Controlling Ilyonectria mors-panacis in ginseng gardens with better nutrition and fungal inhibitors

North American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius L.) is a medicinal crop that was used by indigenous people in North America to treat aliments from headache to indigestion. Today, most of the North American ginseng is produced in shaded gardens in southwestern Ontario, Canada. It is a prized health supplement in traditional Asian medicine, making this an economically valuable crop for growers. However, the sustainability of the commercial ginsen crop is in jeopardy due to a soil-inhabiting fungal pathogen that causes a deadly root rot in the crop. The root pathogen can kill 100% of the ginseng seed planted in fields where ginseng was grown before. This project aims to help Canadian ginseng growers by identifying ecologically safe means of improving the ginseng nutrition and preventing disease outbreaks in ginseng gardens.

Faculty Supervisor:

Joann Whalen

Student:

Partner:

Soil Smith Ltd.

Discipline:

Life Sciences

Sector:

Agriculture

University:

McGill University

Program: