Grainswest - Spring 2023

Spring 2023 grainswest.com 31 Olds College leads a new era in barley breeding BY ANNEMARIE PEDERSEN LEAD PHOTO: COURTESY OF FIELD CROP DEVELOPMENT CENTRE PAUL THIEL THE FARMER IS THE CUSTOMER GW: FCDC work has been carried out on Olds College farmland in the past. Paul Thiel: Correct. For many years, FCDC has placed some of its advanced lines for adaptation trials at Olds College. It’s now part of the same institution. GW: Has the existing relationship between Olds College and FCDC helped with that transition? PT: There was an existing relationship, but it certainly has expanded, particularly when you look at the existing programs at Olds College and how they relate to the breeding programs. For instance, Olds College conducts beef research feeding trials. Well, we can now look at the potential to integrate that kind of value-added research back to the value of feed grain or even feed-forage varieties coming out of Lacombe. And a brewery at Olds College—what a great asset to have when you are breeding malting barley. GW: What is unique about the triticale program? PT: This program develops and finishes varieties of triticale. There is potential to increase the acreage of triticale grown in Alberta. The advantages of triticale are very high forage yield and very good inherent disease resistance because of its rye background. In his program, breeder Mazen Aljarrah has developed very desirable traits, including smooth awn and awnless triticale. GW: What is being done to shorten the long breeding window for these cereals? PT: It’s not a sprint, but we’re working to make it not a marathon. A big effort being undertaken towards a speed breeding methodology and reducing the time from the initial cross to delivery. Taking it from maybe a 10- to 12-year cycle, we want to knock that down to a seven- or eight-year cycle. GW: How is Olds College responding to the needs of farmers and industry with this makeover? PT: One way is outside stakeholders come in and look at what’s being done and offer insight and input. That is going to become far more common at the station. In my role as thought leader, I have a producer panel. These are 13 livestock and grain producers from Alberta and Saskatchewan. They offer perspectives and feedback on smart agriculture initiatives. This is a standard practice within Olds College, which is why it delivers valuable tools to the industry. We want to emulate that at FCDC. I firmly believe the customer is the farmer. If the grower doesn’t want to grow it, it doesn’t matter if the feedlot or the maltster or the brewer like it. FCDC RE IMAG I NED farmer and market adoption. The steering committee produced a five-year strategic guidance document focused on commercialization of new varieties that will be economically beneficial to farmers. Helpful in this process, as it now operates outside government, FCDC can more easily act in partnership with private industry. Closing the sustainability loop, as new varieties are adopted, the institution will earn royalties from the sale of certified seed. This money will then flow back to its breeding program. The FCDC makeover also delivers inherent benefits to Olds College. The school and the breeding facility work to create collaborative learning opportunities for Olds College agricultural students. As well, a collaboration between FCDC and the Olds College Brewmaster and Brewery Operations Management diploma program will be developed in the future. Located in Alberta’s world-renowned barley belt and partnered with a cutting-edge agricultural college, FCDC is primed for a positive relaunch. In Thiel’s words, “Lacombe is the ideal location in Western Canada for barley breeding.” The following interviews have been edited for clarity and length.