Justine Cornelson from BrettYoung Seeds speaking about verticillium at Mantioba AgDays in Brandon on Wednesday, January 22. PHOTO: Don Norman

Researchers scramble to understand verticillium in Canada

Disease is a relative newcomer to Canada and has been the subject of little research globally

Justine Cornelson of BrettYoung Seeds says verticillium is one reason Manitoba saw disappointing canola yields last year. The disease needs to be the subject of more research, since little has been done to date.

In this photo of a wilt-affected plant’s stem at harvest, black microsclerotia can be seen just below the surface layer. (Gov.mb.ca/agriculture)

No point in quarantine for verticillium wilt, CFIA says

Slapping federal quarantines on canola fields with verticillium wilt wouldn’t serve much purpose, since the yield-robbing fungi is already in all of Canada’s major canola-growing areas, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency says. While the agency itself is recommending against regulation, CFIA on Wednesday posted a draft of a risk management document on verticillium wilt, seeking […] Read more

Symptoms of verticillium wilt in an infected potato plant. (OMAFRA.gov.on.ca)

Fungicide cleared to curb verticillium wilt in potatoes

A label expansion for Syngenta’s Aprovia fungicide, to cover additional soil-borne potato diseases, makes it the first fungicide in Canada approved to suppress verticillium wilt in potatoes. Fumigants have been potato growers’ only option against the crop disease until now, Eric Phillips, Syngenta Canada’s fungicides and insecticides product lead, said in a release Thursday. Verticillium […] Read more

(Canola Council of Canada photo)

Manitoba canola pest lab backed for equipment, research

A new Manitoba lab with federal, provincial and canola industry backing has been opened with the goal of staying a step ahead of canola diseases such as clubroot and verticillium wilt. The federal and Manitoba governments on Thursday announced $969,000 for equipment, including a polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) machine, and $250,000 for research at the […] Read more

In this photo of a wilt-affected plant’s stem at harvest, black microsclerotia can be seen just below the surface layer. (Gov.mb.ca/agriculture)

Seed, equipment quarantined at wilt-stricken Man. farm

Seed and equipment are now under federal quarantine at a Manitoba farm where a crop pathogen never before seen in Canada made its first-ever appearance in North American canola. Without giving the farm’s specific or general location, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency said Friday it’s placed a quarantine order on seed from the farm at […] Read more


In this photo of a wilt-affected plant’s stem at harvest, black microsclerotia can be seen just below the surface layer. (Gov.mb.ca/agriculture)

Verticillium wilt makes jump to Canadian canola

A Manitoba canola field has been confirmed as the first in North America with Verticillium wilt, a fungal disease well known to northern Europe’s canola and vegetable growers. With no seed treatments or foliar fungicides yet registered against it — and with no resistant canola varieties available — the disease, if here to stay, may […] Read more