Clubroot Remediation Protocol

Brassica crops are a widely grown cash crop in western Canada. Much of this crop is exported to the Asian and GCC market. In recent years, Clubroot has been a significant and ongoing problem that has led to yield losses and or total crop failure in most cases leading to reduced ROI.

As part of the solution to combating clubroot, crop rotation, liming, and planting of clubroot-resistant varieties have been recommended. Although the aforementioned clubroot control methods help, their limitations include but are not limited to the following;

Crop rotation

Although crop rotation is advisable, it only helps control the spore counts over a short period. It doesn’t do anything about the spread of club roots via migration of the spores on the same field due to the capillary movement of water. Complete eradication of spores would need a 20-year crop rotation which isn’t realistic for growers in Canada.

Liming

This is efficient in changing the polarity of the root, which in turn reduces the chances of clubroot affecting the crop root. This does nothing to the “root cause” of clubroot spores still in the soil. Also, caution should be taken with this approach since it has the potential of changing the soil’s pH and skewing the Ca: Mg ratio, which can, in turn, lead to other issues such as imbalance/tie-up of minerals and poor nutrient absorption.

Resistant Variety

This takes care of the issue for a while before nature steps in and causes the protist to mutate to survive. Clubroot-resistant seed: This doesn’t reduce spore levels; over time, the spores mutate to become a more resistant pathotype. The cost of genetically engineered seed is $900/bag.

So, what is the solution?

Eradication of clubroot at the source (soil) by systematically reducing spore levels over time!

Keeping in mind the biotic and abiotic factors that contribute to clubroot across different farms, Custom Agricultural Intelligence Inc has developed a systematic protocol in this regard:

Soil sampling

Carry out complete soil sampling and testing for minerals and native microbial panel testing for quantitative and qualitative analysis of soil minerals and spore counts using ICP and qPCR, respectively, to analyze the biotic factors contributing to clubroot. Ample biosafety protocol is followed to ensure spores are handled properly. Native beneficial microbes will be isolated and cultured from soil samples around the area. Based on the report and our analysis, our biochemists tweaked our customized formulation.  The cost of this test is included in the cost of the protocol. Click Here to learn more about our lab services, and click here to download and review our pathogen testing protocol.

The cost of this test is included in the cost of the protocol.

Spray Ambient Temperature

The ambient temperature for applying our product is when there is a consistent ambient temperature above 15⁰ Celsius for 3 days before the day it will be sprayed. Our HiredMan GIS Crop monitoring service can monitor the ambient and soil temperature. Click Here to learn more.

Access to our HiredMan is included for the acres under this protocol.

There will be a liquid formulation(Clubroot Relief^TM) that has to be applied @3gal/Ac, using 20gal of water, followed by a dry formulation (Clubroot Dunamis^TM) that would be broadcasted (using a spreader). The application rate of the Clubroot Dunamis^TM will be determined based on the initial spore levels.

After the first pass above, the soil needs to be harrowed. Then a second pass of the liquid formulation (Clubroot Relief^TM) has to be applied @3gal/Ac, using 20gal of water, followed by a second pass of dry formulation (Clubroot Dunamis^TM) that would be broadcasted (using a spreader).

This has to be done twice (for a total of 6gal of the Clubroot Relief^TM and 40gal of water and a calculated amount of Clubroot Dunamis^TM). The dirt has to be left for 2 days before it can be seeded.

• SeedBoost^TM CR+ Our customized seed primer should be used on the seed that would be seeded on these acres. (We need to know what crop would be seeded to provide the right Seed Treatment).
• 10lb/ac of dunamis added in-furrow with the seed.
• At herbicide and fungicide timing, our customized foliar applied formulation with native Beneficial Microbes, and growth guidance should be applied as early and timely as possible. @1.5L/ac. This formulation is tank mixable with conventional herbicides and fungicides.
• NB: Our herbicide application and fungicide application formulation are applied with 10gal/Ac of water.
• If possible, an extra pass is required before 10%  flowering depending on the crop.
• Soil samples will be collected at the end of the cropping season.

The cost for the application of all the formulations except the seed priming, and in-furrow application, (Herbicide and fungicide timing applications) is included in the cost of the formulation/protocol and borne by Custom Ag Intel Inc.

Please note that the liquid formulation that has to be applied twice @3gal/Ac, using 20gal of water, followed by a dry formulation that would be broadcasted (using a spreader) as described above, will be applied only in the first year.

Prior Results Report.
Benito, MB, 500 acres application.

Our approach has resulted in over 95% consistent reduction in spore levels after 1-2 years in both Benito Mb and Kamsack, Sk.

Value-added Benefits of our protocol:

• A complementary 10lbs/ac of Dunamis, herbicide and fungicide timing formulations would be provided for the acres under the clubroot protocol as a value-added benefit.
• Access to our first-of-its-kind satellite imagery-powered crop monitoring system, Hiredman, for the acres under the clubroot protocol.
• Carbon Credit revenue will be generated and split between the grower and Custom Ag Intel based on our Carbon Credit agreement.

Download Carbon Credit Aggregator Agreement

Return on Investment breakdown analysis

COST OF OUR PROTOCOL: The protocol cost is $20-35/ac all-in depending on if our applicator will do the application. We encourage the application of our protocol on All your acres to avoid cross contamination issues.

Register your Acres for our protocol to receive pricing.