continued on page 8 ONTARIO GRAIN FARMER COVER STORY 7 A hard red wheat (HRW) research project is helping Ontario’s wheat industry by boosting germplasm development efforts to pinpoint the traits growers need in the years ahead. By incorporating a focus on the early identification of forward-looking traits, researchers are expanding the wheat breeding pipeline to develop a more diverse suite of characteristics. This approach is poised to deliver enhanced resilience, improved sustainability and new, improved varieties for growers. The 3-year project – dubbed “Climate-smart trait development to increase resilience of Eastern Canadian hard red wheats” – aims to develop new hard red winter- and spring wheat traits and varieties that will strengthen the resiliency of future wheat production in Ontario, Quebec, and the Maritimes. That’s encouraging news for wheat growers. But what makes this initiative unique is its stronger emphasis on germplasm development. This pre-breeding investment takes a deeper dive into identifying the traits growers will need in the years ahead, including new germplasm with multiple disease resistance, higher and more stable yield, improved nitrogenuse efficiency, and biological nitrification inhibition. In the variety development phase, researchers will focus on developing market-ready HRW varieties by combining key traits and testing them in field trials across different regions and growing conditions in the province and across Eastern Canada. By combining the germplasm and variety development approaches, new desirable genetics will be identified and incorporated into hard red spring- and winter wheat varieties. BREEDING FOR RESILIENCE Dr. Andrew Burt, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) research scientist at the Ottawa Research and Development Centre, where the germplasm development component of the project is being conducted, says the instability of our environment is making it increasingly difficult for Ontario farmers to grow cereals, especially in recent years. “The only real way to tackle increasing disease, weather stress and yield challenges is by improving genetics,” he says. That’s why Burt and fellow AAFC research scientist Gavin Humphreys have teamed up with Dr. Michel McElroy, a research scientist from Centre de recherche sur les grains (CÉROM) in Saint-Mathieu-de-Beloeil, Que., who is leading the variety development portion of the project. “The only real way to tackle increasing disease, weather stress and yield challenges is by improving genetics. – Dr. Andrew Burt De Dell Seeds • 7095 Century Drive • Melbourne, ON • N0L 1T0 P: 519-264-CORN (2676) • F: 519-264-2672 info@dedellseeds.com • www.dedellseeds.com Our breeding is done the traditional way, in the field, in an effort to bring you the best possible results on your farm. That is why we are The Leaders in Non-GMO Seed Corn. MOST OUT OF YOURS SO YOU GET THE WE PUT THE WORK IN OUR FIELDS De Dell Seeds The Leaders in Non-GMO Corn Visit our website to find your local dealer www.dedellseeds.com/find-a-dealer
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