Field Bio-Sanitation Protocol and Mitigating Transmission of Soil-borne Diseases

Clubroot is a soil-borne disease of canola and other cruciferous plants of the Brassicaceae family which is caused by a pathogen called Plasmodiophora brassicae. Clubroot is spread when infested soil is transported by vehicles and farm machinery or though wind and water erosion. Roots of infected plants have a club-like appearance (Fig. 1). Above-ground symptoms vary depending on the growth stage at time of infection. Common symptoms include wilting, stunting, yellowing, and premature ripening. Above-ground symptoms are similar to common canola disorders thus it is important to carefully dig up suspect plants and inspect the roots.

Figure 1. Characteristic clubroot galls on an infested canola plant. 

Photo: (LL, ND, CC BY-SA 2.0)

The distribution of clubroot in the Peace River region has increased since first appearing in Big Lakes County (August 2017) and now includes additional sites in northwestern Alberta:

• 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. 
• Refer to Clubroot Disease | Canola Encyclopedia (canolacouncil.org) for more information.
• Refer to Preventing Clubroot: Agricultural Sanitization for more information on preventing clubroot.

Back in 2004, the Integrated Pest Management Program (IPM) implemented biosanitation protocols including use of tyvek booties and sterilization of all field equipment. From 2017-2018, field sanitation involved the use of Virkon and bleach and, since 2019, involved bleach only. As of May 2023, our biosecurity protocol includes:

• Adhering to a strict field research sanitation protocol.
• Identifying ourselves by operating marked Government of Canada vehicles when visiting fields. 
• Reducing or cancelling field work activities on rainy days to avoid tracking mud.
• Washing AAFC vehicles at commercial car washes BEFORE and AFTER conducting field work (Fig. 2).
• Sterilizing and washing vehicle floor mats with bleach each day (Fig. 3).

Figure 2. Washing AAFC vehicle at the commercial to remove soil after a long day of fieldwork. 

Photo: Maddy Jones-AAFC Beaverlodge.

Figure 3. Floor mats are hung and sterilized with bleach while at the commercial car wash. 

Photo: Maddy Jones-AAFC Beaverlodge.

• Wearing impermeable shoes while operating and exiting vehicle. These shoes are sterilized each day.
• Sterilizing impermeable boots using bleach both AT and BETWEEN each field (Fig. 4). 
• Wearing disposable booties are over sterilized impermeable boots prior to entering field or pull-in (Fig. 5).

Figure 4. Impermeable boots are placed into bins containing a bleach solution while traveling between field sites. Photo: Maddy Jones AAFC-Beaverlodge.

Figure 5. Disposable booties are donned over sterilized impermeable boots prior to field entry at each site. 

Photo: Maddy Jones AAFC-Beaverlodge.

• Parking AAFC vehicles on the side of the road - we NEVER drive into a field!
• Using sodium hypochlorite or bleach (2%) to sterilize vehicle tires, wheels, and wheel-wells both AT and BETWEEN each field (Fig. 6). 

Figure 6. Wheel-wells and tires are sterilized upon arrival to each field site using a bleach solution. 

Photo: Maddy Jones AAFC-Beaverlodge.

• Soaking all field equipment that contacts soil (e.g., spades, trowels, soil core samplers) in bleach after use in each field. 
• Bagging and sterilizing all booties using an autoclave (employs high temperature and pressure).
• Carrying multiples of small field equipment to allow for soaking in bleach and/or sterilization using an autoclave.
• Maintaining a log of all visits and all field sanitation protocols implemented.

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 contact us by emailing Shelby Dufton.

We thank growers for their continued support of field research by way of granting permission for our staff to access land to collect data. Out staff continue to do our utmost to ensure every field remains protected. 

Post prepared by Madysen Jones

Field sanitation protocol to manage soil-borne diseases

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. 

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.

* 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. 

Field sanitation protocol in place to continue to manage clubroot and other soil-borne diseases

We are updating you on a new situation: Clubroot was confirmed in August 2017 within the Peace River region (in Big Lakes County). 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 but we have now updated and implemented increased our sanitation methods for every field as of August 31, 2017:

* 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!

* NEW -  We will reduce field work on rainy days to avoid tracking mud.

* NEW – We are using Virkon (2%), a disinfectant tested and routinely used by Albertan pathologists to manage clubroot, to sanitize both AT and BETWEEN each field.

* NEW – Rubber boots are worn and sterilized using Virkon 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.

* NEW – Vehicle tires, wheels, and wheel-wells are sanitized using Virkon both AT and BETWEEN each field.

* Any equipment in contact with the soil (eg trowels, soil samplers) is sanitized using Virkon following usage.

* All field equipment (e.g., spades, trowels, soil core samplers) are soaked in Virkon after use in each field.

* NEW – We are purchasing multiples of our equipment to allow for soaking in Virkon and/or sterilization using an autoclave.

* NEW – AAFC vehicles will be washed intermittently at commercial car washes to prevent introduction of clubroot onto our research field plots at Beaverlodge AB.

Please let us know if you have questions or concerns!  If you wish to personally see our sanitization efforts in action, please let us know so we can arrange it!  You can reach us by e-mail at Amanda.Jorgensen@canada.ca or Jennifer.Otani@agr.gc.ca. 

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 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 for the future.