Factors influencing wheat variety adoption decisions in the Canadian Prairies

• Term:  3 years, starting in 2019

• Status: Ongoing

• Funding Amount: $31,510

• Lead Researcher(s): Dr. Henry An (University of Alberta)

• Funding Partners: Alberta Wheat Commission

Project Description

This study seeks to empirically investigate the factors that affect Prairie farmers’ wheat variety choices, which ultimately leads to the success or failure of all newly developed wheat varieties. The objectives of this project include:

• estimating the importance of various varietal traits (e.g. yield potential, realized yield, protein level, days to maturity, lodging, root rot, shattering, bunt, smut, stem and leaf rust) on Prairie wheat growers adoption decisions;

• identifying the factors that play a key role in the overall success rate of wheat varieties;

• determining how well and consistent a new variety must perform before it’s widely adopted;

• providing policy solutions that help in the design and allocation of resources to breeding programs; and

• providing insights that help in the redesign of variety trial reports, with the goal of providing western Canadian wheat producers with information that is most relevant and useful in selecting their seed varieties, particularly in a changing climate.