The distribution of clubroot in the Peace River region again increased in 2018 from the Big Lakes County (August 2017) to include additional sites in northwestern Alberta:
• Please access the current clubroot map here to learn more about where this disease occurs within Alberta.
• Refer to Alberta Agriculture and Forestry's website for more information on clubroot.
• Please access the current clubroot map here to learn more about where this disease occurs within Alberta.
• Refer to Alberta Agriculture and Forestry's website for more information on clubroot.
The IPM Program has, since 2004, used booties and sterilized field equipment using bleach and ethyl alcohol. From 2017-2018, field sanitation involved the use of Virkon and bleach and since 2019 involved bleach only. As of May 2021, our field sanitation protocol includes:
* AAFC staff continue to operate marked vehicles when visiting fields to identify ourselves.
* AAFC vehicles continue to park on the road OR on pull-ins – we NEVER drive into a field!
* We reduce field work activities on rainy days to avoid tracking mud.
* We are using sodium hypochlorite or bleach (2%) to sanitize both AT and BETWEEN each field.
* Rubber boots are worn and sterilized using bleach both AT and BETWEEN each field.
* Disposable booties are worn over sterilized rubber boots prior to exiting the vehicle.
* All booties are bagged then sterilized using an autoclave.
* Vehicle tires, wheels, and wheel-wells are sanitized using bleach both AT and BETWEEN each field.
* Any equipment in contact with the soil (eg trowels, soil samplers) is sanitized using bleach.
* We carry multiples of our small field equipment to allow for soaking in bleach and/or sterilization using an autoclave.
* All field equipment (e.g., spades, trowels, soil core samplers) is soaked in bleach after use in each field.
* All field equipment (e.g., spades, trowels, soil core samplers) is soaked in bleach after use in each field.
* AAFC vehicles are washed intermittently at commercial car washes to prevent the introduction of clubroot onto our research field plots at Beaverlodge AB.
Please contact us if you have questions or concerns! If you wish to personally see our sanitization efforts in action, we can arrange it! You can reach Amanda Jorgensen, Shelby Dufton, or Jennifer Otani by e-mail.
We appreciate the value of all agricultural fields and thank our growers for allowing us to conduct research in their fields. We appreciate their ongoing support and commitment to insect pest management. We also want the agricultural industry to be aware and confident that we continue to do our utmost to ensure every field is protected now and in the future.