Fusarium head blight (FHB) is a fungal disease affecting cereal crops in Canada that reduces productivity and produces mycotoxins in the grain. This fungal disease is caused by a number of Fusarium species. In Canada, Fusarium graminearum is considered as the most important Fusarium species because of its abundance, its toxin producing ability and its impact on grain quality and yield.
Read MoreThe objective of this project is to determine the evolution or spread of glyphosate-resistant (GR) or auxinic-resistant kochia in Manitoba in 2018, Saskatchewan in 2019, and Alberta in 2021 since the 2012/2013 baseline surveys. In the 2012/2013 surveys, GR kochia was found in 5% of randomly-surveyed sites in Alberta and Saskatchewan (annually-cropped fields and non-crop areas such as oil well sites, railway rights-of-way, and roadside ditches), but only two sites in Manitoba.
Read MoreShort crop rotations provide an environment conducive for an increase in plant disease, weed pressure from herbicide resistance, and insect damage (these productivity decreasing factors will be referred to as “pests” in this document). While some short rotations are currently profitable, the lack of diversification in a cropping system can be detrimental to maintaining crop yield and profitability. Factors that contribute to the profitability of cropping systems will identify why the seeded area of some crops is declining while increasing for others.
Read MoreThis project will open the discussion around increasing wheat protein. It will serve to help farmers to apply post-emergent nitrogen to their crop as safely and efficiently as possible and to decide under what circumstances a post-anthesis application is likely to be profitable.
Read MoreThe results from this pilot project will complement previously funded projects on stripe rust race/lineage characterization using the traditional approach. This will help to study host-specificity of the pathogen on the wheat cultivars grown in Canada.
Read MoreDevelopment of FHB resistant cultivars will protect the wheat industry from losses to this disease, ensure continued competitiveness of Canadian wheat in international markets, and ensure that Canadian wheat is a healthy and safe product for use as food and feed worldwide.
Read MoreThis 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.
Read MoreThis project will help us understand the virulence of stripe rust in western Canada, especially Alberta. We will identify resistant genes effective against races in western Canada and these genes will be transferred into wheat cultivars.
Read MoreFarmers need to be equipped with best management practices (BMPs) to increase individual farm productivity and profitability to remain economically competitive. Thus, this project will bridge a critical knowledge gap of BMPs through research activities.
Read MoreThis project aims to study the impact of pesticides on soil microbiome under cereal production, and identify/isolate microbes thriving under pesticide use and investigate their potential as pesticide degraders.
Read MoreWheat leaf spot disease complex is widespread across western Canada, and is composed of several fungal pathogens. Two diseases predominate mainly, tan spot and Stagonospora blotch. Each disease is caused by one fungal pathogen and each pathogen produces multiple toxins, recently named as effectors, which play a major role in disease development.
Read MoreGiven the limited number of effective stripe rust resistance genes available and the ability of the stripe rust pathogen to evolve and defeat current resistance genes, the future looks grim for deployment of effective and sustainable resistance in wheat against stripe rust.
Read MoreThis project will focus on the economic and ecological value of biological pest control by beneficials in Prairie crops. Results will help farmers make optimal insecticide use decisions for integrated pest management.
Read MoreThe aim of this project is to develop seed coat technology containing nanocarrier-complexed RNAi for the suppression of smut and bunt diseases in cereals. Such technology will reduce our dependency on toxic fungicides, resulting in healthier soil microbiomes.
Read MoreThe objectives of this project are to continue development of new CWRS cultivars for Alberta, and to educate graduate students in this field for the Albertan wheat farming community.
Read MoreThis project will examine cropping system-based strategies to lessen the impact of fusarium head blight (FHB). The research will evaluate how cropping strategies may reduce the amount of inoculum (primarily infested crop residues) and reduce the extent of host infection.
Read MoreThe main goal of this research is to incorporate oviposition deterrence (OD) as a new tool to control orange wheat blossom midge (wheat midge) populations and maintain the genetic resistance currently based on the Sm1 gene.
Read MoreThis project will integrate marker assisted breeding and high-throughput genotyping technology into traditional breeding programs to allow for early and efficient selection of cultivars with superior traits for pest resistance, agronomic performance, and grain quality.
Read MoreThe project will target newly identified ergot resistance genes and introgress them into the most recent elite germplasm.
Read MoreThis project will establish a Canada-wide pre-breeding platform that will supply all Canadian wheat breeding programs with useful markers and germplasm carrying new resistance genes, as well as a searchable database that will contain all relevant data collected during the evaluation process.
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