During late June and July, crop scouting in canola is critical for assessing sclerotinia stem rot risk and gauging the need for and timing of an in-crop fungicide application. However, late season crop scouting is also important as it can be used to assess the prevalence, severity and impact of this disease issue. Where unsprayed check strips or areas have been left in the field, late season assessments can be used to assess the impact and benefit of spraying in relation to sclerotinia stem rot management and crop productivity. When assessing sclerotinia stem rot incidence and severity, it is critical to correctly identify symptoms of stem rot and differentiate these from normal or premature canola crop ripening due to a range of abiotic and biotic factors.
A detailed overview of suggested sampling protocols can be found at the following link:
Prairie Crop Disease Monitoring Network, Sclerotinia Stem Rot Assessment Protocols, Summer 2020.