74 | Advancing Seed in Alberta Home Grown High Quality Canadian Seed Ph: 403-443-2577 Email: [email protected] Three Hills, AB www.penwestseeds.ca Barley: CDC Copeland, AC Metcalfe, Canmore, AAC Connect, CDC Austenson Peas: AAC Carver, AAC Ardill, CDC Meadow, CDC Patrick CWRS Wheat: AAC Brandon, AAC Connery, CDC Go, AAC Cameron VB, AAC Elie CPS Wheat: AAC Ryley Durum: AAC Spitfire, Strongfield CWRW Wheat: AAC Wildfire, AC Emerson Oats: CS Camden Faba Beans: CDC Snowdrop Canola: Brett Young & Canterra Forages: Brett Young Also Available: Nodulator XL&Duo, Tag Team, Bio-Boost, Diatomaceous Earth disruptive change and transformational technology. Speakers included Tim Sharbel, professor in the plant sciences department at the University of Saskatchewan, and Erin Armstrong, industry and regulatory affairs director for Canterra Seeds. Sharbel spoke about launching an apomixis research program at the Global Institute for Food Security, located at the University of Saskatchewan. Apomixis is a naturally occurring phenomenon in certain types of plants like St. John’s wort and Kentucky bluegrass, which reproduce seed asexually, whereby all offspring are genetically identical to the mother plant. It isn’t found in any food crops, but if apomixis could be successfully introduced into agriculture, Sharbel says it could be a disruptive technology. Essentially, it would enable the immediate fixation of any desired genotype and lead to faster, simpler breeding schemes. “People have been studying the biology of these asexual plants and animals for 100 years or so, but it’s only 20 or 30 years ago that people started thinking about it in terms of agriculture,” he says. “There are a number of laboratories around the world studying apomixis. It’s worth billions of dollars if we can get it working.” Armstrong’s presentation focused on two value creation models for cereals she has been working on with Tom Steve, general manager of the Alberta Wheat Commission. Together they co-chair the Value Creation Working Group (VCWG), a sub- committee within the federal government’s Grains Roundtable (GRT). It was formed in 2016 to inform the federal government as to the potential for a new royalty system for cereals. (See page 22 to read more about value creation in cereals) “The idea that value creation and capture could be a part of Canadian agriculture in the future is something that could really change how things work. We could see an influx of new investment in breeding and new opportunities for other companies and organizations to be involved,” says Mitchell Japp, PGDC chairperson. “It’s at the idea stage right now and we don’t know how it will play out, but it will ultimately affect both the breeding side and the seed development side.” Marc Zienkiewicz “Addressing flavour issues around pulse ingredients starts at the breeding level.” — Peter Frohlich BYTHENUMBERS Thebreakdownofcultivarsrecommendedforregistrationat the2018PGDCmeetingis: PrairieRecommendingCommitteeforWheat, RyeandTriticale: •14CanadaWesternRedSpring •1CanadaNorthernHardRed •1CanadaWesternGeneralPurpose •1inCanadaWesternSpecialPurpose •2CanadaWesternSpecialPurposewinterwheat •3CanadaWesternDurumWheat •2springtriticale •1wintertriticale •1fallrye PrairieRecommendingCommitteeforOatsandBarley: •3oat •7barley PrairieRecommendingCommitteeforOilseeds: •1mustard PrairieRecommendingCommitteeforPulseandSpecialCrops: •5drybean •6lentil •8fababean •4fieldpea •1buckwheat