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Disease Surveillance Protocols

Please note the PCDMN Blog is no longer active and has been transitioned to our new PCDMN website 

Please now refer to our new PCDMN website for timely field crop disease updates and associated information


The PCDMN works in conjunction with Collaborators to develop disease monitoring protocols applicable to field crops grown across the Canadian prairies:

Ascochyta/Mycosphaerella Assessment Protocols (Summer 2021) - During June and July, crop scouting for the ascochyta/mycosphaerella complex in field pea is critical for assessing 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 these disease issues. Assess mid-season and end-of-season field pea mycosphaerella levels at: 

  • Early flowering stage - Typically at growth stage R2 when at least one node or more has the first flowers that are open.
  • End of season - Typically at the R4 stage or full pod stage, but before R5 when leaves start to turn colour and pods in the lower canopy range in colour from yellowish to brown.
Access the full protocols here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/10uCeJ-jsY-ZIpi_W3psIJpvIiV74tKC-/view?usp=sharing and https://drive.google.com/file/d/131cuo-bkX4inm1bGVhMCj2j9tf8EN5e6/view?usp=sharing


Blackleg of Canola Assessment Protocols (Summer 2021) - Blackleg is one of the key diseases faced by Prairie canola producers and has largely been kept in check with the use of resistant varieties and crop rotation. However, over the past 10-20 years there have been shifts in blackleg pathogen virulence in response to the major gene resistance used in a number of varieties. Changes in virulence patterns emphasize the critical need to stay on top of this disease; producers and crop scouts can play a critical role by scouting fields to monitor blackleg and detect any unexpected increases in disease levels on resistant varieties. For blackleg it is critical to scout just prior to swathing to assess the prevalence, severity and impact of this disease and to assess the benefit or lack thereof of fungicide application. 



Sclerotinia of Canola Assessment Protocols (Summer 2021) - Sclerotinia stem rot is one of the key diseases faced by Prairie canola producers.  For stem rot it is  a critical to scout just prior to swathing to assess the prevalence, severity and impact of this disease and to assess the benefit or lack thereof of fungicide application. 


Cereal Leaf Spot Assessment Protocols (Summer 2021) - During June and July, crop scouting for leaf spot diseases in cereals is critical for assessing 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 these disease issues. 

For cereal leaf spots the late milk-early dough stage is ideal to assess the final level of disease. Focus on the key leaves contributing to grain filling and yield.  In wheat, focus on the flag leaf and penultimate leaf whereas in barley focus on the penultimate leaf (2nd leaf from the head) and the 3rd leaf from the head. Caution: By early dough stage, the penultimate leaf in wheat and the 3rd leaf from the head in barley may have already started to senesce. If this is the case, then focus on the flag leaf in wheat or the penultimate (2nd leaf from the head) in barley.