by Matteo Cavallito<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The level of acidity or alkalinity of the soil could play an important role in the growth of a pathogenic fungus<\/strong>, Verticillium longisporum, that is affecting canola crops in western Canada<\/strong>. This is suggested by the results of a research<\/a> by the University of Alberta<\/strong>. The investigation – the first to assess how these factors affect infection – shows that the microorganism, which causes a disease called Verticillium stripe<\/strong>, grows faster and causes more severe symptoms under neutral to alkaline conditions, i.e. higher pH.<\/p>\n