Canola Watch quiz

Answer: Left frost, Right rhizoctonia. Frost tends to cause pinching near the top of the stem. Rhizoctonia infection causes pinching of the stem — “hypocotyl” — around ground level. The common name for this infection is “wirestem,” and by looking at the picture you can tell why. You can’t do anything about wirestem at this stage — however seed treatment should protect most of the plants. After a frost, wait a few days and look for green regrowth of true leaves before making a reseeding decision. Even 1-2 plants per square foot at this calendar date probably has better yield potential than a reseeded crop.