At the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities annual convention, delegates announced four different resolutions to help deter clubroot in the province. 

Clubroot is a disease that lives in the soil and infects the root of crops. The root shoots then swell up, giving it a club-like appearance, which restricts the plant's ability to absorb nutrients or water.

Barb Ziesman, Provincial Plant Disease Specialist, said the disease is still relatively new to the province but the sooner it's dealt with, the better. "Proactive management is very important. The earlier we find clubroot, the easier it is to manage."

A sample of clubroot. (file photo)

SARM brought forward four resolutions that would help control the disease.

  • Have an updated map of clubroot published in the province.
  • All areas affected by clubroot be reported to the Ministry of Agriculture.
  • A list of certified sanitation facilities be provided.
  • Used agricultural equipment in Saskatchewan must have their origin stated.

Ziesman agreed that these are the right steps to take, "The Ministry definitely sees preventing the spread and distribution of clubroot as a priority. We do agree that there needs to be action to work towards those goals."

She said that the Ministry is already working on preparing a map and surveying crops, "We are looking at conducting, with Sask Canola's support, an extensive clubroot survey in 2018. What that means, we're going to be getting a further understanding of where clubroot is in Saskatchewan and the distribution and severity."

1,800 fields in high risk regions in the province will be surveyed throughout 2018. This includes northern agriculture regions and parts of the east of the province.

"Once we have that understanding, then we can look at the situation in Saskatchewan and determine what further action really needs to be done to get ahead of it."

Clubroot is a relatively new disease in Saskatchewan but there has been signs of it in the past.

In 2008 and 2012, the pathogen related to the disease was found in one field during a survey. There were no symptoms found.

In 2011, two fields were found with small symptoms of the disease.

In 2017, clubroot was found in commercial fields in cropping districts 9A and 9B, which includes Lloydminster, North Battleford and Meadow Lake.