Disease presence in your canola is the gamble every farmer faces so how can we make decisions about in-crop fungicide applications before the crop is even in the ground?  Sharpe’s Agronomists share their tips for proactive risk assessment for fungicide applications in 2025. 

Understand Risk 

“Knowing the disease levels from past years in your fields is a good indicator of future risk,” says Sharpe’s Agronomist Gavin Leech, Langenburg. He asks farmers about crops previously planted in that field and what they looked like. “We’ll even ask for 2-3 years of history on a field to get a sense of what to expect this year.”  Tighter rotations are providing the host for disease to build up.  Sharpe’s agronomists combine crop observations with weather data and provincial crop surveys in Saskatchewan and Manitoba to understand the potential risk in the field. 

Which Diseases Could Be Present 

“In our area, we’re focused on sclerotinia in canola.   When the conditions are right, sclerotinia will be a yield robber,” says Sharpe’s Agronomist Wendy Leeds in Moosomin.  With new information on diseases coming out every year, Leeds and her colleagues study the most current diagnostic information and tools to know what could be coming in the year ahead.  “It’s a lot of information to consider in making the decision to spray or not to spray,” says Leeds. 

Quick Decisions 

When crops in the area are starting to bolt, the Sharpe’s agronomists and crop scouts shift into high gear.  “A pattern of moisture and humidity at this time will create perfect conditions for sclerotinia infection,” notes Leeds.    New tools like daily updates from the newly formed Prairie Crop Disease Monitoring Network give the Sharpe’s team in-season information that they need to triage problem fields for customers.  Proactive planning for every field helps at this stage.  “If we don’t know the disease risk on a field before the spray window opens, it is difficult to make an informed recommendation that will maximize the effectiveness of a fungicide application”  The Canola Council of Canada notes that if just 10% of plants in a field are infected, a sclerotinia fungicide application will pay for itself.   

Spray Timing 

The Sharpe’s Agronomy team emphasizes that the spray window for effective fungicide application can pass quickly.  “We recommend spraying at 30% bloom stage for yield protection and the best economic return.   Canola can move very quickly from early flower to 30% bloom,” says Gavin Leech.  He finds that farmers are exhausted after dodging wind and rain during herbicide spraying season and fungicide spraying is often an afterthought. Wendy Leeds adds, “Having a conversation about fungicide applications before the seed even goes in the ground is helpful for planning, especially if considering an arial application.  Being proactive allows us to get the plane to you at the right time!” 

Summary Tips 

1. Review records of the crop planted and your observations in the field from the previous year 

2. Make decisions about your crop rotations so you can consider which diseases may be a problem for the coming year 

3. Early conversations with agronomists, product suppliers and applicators will alleviate the pressure of in-season decision making 

4. Consult professionals well before you need their expertise and local knowledge to narrow your options for fungicide and to ensure product is in place if you need it 

5. Be realistic about your time by considering how you managed energy & resources in past years and whether you want to hire experts for fungicide application this year