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Perennial Grain Crops Are One Step Closer

Seed it once, then sell everything except the combine and just keep harvesting year after year.
 
It might not work out quite that way, but a perennial grain crop that can withstand cold Prairie winters is a little closer to reality for Canadian farmers.
 
University of Manitoba perennial crop breeder Doug Cattani has been at work since 2010 at the Ian N. Morrison Research Farm here, overseeing plots of intermediate wheatgrass, wild sunflowers, perennial cereal ryegrass, and an assortment of other native plants. He says intermediate wheatgrass is now showing the most promise for earliest commercial availability.
 
All the crops Cattani is studying share the common trait of being perennial relatives of key food crops. But as he’s made his crosses and selections these past four years, it’s become clear some are worth pursuing and some not. For example, the program for perennial cereal ryegrass is basically on the shelf now. The disease problems they discovered are more than their time and resources can accommodate.
 
“The wide cross that we made to generate the materials led to excessive ergot,” Cattani said. “It became something that would require a lot more work than we are currently able to put in.”
 
On the other hand, his now completed selections of intermediate wheatgrass material not only have shown they can survive three successive Prairie winters, but produce consistent grain yields.
 
These new materials are hardier, have larger seeds, and are more productive for longer periods than the forage varieties of wheatgrass currently familiar to farmers, Cattani said. The seed is about one-third the size of wheat but has nearly twice the amount of protein.
 
“We’ve got a long way to go on the agronomics but I think we know now that we have a product that is adapted to Manitoba and hopefully Western Canada,” he said.
 
If they can develop the wheatgrass into a perennial crop, it would break new ground for food production.
 
Reduced inputs
 
Breeding for perennial ability is like what primitive farmers did when selecting seed for food production, said Cattani. The goal today is to find ways to grow food that will reduce the need for fertilizers, herbicides, and annual seed purchase.
 
The environmental benefits of perennial grain crops are many and varied, said Cattani, noting they essentially serve as native grasslands once did, soaking up excess water, reducing erosion, and building soil organic matter.
 
At the Carman site, researchers are also experimenting with polycultures to see what’s doable for growing two or more crops at once. They’re inter-seeding with legumes including sweet and white clover and alfalfa, plus a native prairie turnip to find ways to supply nitrogen to these crops. Other ongoing research by a graduate student is looking at the impact of animal grazing on regrowth after harvests.
 
There are good reasons to focus on intermediate wheatgrass, said Cattani. Farmers are already familiar with it as a forage crop, and that adds to its potential for commercial viability sooner than other crops.
 
“Our forage seed industry has produced intermediate wheatgrass in the past and we do have some seed companies that understand its growth and harvesting,” he said. “We’re not completely in the dark on this.”
 
Manitoba farmers are already growing intermediate wheatgrass as a forage seed crop and getting 14 to 15 bushels per acre. What their work is showing now is that as a perennial grain crop they’ll be able to produce seed beyond one year, he said.
 
Source : AlbertaWheat

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The FCDC and AgSmart Bring Plant Breeding to a Wider Audience

Video: The FCDC and AgSmart Bring Plant Breeding to a Wider Audience

In the vast prairies of Alberta, Olds College’s Field Crop Development Centre (FCDC) stands as a beacon of innovation and research in the agricultural world. The institution has become a key player in advancing agricultural technologies and practices. The FCDC’s commitment to applied research has driven them to seek effective means of disseminating their findings and creating a positive impact on the farming community.

One such avenue that aligns with their mission is AgSmart, an event dedicated to showcasing cutting-edge agricultural technologies. The coming together of the FCDC’s annual Field Day and Ag Smart has proved to be a natural fit, fostering a synergy that benefits both parties and propels the agriculture industry forward. The FCDC Field Day took part in conjunction with AgSmart for the first time this week on Aug. 1-2 in Olds, Alta. FCDC Program Director Kofi Agblor and Olds College VP of Development Todd Ormann sat down for an interview with Marc Zienkiewicz to discuss the significance of the two events taking part together and what the future holds.

The Intersection of Research and Technology The essence of the FCDC lies in its dedication to plant breeding and new seed varieties, particularly barley and triticale. While conducting research is essential, it becomes meaningful when its benefits are shared with the wider community. This is where AgSmart steps in, providing a key venue for the FCDC to showcase their research. This union between research and technology creates a holistic and enriching experience for farmers, ranchers, and industry professionals, the pair said.

Seeds as Technology For the FCDC, the partnership with AgSmart goes beyond mere event collaboration. It is about creating an environment that bridges the gap between seeds and smart technology, Ormann said. The college believes that for technology to truly revolutionize agriculture, it must begin with a strong foundation — high-quality seeds. As the saying goes, “it all starts with a seed.” To demonstrate this critical aspect, the collaboration aims to showcase the seed value chain as an integral part of the smartphone.

The Birth of a Powerful Alliance The idea of joining forces emerged when staff realized the potential synergy between AgSmart and the FCDC Field Day. With just a few days separating the two events, a proposal was put forward to merge them. The marketing and communications teams from both sides worked seamlessly to ensure the essence of both events remained intact, creating a powerful alliance that leverages the strengths of each, Agblor said.

Driving Advancements in Breeding For Agblor, the partnership with AgSmart has tremendous potential to drive advancements in breeding and other technology. With technologies like drones and imaging becoming integral to phenotyping, breeding is no longer confined to vast fields to assess thousands of plants manually. Instead, it benefits from the data-rich insights brought about by smart technologies. These advancements make breeding more efficient, precise, and instrumental in shaping the future of agriculture.

Overcoming Challenges Together While the partnership between Olds College and Ag Smart has been a resounding success, there are challenges on the horizon. Securing stable funding for long-term breeding initiatives is crucial to sustain progress. The college is committed to navigating these challenges and investing in agriculture’s future sustainably, Agblor said.