b'2019 PGDC MEETINGBeyond BreedingThe 2019 meeting of the Prairie Grain Development Committee saw breeders focus not just on how they do their work, but whyand what the implications are for the future.FOR JAMIE LARSEN, an exciting part of this years meeting of the Prairie Recommending Committee for Wheat, Rye and Triticale (PRCWRT) was a new assessment tool created in large part by Robert Graf.It allowed breeders who planned to put new lines forward for recommendation to run those lines through the tool, which told them whether or not the line was likely to be recommended for registration or would need to be discussed in more detail by the committee.Graf, a winter wheat breeder with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC), noted the assessment tool was part of a comprehensive review led by Brian Beres (research scientist at AAFC Lethbridge) and Curtis Pozniak (wheat breeder at the University of Saskatchewans Crop Development Centre).When Rob came up with the idea, it was a points-based system to weigh certain traits, but evolved to the point where if a line was equal to or better than the checks it would go through, and if it was worse than the checks in some way, it would be flagged and then the breederThe new Canada Food Guide recommends eating more plant-based protein.would have to explain why it has merit, committee chair Larsen said. Focusing on the big picture was afaced by lines put forth for registration It offers the breeder a chance to putbig component of this years Prairieat the annual gathering.forth a good argument to explain why theGrain Development Committee (PGDC)What happens to those lines variety has merit to be registered. meeting held in Saskatoon, Sask., duringafter they become varieties? How The tool has resulted in newthe last week of February. Beyondare varieties adopted by industries efficiencies for the PRCWRT, he added.Breeding was the chosen theme of thisand consumers? How are varieties The meetings used to be hours, and thisyears plenary session, which PGDCcompared in post-registration trials? has cut that down so we can focus onchairperson Mitchell Japp said wasWere looking at all of that this year, other topics of discussion. picked in order to highlight the long roadJapp said.48seed.ab.ca'