Once upon a time, something like a cabbage and a turnip-like plant engaged in a very "fortuitous cross pollination" and a new species was born, first known as oilseed rape, and then further cross-bred to become the human-consumption form, canola. It's this cross-pollination so long ago that has made mapping of the canola genome a... Read More
Category: Research
If you support research-based solutions to agricultural challenges, rejoice. A new report from a group called the Council of Canadian Academies says Canadians have the lowest level of reservation toward science among 17 countries considered. That's heartening for the pro-science crowd. It runs counter to the growing belief that precaution is prevailing among Canadians, rather... Read More
The Prairie Agricultural Machinery Institute (PAMI) will receive $735,000 under Growing Forward 2 for new equipment to support applied research projects for the agricultural sector, it was recently announced. Every year, PAMI conducts about 100 projects in Manitoba and Saskatchewan to address challenges in the agricultural sector, in areas such as equipment design, agronomy and... Read More
One year and one field does not a trial make, says Mark Van Veen, with Salford, in regards to some of the findings gleaned from the company's tillage trials in Michigan. Salford has spent a few years evaluating several types and timing of tillage in an effort to put together reasonable comparisons of expected planter... Read More
You probably noticed myself and Lyndsey tweeting rapidly last week using the hasgtag, #momentumtour. We joined the Monsanto Momentum Tour on the Brandon stop and had a great time. Monsanto is touring across the prairie provinces to show growers the latest in its two trait releases. Here is our wrapup from Brandon, and as usual... Read More
In mid-July, the University of Saskatchewan, Saskatchewan Pulse Growers and Alberta Pulse Growers hosted the 2014 Select Grower Field Tour. Attendees had the opportunity to see pulse crops in various stages of breeding selection, ask researchers questions about varietal development and taste the fruits of their labours, with an impressive, pulse-themed lunch. Peruse our 2014... Read More
There are those who would rather not put extra funding towards varietal research, but to Steve Tomtene, a Saskatchewan-based farmer, the return on research and development is entirely worth the investment. "Our farm started back in the late sixties," Tomtene explains in an interview with Shaun Haney, "and I think when we look back over... Read More
OK, you missed your window for that all important pre-seed burn. Things may have been a little soggy, you may have been a little busy...whatever the reason. The good news is you've still got a shot to get those beans poking up in a clean environment. It's crunch-time though, so in this episode of the... Read More
The debate about Canada finally adopting UPOV 91 has transpired all winter. For some in the seed industry the inclusion of UPOV 91 being included in the Canadian Federal Government's Agricultural Growth Act (Bill C-18) has been a long time coming. The NFU has been strongly trying to convince farmers and the general public that... Read More
Winnipeg-based Canterra Seeds has announced a major increase in its internal research and product development (R&PD) program. "We are set for some dramatic changes in our research program, in both scope and depth. In 2014, we will be testing five times as many potential varieties as in 2013, including a significant amount of material from... Read More