The proposed strategy in this project is to apply genomic selection as early as possible within the breeding programs that is cost effective based on the current cost of genotyping and number of lines under consideration. Our strategy to continue to apply genomic selection at the F4 generation is based on a pilot study discussed more in the next section of this application ‘how does this project build on your previous research or research of others’. By applying genomic selection at an early generation the gene pool of breeding populations will be enriched for desirable alleles in the same way that phenotypic selection is done for agronomic and disease traits such as height and rust resistance.
Read MoreThe Saskatchewan Variety Performance Group (SVPG) is an informal group made up of stakeholders who are interested in variety performance testing in Saskatchewan. SVPG has coordinated the post-registration regional performance testing of spring wheat, durum, barley, oats and flax varieties since 2006. The data collected from these trials is entered into annual publications Varieties of Grain Crops and SaskSeed Guide. These publications are valuable resources for producers and seed growers who are looking for unbiased comparisons of variety data.
Read MoreWe will utilize our Pst collection to generate pools of molecular markers for the Pst in Canada to be applied as a fast approach to predict pathogen changes/incursions. In parallel (lead by Dr. Ragupathy), resistance associated markers from Canadian wheat panel of 250 spring wheat and Triticum accessions that has been already genotyped by Dr. Cloutier (AAFC Ottawa, a collaborator) and ~200 winter durum wheat panel available in Dr. Ragupathy’s lab will be also utilized. The project is expected to generate useful tool to track rust changes in Canada, and identify resistance in already genotyped elite lines.
Read MoreBreeding for biotic stress like stripe rust is an on-going challenge due to the continuous emergence of newly adapted races. The proposed research aims to translate the research findings of a recently concluded upstream research project where novel genetic sources of resistance against pathogens including stripe rust have been identified using the novel RenSeq method, in a diversity panel of intermediate wheatgrass accessions.
Read MoreNearly all barley cultivars (including the most popular ones) in western Canada have poorer resistance than the moderately resistant checks. The current proposal targets all three aforementioned diseases of wheat and barley for characterization of the pathogen populations as well as identification of novel sources of resistance. The ultimate goal of the proposal is to generate information for wheat geneticists and breeders in western Canada, which will help them breed for resistance.
Read MoreCPSR breeding should be accelerated in order to keep pace with growing global demand and to maintain yield advantage. Genomic Selection (GS) is a molecular breeding tool that facilitates the selection of lines with genotypic information available only through prediction models constructed based on a training population. It is a streamlined method for early generation selection that accelerates cultivar development through shorter breeding cycles.
Read MoreThe present proposal combines the results of previous studies to determine optimal varietal choice and planting time; employing early- and late- planting with early- and late- maturing cultivars presently available to western Canadian wheat growers. This will aid in refining best management practices for optimal yield and harvest quality (including protein and falling number) for hard red spring wheat production in western Canada.
Read MoreThis project builds on the ongoing project co-funded by Sask Wheat on Fusarium Head Blight (FHB) resistance to fungicide, in which a Nested Association Mapping population for F. graminearum (FgNAM) was developed by crossing between eight isolates of Fusarium mostly from Saskatchewan and Manitoba and, a high-quality genome assembly have been generated. This population segregates for multiple traits including aggressiveness (quantitative variation of pathogenicity), deoxynivalenol (DON) chemotype (15ADON vs. 3ADON) and concentration and sensitivity to triazole fungicides.
Read MoreThe goal of this project is to address disease resistance breeding in wheat by expanding on the novel genetic and genomic resources that has been established by the research team in CTAG and 4D Wheat projects, co funded by Sask Wheat. One of the objectives is to localize new genes for stripe rust resistance in bread wheat lines that are absent in the commercial spring wheat cultivars and to use the marker assisted selection and accelerated backcrossing to transfer Yr15 into Canadian bread and durum wheat varieties.
Read MoreThe main objectives of this project are to establish a high throughput phenotyping system, to analyze variation in Nested Association Mapping population founder lines of wheat to identify the genotypes better able to transpire and continue photosynthesizing under water stress, to map the underlying quantitative variation controlling biomass accumulation under water stress and to evaluate the stress resilient material in field trails comparing performance under irrigated and non-irrigated conditions.
Read MoreThis research will clearly identify the risks and benefits (in terms of crop stand establishment, yield, and quality) associated with early plantings of durum wheat in western Canada over a wide range of soil and climatic conditions. It will also identify the most effective genetics and agronomics to optimize yield and quality of CWAD wheat grown in cold soil conditions.
Read MoreDeveloping durum wheat varieties that are less susceptible to ergot has become a rising priority. With the goal of enhancing the level of understanding of genetic resistance for ergot in the breeding germplasm, this study will include extensive multi-year phenotyping and next generation genotyping of genetic populations, strategic parental selection and crossing, gene stacking and molecular phenotyping using the Canadian Light Source platform.
Read MoreThis project focuses on understanding the genes involved in high yield and high protein in Canadian germplasm such as AAC GoldNet, a recently registered cultivar with simultaneous increase in yield and protein. The objective is to map and identify high grain protein content QTL and verify QTL that are “keeping pace” with grain yield improvement using double haploid populations.
Read MoreFusarium head blight (FHB) and stripe rust are two of the five priority diseases of wheat in Canada. This project focuses on genetic mapping of novel major-effect resistance genes to FHB and stripe rust. This research builds on Dr. Brar’s previous work on screening and identifying the resistant lines from 321 Watkins landraces for FHB and stripe rust resistance.
Read MoreThis project will identify and catalog the structural variants (SVs) in wheat and canola genome from multiple diverse lines. These variants will be further exploited to identify regions/genes associated with breeder’s traits of interest (yield and/or stress tolerance) and to develop new varieties for better yield and stress tolerance and climate-resilient wheat and canola.
Read MoreThis project will examine how the wild oat seed germination responds to the stimulants in isolation and within soil by stimulating the post-harvest environment under controlled conditions (indoor studies). The objective of this one-year study is to characterize the dose response, interaction, and optimal mix of potassium nitrate and pyroligneous acid (liquid smoke) to determine the suitability of either pre-seeding or post-harvest germination stimulation of wild oat, volunteer barley, oats, and wheat.
Read MoreThe digital image platform enhances conventional approaches in which breeders adjudicate crop traits in the field, thus allowing rapid and unbiased assessments, and can be used as a key selection tool by plant breeders, geneticists, producers, and agronomists to optimize both plant breeding and crop management. The proposed ground-based platform will also allow the development of novel digital signatures that differentiate crop lines and help us to understand fundamental physiological processes in a changing environment.
Read MoreThe main goal of this comprehensive project is to address the disease resistance breeding in wheat by expanding on the novel genetic and genomic resources that has been established by the research team in CTAG and 4D Wheat projects, co funded by Sask Wheat.
Read MoreDeveloping durum wheat varieties that are less susceptible to ergot has become a rising priority. With the goal of enhancing the level of understanding of genetic resistance for ergot in the breeding germplasm, this study will include extensive multi-year phenotyping and next generation genotyping of genetic populations, strategic parental selection and crossing, gene stacking and molecular phenotyping using the Canadian Light Source platform.
Read MoreWheat improvement efforts will benefit from genetic resources that possess adaptation to biotic/abiotic stresses, yield potential/stability, more efficient nutrient use and photosynthetic abilities. However, deployment of genetic resources in breeding has been hindered by non-adaptive traits, silencing and linkage drag. These issues can now be addressed through genomic solutions, together with digital phenotyping and bioinformatic platforms, to perfect the delivery of varieties to farmer’s fields and consumers.
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