Canadian National Wheat Improvement Program
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CANADIAN NATIONAL WHEAT IMPROVEMENT THE PROGRAM HARVEST RESEARCH SUMMARY What’s inside: Meet the Success Advances Harnessing Next researchers stories in pest breeding generation and disease technology wheat breeders resistance and tools 1 Varieties developed through the Wheat Cluster will contribute to the continued success of producers and have an important impact on Canadian and rural economies. 2 THE HARVEST NATIONAL WHEAT CLUSTER DELIVERS INNOVATION TO CANADIAN PRODUCERS Canadian growers will soon have access In total, the Wheat Cluster resulted in 50 to 61 new wheat varieties offering higher research projects facilitated by 32 researchers yields, better quality and improved disease across the country. Research activities were resistance. This surge in wheat innovation carried out at AAFC, University of Alberta, is thanks to the Canadian National Wheat University of Manitoba, University of Improvement Program (Wheat Cluster) – an Saskatchewan, University of Guelph and initiative under the federal AgriInnovation Le Centre de recherche sur les grains (CÉROM) Program – Industry-led Research and in Quebec. The work done at these institutions Development Stream, Agri-science cluster. addressed regional needs and contributed to the development of enhanced germplasm and The total investment of more than $25 million breeding tools that increased the efficiency was funded by Agriculture and Agri-Food of all breeding programs. Canada (AAFC) combined with industry contributions from the Western Grains Ongoing and increased investment in research Research Foundation (WGRF), the Alberta is needed for producers to continue to have Wheat Commission (AWC) and the Canadian access to the best performing wheat varieties Field Crop Research Alliance (CFCRA) CFCRA – ones that offer higher yields, stronger partners supporting wheat research include: disease and insect resistance, and the ability Atlantic Grains Council, Grain Farmers of to better withstand environmental conditions Ontario, Producteurs de grains du Québec, – while meeting the strict quality standards and SeCan Association. required to address market needs. The five-year program, which wrapped up The goal of this report is to showcase the in 2018, was led and administered by WGRF many projects and people that helped make who has invested almost five million dollars the Wheat Cluster so successful. The wheat annually into wheat breeding research on varieties developed through the Wheat Cluster behalf of producers in Western Canada will contribute to the continued success of since 1995. producers and have an important impact on Canadian and rural economies. 3 Wheat Cluster by the numbers million investment (AAFC: $12.5; WGRF: $9.6 million; $25 AWC: $1.3 million; CFCRA: $1.7 million) research researchers 50 projects 32 across Canada new 61 varieties 5 YEARS 2013 – 2018 Wheat Cluster funders 4 THE HARVEST TABLE OF CONTENTS MEET THE RESEARCHERS Dr. Anita Brûlé-Babel, University of Manitoba ......6 Wheat varieties for northern regions ..................... 22 Dr. Richard Cuthbert, Swift Current Research Winter wheat ............................................................. 23 and Development Centre, AAFC ................................7 Hard Red Winter wheat for Eastern Canada ......... 24 Lethbridge Research Dr. Robert Graf, Canada Western Red Spring varieties and Development Centre, AAFC .................................8 for the Western Prairies ........................................... 24 , University of Saskatchewan ..........9 Dr. Pierre Hucl Field-ready Canada Western Soft Dr. Gavin Humphreys, Ottawa Research White Spring varieties ............................................... 25 and Development Centre, AAFC ..............................10 Canada Western Red Winter wheat Dr. Santosh Kumar, Brandon Research cultivars for Western Canada .................................. 27 and Development Centre, AAFC ..............................11 Winter wheat for Eastern Canada ........................... 28 Morden Research Dr. Curt McCartney, Durum wheat for Western Canada ......................... 28 and Development Centre, AAFC .............................. 12 Dr. Michel McElroy, Le Centre de recherche ADVANCES IN PEST AND sur les grains (CÉROM) .............................................13 DISEASE RESISTANCE Dr. Harpinder Randhawa, Lethbridge Research Making strides in Fusarium head and Development Centre, AAFC .............................. 14 blight resistance ........................................................ 30 Dr. Silvia Rosa, Le Centre de recherche More varieties feature wheat midge tolerance ..... 33 sur les grains (CÉROM) ............................................. 15 Keeping on top of tan spot ...................................... 