Effects of seeding rate and plant density on sclerotinia stem rot incidence in canola

Abstract

Sclerotinia stem rot (Sclerotinia sclerotiorum Lib. deBary) affects canola wherever it is grown. Seeding rates, which are believed to affect the microclimate beneath the canopy, were evaluated for their impact on sclerotinia stem rot incidence. A study with five seeding rates (2.2 kg/ha, 3.3 kg/ha, 6.7 kg/ha, 13.3 kg/ha and 20.0 kg/ha) and four canola cultivars chosen for their variation in canopy structure and lodging resistance was conducted in Carman, Manitoba, Canada, in 2001 to 2003. A significant relationship between sclerotinia stem rot disease incidence (DI) and seeding rate was found. With an increase in seeding rate, the DI was significantly increased in the mean of the canola cultivars, and individually, only in the lodging-prone cultivar AC Excel. Lodging significantly increased for all cultivars when seeding rates exceeded the standard 6.7 kg/ha. Multiple regression analysis revealed that both plant density and lodging explain the majority of the variation in DI. Both plant density and lodging resistance varied in having a larger influence on DI depending on the year and cultivar analysed. Our results indicate that increasing seeding rate does modify the microenvironment and increases the potential for lodging, which may be responsible for plant-to-plant spread of this disease.