Managing Clubroot on Canola in Canada: Advances, Challenges, and Future Directions

Plasmodiophora brassicae, an obligate Chromist pathogen that causes clubroot disease, occurs wherever brassica crops are grown. This review synthesizes recent advances in clubroot research, with an emphasis on clubroot management on canola (Brassica napus) in Canada. Fields infested with P. brassicae occur across the 8 M ha of annual canola production in Canada. Clubroot on canola is currently being managed effectively with a combination of genetic resistance and extended crop rotation, but virulent pathotypes are emerging rapidly and replacing resident pathotypes. Erosion of even a subset of available resistance genes could increase disease risk and impact across the region. New and diversified sources of genetic resistance are being developed and incorporated into the next generation of canola cultivars, supported by studies of host physiology, pathogen variability and resistance durability. However, the rapid change in pathotypes has resulted in concerns about the sustainability of a management strategy that relies almost exclusively on genetic resistance. This concern has stimulated studies in epidemiology, population biology, resistance stewardship, biological control and cultural management approaches such as soil amendments and enhanced surveillance. Genomic analyses of field collections and single resting spores of P. brassicae have demonstrated a predominance of clonal reproduction shaped by balancing selection and have enabled development of improved reference genomes. Pathotype identification methods, critical for matching canola cultivars with effective resistance profiles, continue to progress but more improvement is required. Continued innovation and integration of management strategies will be necessary to maintain effective long-term clubroot management.