30 Follow us on Twitter: @PrairieFarming Better Farming | January 2024 ‘zoospores’, which are mobile spores that can swim through soil water and infect the plant roots). As well, adequate calcium can reduce the post-penetration effects of clubroot on the plants,” explains Strelkov. That’s well and good, but does it actually work? According to Strelkov’s studies, “two recent graduate projects (conducted by Nicole Fox and Brittany Hennig) looked at pH increases from liming and clubroot suppression, and some significant clubroot reduction was seen.” Strelkov advises agronomists and farmers against rushing into large management changes though. “Using calcium to control clubroot can be a finicky solution, sometimes yielding inconsistent results. Its efficacy depends on several factors, including timing of seeding and lime application versus when it rains; amount of rainfall; and the type of soil you have.” Genetics of the pathogen may also play a role and this was the focus of a recently completed research project. “It appears that not all strains of clubroot react the same way to liming, with some being more sensitive than others, which further complicates the effectiveness of this strategy as a tool for clubroot suppression.” Overall, calcium and pH play a role in disease management, but Strelkov cautions farmers that, “using calcium or liming to control clubroot is far from foolproof. Its efficacy can be unpredictable, and it can also be expensive.” Options such as plant genetics, increased rotations, and cleaning equipment are more reliable management methods. Soil nutrition is important but should be used to augment a disease management plan, not be the basis of one. It's pretty clear that calcium plays an important role in the agronomy of a crop, and that deficiencies cost farmers over time. What holds farmers back from applying calcium? The short answer? “Money,” says Duggan. “It’s expensive to lime. Historically, companies had to buy calcium products out of province, and it could cost up to $1,000 per ton.” Yes, you read that right. “At those prices, you may as well buy a new piece of land with fresher (calcium) reserves.” On top of the cost, there are “limited products available in Canada,” adds Duggan. Because of product undersupply, calcium was often not at the forefront of the minds of agronomists and farmers. However, calcium is becoming increasingly more visible. A few more products are out there, and prices are becoming more reasonable. Eventually, it may start to cost producers more to avoid the cost of calcium application. It never hurts to ask your agronomists about calcium products that may be available, and consider taking some soil samples to see where your own soils are at. After decades of mining calcium without replenishing it, it’s time to ask our soils, “Got milk?” BF Stacy was born and raised on a farm in Alberta. She has a BSc in Crop Science from the University of Alberta. She is a Certified Crop Advisor and a professional agrologist who has worked mostly in municipal government and primary agriculture production. STACY BERRY BENEFITS OF CALCIUM Calcium helps plants with their nutrient uptake from the soil. Tracy Miller photo
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