b'level of knowledge and awareness, whether the farmer hasIn terms of planning crop rotations, producers can test that, or whether its in combination with an experienced cropthe virulence spectrum of the blackleg pathogen in a field, consultant. for example. Based on the test results, growers can make decisions about the varieties they grow and the rotation they ASG: Are there any other factors that will directlywant to follow. Moreover, in the next five to 10 years, therell affect disease management in Western Canada,likely be similar approaches to other disease issues in other including Alberta? crop species.KT:There are many factors that influence farmers croppingIn cereals, we may be able to look at the virulence spectrum choices and rotations, and these factors may overshadowof cereal leaf spot pathogens. Growers could take in-season concerns related to disease management. Cropping choicesor end-of-growing-season infected plant tissues to the lab. may simply reflect commodity prices, the economics ofTest results may indicate the farmer has a particular type of production, or disease issuesfor example, farmers may lovepathogen virulence group, which will help dictate the varieties to grow field peas, but cant effectively manage Aphanomyces.and rotations a grower should use. From a broad perspective, we need a wider suite of cropping options that farmers feel comfortable growing: they know howASG: Are there other ways you see molecular to manage the crops and the pest issues that affect them.techniques influencing disease management?As important, there must be an established market forKT:: Fortunately, in Western Canada, our fungicide use patterns the commodities farmers produce and the prices must behave typically been fairly limited up until the last 10 to 15 reasonable. To me, having a suite of cropping options is ayears. Now, were seeing fungicide being put on at flag leaf foundational element we need because if farmers have aemergence or before, and once again after head emergence range of different crop species they know they can get paid to top up leaf disease control as well as for Fusarium reasonably well for, and be successful growing and managingsuppression.any pest issues that arise, then they can start looking at two orIn some cases in Europe and Australiawhere there is three or more years between host crop species. This non- a much longer history of fungicide resistance development host rotational interval combined with good volunteer andin various pathogens, usually due to repeated use within a host weed control allows for decomposition of infested cropgrowing season or between growing seasonsresearchers residues and the loss of viability of pathogen survival structures. are investigating the use of molecular techniques to assess infected plant samples or spores captured out of the air by ASG: How do molecular tools fit into the future picturespore traps. The molecular characteristics of the pathogens of disease management? and their virulence spectrums can be assessed, which can, as KT:Western Canada is in a unique position in that we havementioned previously, indicate what resistance genes in the a series of private sector or commodity group-supportedhost may still be effective in terms of the virulence spectrum labs, which have built capacity as far as molecular biologyof the pathogen. Research efforts are also looking at using is concerned. In many cases these labs started out primarilymolecular markers related to fungi sensitivity. testing cereal seed for Fusarium graminearum using traditionalWhen I was a student, spore trapping was more of a research-agar plating, but then transitioned into DNA-based testingfocused activity because it was cumbersome and took a lot of technologies.time. Nowadays, with advances in molecular biology, results This molecular expertise continues to expand. Nowadays,from spore traps or plant samples are available within one day. labs offer canola residue tests that identify the virulence groupInterest in spore trapping technologies is increasing, which may of a blackleg pathogen. Therefore, producers can look at thelead to more practical commercial applications. Still, spore traps resistance genetics in the varieties they are growing and theare focused mainly on research activities, but were seeing that nature of the pathogen in their fields, and with the assistancechange. One option right now is the Spornado technology from of a crop consultant come up with a resistance management20/20 Seed Labs, which is a passive spore trap. plan. That capacity and molecular expertise is at producers Kari Belangerfingertips. That, to me, is very exciting and continues to grow. Molecular approaches are another tool for assessing the prevalence and nature of a particular pathogen species. Fall 2019 37'