason, and Tyler Wist (AAFC); Éric Lucas (UQAM); Luc Belzile (Institut de recherche et développement en agroenvironnement); Dan Johnson (University of Lethbridge); Scott Meers (Alberta Agriculture & Forestry)
Purpose: This study will test the benefits and risks of introducing the parasitoid wasp Trichomalus perfectus to the Prairies. This wasp provides effective parasitism of cabbage seedpod weevil in Europe and it has appeared as an adventive species in Quebec, where it can reach high levels of pest control. Objective one of this study will assess the efficacy of T. perfectus for managing seedpod weevil. This will be done in Quebec. This study will also identify potential non-target weevils and parasitoids from insect samples collected on the Prairies and from field sites in Quebec and Ontario. Finally, the study will refine a CLIMEX model to predict whether the Prairie climate will support this new wasp.
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2. Integrated Approaches for Flea Beetle Control II: Incorporating the Impacts of Plant Density, Ground Predators, and Landscape-Scale Predictive Models in the Management of Flea Beetles in the Canadian Prairies
Researchers: Alejandro Costamagna, Tharshinidevy Nagalingam and Rob Duncan (University of Manitoba); Héctor Cárcamo and Jennifer Otani (AAFC); John Gavlovski (Manitoba Agriculture)
Purpose: Flea beetles are one of the major pests of canola in Western Canada. Canola growers need strategies to improve the efficiency of seed treatments, and flea beetle management in general. This study will address research gaps that could improve flea beetle management. These include the effect of plant density in flea beetle management, the effect of stem feeding damage on the flea beetle control, the role of natural enemies on flea beetle management, and regional predictive models for flea beetle abundance.
3. Genetic Resources for Flea Beetle Resistance in Canola
Researchers: Dwayne Hegedus, Sally Vail, Isobel Parkin and Chrystel Olivier (AAFC)
Purpose: Given the regulatory scrutiny of neonicotinoid seed treatments, researchers are looking at alternatives, including natural plant defences. Currently, Brassica napus canola varieties have no natural resistance to flea beetles. This project builds on work begun by researchers at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and the University of Saskatchewan that identified lines of B. napus producing hairs (‘trichomes’) on their leaves and stems. These hairs deter flea beetles by disrupting their normal feeding behaviour. This project will conduct greenhouse and field trials with naturally-hairy B. napus lines, identify genes/loci responsible for hair production in Brassica species, and provide trichome-bearing lines and/or associated markers to the canola breeding community.
Other References to this Research Project
Video: CAP Wrap-Up Event - Afternoon Session starts at 15:16
Western Producer article: Hairy canola research embarks on long and winding road
4. Improving the Management of Sclerotinia Stem Rot of Canola Using Fungicides and Better Risk Assessment Tools
Researchers: Kelly Turkington, Henry Klein-Gebbinck, Breanne Tidemann, Greg Semach, Charles Geddes, Henry de Gooijer, Gary Peng, William May, Dale Tomasiewicz, Romona Mohr, Debbie McLaren, Denis Pageau and Syama Chatterton (AAFC); Steve Strelkov (University of Alberta); Mike Harding (Alberta Agriculture & Forestry); Barb Ziesman (Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture)
Purpose: Sclerotinia stem rot continues to be the most damaging and difficult-to-manage disease of canola in Canada. Recent research shows that spore DNA assessment of petals (using qPCR) holds promise in stem rot risk assessment. Objectives of this project are to: (1) refine the use of qPCR analysis and investigate the potential for using spore traps instead of canola petals; (2) understand the role and impact of relative humidity, rainfall, and temperature on inoculum production and disease development; (3) evaluate the efficacy of very early fungicide applications alone or in conjunction with later applications for management of stem rot; (4) develop a better understanding of factors (e.g. seeding rate) that cause variability in flowering and how this influences fungicide response at various crop growth stages; and (5) and (6) develop a better understanding of how inoculum availability and environmental conditions prior to and during the flowering period influence stem rot risk and the efficacy of different fungicide application timings.
5. Development of a Biosensor for Sclerotinia Stem Rot Disease Forecasting in Canola
Researchers: Susie Li and Jian Yang (Innotech Alberta); Kelly Turkington (AAFC Lacombe); Jie Chen (University of Alberta)
Purpose: The goal of this project is to develop an in-field real-time sensor to monitor plant disease pathogens, specifically the sclerotinia stem rot pathogens. The sensor would notify the farmer, via cell phone, when a disease outbreak is imminent. Li and the research team have already developed a biosensor that could work, but more research is needed. Objectives of this study are to: (1) transition the spore detection technology/device from a large instrument to a portable chip that can be easily applied in the field; (2) establish the correlation between disease severity (per cent petal infection) and inoculum level (number of spores in the air) under controlled and field environments; and (3) verify the technology in the field.
