New breeding partnership targets stronger lentil and faba bean varieties
Saskatchewan Pulse Growers (SPG) and the Crop Development Centre (CDC) at the University of Saskatchewan have announced a new partnership to strengthen lentil and faba bean breeding programs. The collaboration builds on more than three decades of cooperation and aims to increase breeding capacity while encouraging agricultural innovation.
The partnership will focus on developing high-performing pulse crop varieties that address the needs of farmers. Researchers will work on improving lentil yields, enhancing resistance to root rot diseases such as Aphanomyces and Fusarium, reducing the impact of foliar diseases, and improving herbicide tolerance.
For faba beans, breeding efforts will focus on increasing yield, improving maturity, enhancing seed quality, and strengthening resistance to diseases and lodging.
“This new collaboration with the CDC marks a renewed path forward in lentil and faba bean breeding for the benefit of Saskatchewan producers. Having farmers at the table to provide direction to the program will result in new and better varieties in the hands of producers, tackling their greatest challenges,” said Stuart Lawrence, Chair of SPG Board of Directors.
Breeding activities will be based in Saskatoon and supported by testing locations throughout Saskatchewan and Western Canada. This broad testing network will help ensure new varieties perform well under different growing conditions.
“The CDC breeding programs have had a significant impact on lentil and faba bean production on the prairies. More than 95 percent of the lentil and faba bean acreage on the Canadian prairies is planted to a CDC variety, generating billions of dollars in value to western Canadian growers. This renewed partnership with SPG will further strengthen pulse breeding and accelerate the development of new, high performing varieties that meet the evolving needs of farmers” said Dr. Curtis Pozniak, Director of the CDC.
Farmer priorities will play an important role in shaping the breeding goals. The partnership is designed to address practical on-farm challenges and provide producers with improved crop options that can support long-term productivity and profitability.
“Our new model for pulse breeding is intended to attract new and additional investment and breeders to develop pulse varieties for Saskatchewan producers. We are excited to once again partner with the CDC under a new vision and progress the needs of pulse farmers through this program,” said Carl Potts, Executive Director with SPG.
The initiative is supported by funding from SPG, with additional support from Alberta Pulse Growers for lentil research. The organizations have also agreed to work together on the commercialization of future varieties. Royalties generated from new varieties will be shared, and SPG plans to reinvest its portion into programs that benefit pulse growers.
The CDC has a long history of pulse crop development in Canada. Since releasing its first lentil variety in 1978, the centre has introduced hundreds of pulse varieties that have contributed significantly to agricultural production. Today, many lentil and faba bean acres across the Canadian Prairies are planted with CDC-developed varieties.
Photo Credit: sak pluse growers-usask-logo