The Saskatchewan Wheat Development Commission (Sask Wheat) has committed over $467,000 to four research projects funded through the Alberta Agriculture Funding Consortium (AFC) in the 2022-2023 crop year.
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According to a new study, western Canadian farmers have received nearly $33 in return through varietal improvements for every dollar they invested in wheat breeding.
Read MoreThe Canadian Wheat Research Coalition (CWRC), alongside the Western Grains Research Foundation (WGRF) and the Saskatchewan Winter Cereals Development Commission (SWCDC), have committed funding to a core breeding agreement with the University of Manitoba (UM). Valued at over $3.5 million over five years, this agreement will ensure the continuation of the successful Fusarium head blight (FHB) nursery program, along with the winter wheat breeding program.
Read MoreThe Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Prairie Biovigilance Network (PBN) group was developed to address concerns related to surveying of wheat diseases in the Prairie region as well as general insect and weed issues. Access to wheat samples is critical for the work group conducts. The group needs farmer assistance with a leaf disease survey of commercial wheat fields, and a survey of stored product insects occurring in farm grain bins, in the Prairie region.
Read MoreSaskatchewan producers rely heavily on synthetic nitrogen fertilizers for the success of their operations. The application of these products helps increase supports plant growth by increasing availability of the essential nutrient. Unfortunately, microbes in the soil like to break down nitrogen in the soil which leads to the generation of N2O gas. Not only does this represent a growing environmental risk, but it also represents a significant economic loss for the producer. The development of enhanced efficiency nitrogen fertilizer products comes as a solution to both of these challenges.
Read MoreFusarium head blight is a notorious fungal disease threatening small cereal grains like wheat. Its effects are far-reaching and result in millions of dollars in economic losses every year, making it one of the most significant crop diseases faced by Canadian wheat growers. Not only does this disease reduce crop yields and seed quality, but the fungus responsible for the infection produces dangerous mycotoxins including one called DON (deoxynivalenol). Even small amounts of this toxin can cause major health issues for humans and animals, which is why it has become heavily regulated across grain markets.
Read MoreFlax crop residues can be a costly nuisance for Saskatchewan growers if they aren’t managed carefully. They wrap around seeding equipment in the spring, increase downtime in the fields, and interfere with seed germination, taking a chunk out of the bottom line. According to Dr. Jeff Schoenau (Professor of Soil Science at the University of Saskatchewan), harvest conditions could influence decisions surrounding residue management strategies.
Read MoreYou are invited to join the network of volunteer farmers participating in our research project aimed at developing a soil health testing tool for Saskatchewan producers.
Read MoreThe Canadian Wheat Research Coalition (CWRC) – a collaboration between the Alberta Wheat Commission, Saskatchewan Wheat Development Commission and Manitoba Crop Alliance – has committed $2 million over five years towards a core breeding agreement with the University of Alberta (U of A). The investment will fund research activities through the U of A’s wheat breeding program with a specific focus on developing new Canadian Western Red Spring (CWRS) and Canadian Prairie Spring Red (CPSR) wheat varieties. The agreement came into effect on May 1, 2021 and will expire December 31, 2025.
Read MoreDr. Wentao Zhang (Research Officer) and Kerry Boyle (Technical Officer) at the National Research Council of Canada are revolutionizing wheat breeding programs through their genetic research. Using genetic packaging, they have curated the ideal recipe for durable multi-rust resistance in Canadian wheat.
Read MoreUsing soil-applied phosphorous fertilizers is a balancing act for Saskatchewan growers. Apply too much and there is a risk of causing damage to the seeds. Apply too little and yields could suffer. But what if phosphorous wasn’t applied to the soil at all? Could foliar application methods help growers overcome issues of soil-bound nutrients?
Read MoreThe agricultural ergonomic team at the University of Manitoba is looking for experienced farmers and custom operators to assess the effectiveness of a remote interface for autonomous (driverless) agricultural machines.
Read MoreA few years ago, Drs. Andrew Olkowski and Bernard Laarveld from the Department of Animal and Poultry Science at the University of Saskatchewan (U of S) were looking for a treatment that would break down animal manure. They developed a catalytic solution that worked on the manure but, to make sure there were no toxic side effects on plants, they tested it on some barley seed. Turns out, it wasn’t toxic at all – the opposite, in fact.
Read MoreThe Saskatchewan Wheat Development Commission is aware that research organizations are currently reviewing and adjusting their research activities due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In order to support the agriculture industry and to ensure the safety of research organization personnel, Sask Wheat is working with funded researchers, institutions, and funding partners to adjust contracts so that this important work on behalf of Saskatchewan’s wheat producers continues.
Read MoreSometimes, finding out something isn’t a problem is just as important as finding out it is. Take the case of aster yellows (AY) in wheat A well-known and serious problem of canola, AY was not really thought of as a major issue in wheat. “But one year, we had all these unexplained yield losses in the field,” says Pierre Hucl, wheat breeder and professor at the University of Saskatchewan’s Crop Development Centre. “I knew it was also a high aster yellows year in canola, so we wondered if that was the cause.”
Read MoreThe Canadian Wheat Research Coalition (CWRC), a collaboration of the Saskatchewan Wheat Development Commission, the Alberta Wheat Commission, and the Manitoba Wheat and Barley Growers Association, has committed more than $9.6 million over five years to a core breeding agreement (CBA) with the University of Saskatchewan’s (USask) Crop Development Centre (CDC) for the development of spring wheat cultivars.
Read MoreThe first PhD student to receive a Sask Wheat graduate scholarship was Gurcharn Brar. In March 2019, he successfully defended his thesis, Characterization of Resistance to Fusarium Head Blight in Bread and Durum Wheat, and received his PhD from the U of S.
Read MoreThe Alberta Wheat Commission (AWC), the Saskatchewan Wheat Development Commission (Sask Wheat), and the Manitoba Wheat and Barley Growers Association (MWBGA) committed a combined $17.9 million to 81 wheat research projects during the 2018/2019 crop year.
Read MoreFusarium head blight (FHB) is such a prevalent and destructive problem for Saskatchewan wheat producers that Sask Wheat has made it a research priority, investing millions of dollars into projects studying how to combat the fungus and minimize its damage. Two of those projects were recently completed. One project tested potential new sources of FHB resistance in spring wheat while another focused on improving FHB management in durum.
Read MoreDr. Vladimir Vujanovic, an Associate Professor at the University of Saskatchewan who specializes in microbiology, launched a research project last March looking at the potential to use biological control agents (BCAs) to help control FHB in Saskatchewan.
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