34 Dr. Dean Spaner, University of Alberta ................. 16 Long-lasting leaf rust resistance ............................. 35 Dr. Lily Tamburic-Ilincic, University of Guelph, Ridgetown Campus ................................................... 17 ADVANCES IN BREEDING Dr. Yuefeng Ruan, Swift Current Research TECHNOLOGY AND TOOLS and Development Centre, AAFC .............................. 18 Marker-assisted selection ........................................ 37 Double-haploid technology ..................................... 38 SUCCESS STORIES Early-maturing Canadian Western Red BUILDING THE NEXT Spring wheat varieties .............................................. 20 GENERATION OF AG Canada Western Red Spring wheat RESEARCHERS AND BREEDERS ..........41 for the Eastern Prairies ............................................. 20 Hard Red Winter wheat varieties WHEAT CLUSTER NEW and germplasm for Eastern Canada ....................... 21 VARIETIES LISTING .......................................44 Spring wheat varieties and germplasm for market competitiveness in Eastern Canada .......... 21 5 MEET THE RESEARCHERS THIRTY-TWO RESEARCHERS PARTICIPATED IN WHEAT CLUSTER WORK. HERE’S A CLOSE-UP LOOK AT 13 OF THEM. DR. ANITA BRÛLÉ-BABEL Professor & Researcher Wheat Breeding & Genetics University of Manitoba Even though Dr. Anita Brûlé-Babel grew up on the family farm near Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, university didn’t seem like an option for her. “At that time, in the area I was in, the attitude was that girls didn’t need to worry about education because they were going to get married and raise families,” she says. But that didn’t stop her. In my leisure time I read mystery novels because Brûlé-Babel’s interest in the research world was particularly peaked when her dad took I like trying to solve things. her to annual field days in Melfort. “I always Genetics is a little bit like that. liked science in general, but I was absolutely fascinated with that,” she says. “As a young child, I just thought it was really cool and interesting.” “In my leisure time I read mystery novels because I like trying to solve things. Genetics is This fascination developed into a full-on a little bit like that – you’ve got a whole bunch career. Brûlé-Babel now specializes in wheat of information and then you have to put it breeding and genetics, and has been a together and find the answer,” she says. “We professor at the University of Manitoba for think we know how things are working, but more than 30 years. And even though she’s a until we actually do the experiment and the little older now, she maintains her childhood analysis, you don’t know if what you thought fascination with science. is actually right.” 6 THE HARVEST DR. RICHARD CUTHBERT Research Scientist, Wheat Breeder Swift Current Research and Development Centre, AAFC Dr. Richard Cuthbert grew up working in his dad’s greenhouse operations. But after getting a student job in a canola breeding program at the University of Manitoba one summer, he decided he liked that better. “We got to use a lot of equipment in the field and that kinda flipped my switch – it was definitely more fun than washing pots,” laughs Cuthbert. His experience as a summer student also opened his eyes to the idea of agricultural research and breeding as a career. Previously, he thought he would study mechanical engineering because of his fascination with equipment, math and how things worked. “I was a curious kid. I liked to take stuff apart,” he says. As a summer student he learned that plant breeding requires the same skills. And so Cuthbert decided to follow in the “You’re building better plants.” footsteps of his older sisters, who were both studying plant breeding at the University of Manitoba. Shortly after completing his PhD, he got an incredible job opportunity working under plant breeder Ron DePauw at the AAFC Swift Current Research and Development Centre. If you’re lucky, you get 30 years in a breeding career so I’m very lucky to get an early start. “I started in a commercial breeding program at age 29, which is typically unheard of. If you’re lucky, you get 30 years in a breeding career so I’m very lucky to get an early start.” 7 I first became aware of the differences between varieties when my Dad moved from Neepawa to a variety called Sinton. DR. ROBERT GRAF So, after he finished his bachelor’s degree at the University of Saskatchewan, inspired by Research Scientist Winter Wheat Breeding people like Dr. Bryan Harvey, plant breeding Lethbridge Research and seemed an obvious choice for graduate Development Centre, AAFC studies. Upon graduation, Graf spent nearly 12 years as a spring wheat breeder at the Dr. Robert Graf became aware of the importance Saskatchewan Wheat Pool and then in 1999 of plant breeding when he