Verticillium Stripe Rising as Major Canola Threat

Four major diseases are showing up in North Dakota canola this season. “It follows in the order blackleg, white mold, verticillium stripe, and a little bit of clubroot in northeast North Dakota,” said Venkat Chopra, plant pathologist, NDSU Extension. “The major disease we are now seeing is verticillium stripe.” Chopra says the disease has been found in all major canola counties, and weather is driving severity. “If you have a higher rainfall at the start of the season, it’s a soilborne pathogen, so you will see higher incidences than in a normal dry year.”