War on weeds escalates with $3.2M research investment

EAGLE STAFF

The war against weeds in farm fields should reach a higher level over the next few years.

Researchers have $3.2 million to spend on finding effective ways to deal with herbicide-resistant kochia and wild oats. Officials announced the money, from the strategic research initiative (SRI), last Tuesday during the Crops Forum in Saskatoon.

Shaun Sharp, who focuses on problem weeds in his work with the federal Agriculture Department in Saskatoon, leads the project involving 28 other scientists from his department, the National Research Council and the universities of Saskatchewan, Regina and Manitoba.

They’re to “accelerate development of sustainable solutions” to counter herbicide-resistant kochia and wild oats, a statement said.

Another $7.2 million from the province’s agriculture development fund (ADF) will help pay for 39 other crop projects, the statement said.

The governments’ commitment “helps address current and emerging challenges while creating new opportunities for farmers,” Heath MacDonald, the federal agriculture minister, said in the statement, promising to continue helping pay for crop research.

"Saskatchewan's position as a global leader in crop exports is built on decades of investment in research and the dedication of scientists in crop development," said David Marit, his Saskatchewan counterpart. "Investments in agriculture research remain key to driving economic growth."

The provincial and federal governments are providing $2.5 million for the herbicide-resistance work, with the other $730,000 coming from the Saskatchewan wheat, pulse, oilseeds and barley development commissions, Alberta Grains and Results Driven Agriculture Research.

Work ranges from identifying new ways to build resistance against wheat-stem sawfly and improving tolerance to drought and phosphorus deficiency in lentils to dealing with riceworms in wild rice and validating bale wrap made with flax straw and oat hulls.

The announcement “signals to us as producers that we have strong partners with government to tackle agriculture challenges and continue to unlock potential,” said Jake Leguee of Fillmore, who chaired the Sask Wheat board until recently. Sask Wheat is providing more than $2.1 million towards 12 of the ADF projects and the SRI project against herbicide-resistant weeds.

Other projects receiving Sask Wheat money include the wheat-stem sawfly resistance project and “harnessing genetic resistance and cold plasma” to counter bacterial leaf streak in wheat and barley, its statement said.

SaskBarley is contributing $145,724 over five years towards the herbicide-resistant weeds project and three ADF projects - on barley processing, bacterial leaf streak and fusarium head blight, another statement said.

“By working alongside provincial programs and industry partners, we’re investing in research that addresses real-world issues and supports a competitive, resilient barley sector,” said Jill McDonald, the organization’s executive director.

The Western Grains Research Foundation is chipping in $2.7 million for 15 projects such as creating new varieties, through genetic improvement, better able to deal with diseases and insects and that have stronger traits, a foundation statement indicated.