Effect of seeding date and depth, seed size and fungicide treatment on Fusarium and Pythium seedling blight of canola

Abstract

Hwang, S. F., Ahmed, H. U., Turnbull, G. D., Gossen, B. D. and Strelkov, S. E. 2015. Effect of seeding date and depth, seed size and fungicide treatment on Fusarium and Pythium seedling blight of canola. Can. J. Plant Sci. 95: 293–301. Seedling blight has a substantial impact on stand establishment and productivity of canola (Brassica napus) on the Canadian prairies. The effects of seeding date, seed size, seeding depth, and seed treatment fungicides on seedling blight of canola caused by Fusarium avenaceum and Pythium ultimum were evaluated under field conditions. In the trials inoculated with P. ultimum, early seeding reduced seedling emergence and seed yield in all 3 yr of the study. However, the interaction of F. avenaceum with seeding date was not consistent; inoculation with F. avenaceum reduced seedling emergence in early seeded canola in 1 of 4 yr, but emergence was higher in early than in mid-seeded treatments in 2 yr and there was no difference among seeding dates in 1 yr. Late seeding reduced seed yield in 2 of 4 yr in the F. avenaceum study. Seed size and seeding depth generally did not have an effect on seedling establishment or seed yield for either pathogen. Seed treatment with Helix Xtra (thiamethoxam+difenconazole+metalaxyl+fludioxonil) and Prosper FX (clothianidin+carboxin+trifloxystrobin+metalaxyl) fungicides increased seedling emergence and yield compared with the F. avenaceum-inoculated control. Seed treatment with Helix Xtra also increased seedling emergence and seed yield compared with the P. ultimum-inoculated control. Manipulation of seeding date did not substantially improve stand establishment or yield of canola when inoculum pressure was high. Seed treatment was the most effective strategy for reducing losses caused by seedling blight of canola in fields infested with F. avenaceum or P. ultimum.