For seed growers, canola farmers, and pulse producers, clubroot and Aphanomyces, two soilborne diseases, can devastate crop rotations and remain in the soil for decades. With no chemical cure and limited management options, early and precise soil testing is essential to protect long-term yields.
In our Canadian crop science laboratories, our experts are tackling these challenges with automation and precision.
Speaking with Seed World Canada, Annu Albert, one of our molecular diagnostics specialists, explains, "Clubroot is particularly damaging to canola. It causes the roots to swell into club-like structures, restricting water and nutrient uptake. Once it's in the soil, the spores can survive for over 20 years."
Manual DNA extraction was once limited testing to about 45 samples per day. "Now, with automation, we can handle up to 88 samples a day with much greater accuracy and far less strain on our team," Albert notes. Our robotic system performs fatigue-free, precise pipetting across multiple samples, eliminating human error and boosting throughput, while freeing staff for higher-value work.
The same process applies to both clubroot testing and Aphanomyces testing, differing only in the genetic markers used for PCR analysis, enabling a single streamlined workflow to serve multiple crop sectors efficiently.
Our capabilities have evolved from basic yes/no detection to quantifying spore loads, providing farmers with detailed disease severity insights. Next, we aim to introduce genomic tools to identify specific clubroot pathotypes, which could guide breeding programs and targeted management strategies. "Once the genomic techniques are validated in research, we bring them into our commercial labs and scale them up for real-world application," Annu says.
Beyond farming, infrastructure developers rely on us to prevent the spread of soilborne pathogens between sites. Through our secure online portal, clients can instantly download filterable spreadsheets of their soil test results, making it simple to track changes and support biosecurity decision-making.
Why Choose SGS?
We combine robotic precision, next-generation molecular diagnostics and deep local agricultural expertise to deliver fast, reliable results. Our services support both Canadian growers safeguarding their livelihoods and infrastructure companies protecting farmland. Backed by our global network, we ensure compliance with best practices, reduce the risk of pathogen spread, and help clients stay one step ahead of the most persistent agricultural threats.
Interested in learning more about our testing capabilities or need help prepping for the season? Visit our dedicated Crop Science page.
Holly Gelech
Senior Business Development Manager
SGS Crop Science
t: +1 780 660 9657
About SGS
SGS is the world’s leading Testing, Inspection and Certification company. We operate a network of over 2,500 laboratories and business facilities across 115 countries, supported by a team of 99,500 dedicated professionals. With over 145 years of service excellence, we combine the precision and accuracy that define Swiss companies to help organizations achieve the highest standards of quality, compliance and sustainability.
Our brand promise – when you need to be sure – underscores our commitment to trust, integrity and reliability, enabling businesses to thrive with confidence. We proudly deliver our expert services through the SGS name and trusted specialized brands, including Brightsight, Bluesign, Maine Pointe and Nutrasource.
SGS is publicly traded on the SIX Swiss Exchange under the ticker symbol SGSN (ISIN CH1256740924, Reuters SGSN.S, Bloomberg SGSN:SW).
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