Coalition expects improved wheats

EAGLE STAFF

Officials anticipate plant breeders will develop stronger wheat varieties, spurred by a contribution of almost $20 million.

The Canadian Wheat Research Coalition promised $19.9 million over three years as part of its core breeding agreement with the federal Agriculture Department to create “field-ready wheat varieties,” a coalition statement said in June. Coalition members anticipate varieties that better withstand heat and stress and resist diseases and pests.

The agreement ensures that “Canadian wheat farmers continue to have access to top-quality varieties that perform in the real world,” said Dean Hubbard of Claresholm, Alta., who chairs the coalition. The Saskatchewan Wheat Development Commission and Manitoba Crop Alliance are its other members.

By supporting the federal program, “We are helping tackle some of the biggest challenges on the farm, like disease, pests and tough weather, while keeping our focus on the quality standards our customers count on,” said Hubbard, a regional director with Alberta Grains.

Federal scientists intend to create “varieties with strong resistance to diseases such as fusarium head blight, rusts and leaf spotting diseases, as well as insect pests such as orange wheat blossom midge and wheat stem sawfly,” the statement said. They will “also prioritize new varieties that can withstand adverse environmental conditions such as heat and drought stress,” it added.

Federal staff “have been breeding wheat for 100 years, supporting Canadian farmers in maintaining their global reputation for producing a premium product,” said Heath MacDonald, Canada’s agriculture minister.