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6. Protection of Canola from Pathogenic Fungi Using RNA Interference Technologies
Researchers: Steve Whyard, Mark Belmonte and Mazdak Khajehpour (University of Manitoba); Dwayne Hegedus (AAFC)
Purpose: Whyard and colleagues have found a way to use RNA interference (RNAi), which can reduce gene expression through the application of double-stranded RNA (dsRNA), to reduce sclerotinia stem rot infections. Due to RNAi’s high degree of specificity, dsRNA foliar fungicides can target just the pathogenic fungus or related pathogenic fungi, and not affect beneficial species. This would reduce our reliance on broad-spectrum fungicides. The researchers have already identified and nominated sclerotinia-bioactive dsRNA molecules. Next objectives are to synthesize dsRNAs and screen for fungicidal activity and non-target effects, develop and test topical formulations for dsRNA adhesion to leaves and durability under different environmental conditions, and assess the persistence of dsRNAs in the soil.
7. Resistance to Sclerotinia Sclerotiorum Effectors in Canola
Researchers: Dwayne Hegedus and Hossein Borhan (AAFC); Yangdou Wei (University of Saskatchewan)
Purpose: This project will attempt to simplify the identification of Brassica napus canola lines with tolerance to sclerotinia stem rot. Researchers will characterize substances produced by the fungus that cause the characteristic brown, necrotic (dead) lesions on the plant or which compromise the ability of the plant to defend itself against attack by the fungus. These substances will be used to identify B. napus lines from collections at plant genetic resource centres to find those that are most tolerant or resistant to individual substances. Combining the resistance traits through traditional breeding will accelerate the development of canola varieties with better tolerance or resistance to stem rot.
8. CANADIAN CANOLA CLUBROOT CLUSTER PILLAR 1: Integrated Disease Management
Researchers: Sheau-Fang Hwang and Rudolph Fredua-Agyeman (Alberta Agriculture & Forestry); Steve Strelkov (University of Alberta); Bruce Gossen (AAFC Saskatoon); Mary-Ruth McDonald (University of Guelph)
Purpose: The goal of this project is to develop management practices to reduce clubroot spore populations and prevent their buildup in at-risk areas. These practices are necessary to protect genetic resistance in canola varieties. Project objectives are to: (1) characterize soil properties and pathotypes in clusters where resistance has been defeated; (2) test field pre-treatment and amendment techniques, including liming under varying spore concentrations and liming field entrances prior to clubroot introduction; (3) quantify yield loss in relation to disease severity; (4) assess the effect of cultivar rotation on clubroot pathotype structure; and (5) screen clubroot-resistance canola varieties against novel clubroot pathotypes.
Other References to this Research Project
2022 Canadian Agronomist article: Clubroot Yield Losses Assessed
9. CANADIAN CANOLA CLUBROOT CLUSTER PILLAR 2: Developing Novel Resistance Resources and Strategies to Address the New Threat of Clubroot Canola Production on the Prairies
Researchers: Gary Peng (AAFC); Habibur Rahman (University of Alberta); Rudolph Fredua-Agyeman (Alberta Agriculture & Forestry)
Purpose: The rapidly changing clubroot pathogen population presents a challenge to effective use of clubroot resistance (CR) because the single-gene resistance can be overcome quickly. Current canola cultivars have a low diversity in CR, and many newly-identified clubroot pathotypes appear to be virulent on these “resistant” cultivars. New CR genes or gene combinations, especially those with broad-based resistance, may help enhance the efficacy and durability of resistance. For this project, CR genes from existing germplasm as well as new brassica sources will be studied for novel CR resistance mechanisms and potential pyramiding/rotation options against a wide range of pathotypes, especially the predominant pathotypes.
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10. CANADIAN CANOLA CLUBROOT CLUSTER PILLAR 3: Host-Pathogen Biology and Interaction
Researchers: Bruce Gossen (AAFC Saskatoon), Mary-Ruth McDonald (University of Guelph), Gary Peng (AAFC Saskatoon), Fengqun Yu (AAFC Saskatoon), Sheau-Fang Hwang (Alberta Agriculture & Forestry), Steve Strelkov (University of Alberta)
Purpose: The explosion of new, virulent pathotypes of Plasmodiophora brassicae (the clubroot pathogen) on canola crops in Alberta indicates that producers need management options for situations where no single source of genetic resistance is available to effectively manage all of the pathotypes of clubroot in their field. The goal of this research is to develop and validate best management practices for managing clubroot in canola fields where strong genetic resistance is not available and for slowing the spread of these pathotypes into new areas. The study examines factors that affect resting spore survival, germination and infection. Sources of quantitative (non-pathotype specific or horizontal) resistance, which has not previously been studied in detail, are also being identified and assessed to determine if quantitative resistance might be used to increase the durability of genes that confer strong genetic resistance to clubroot. This study will also evaluate strategies for deployment of clubroot resistance genes, with the aim of identifying approaches that will maximize the durability of resistance.
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