Grainswest - Winter 2024

Winter 2024 Grains West 22 One of three Canadian plant genetic material banks, cereals are the focus of the Plant Gene Resources of Canada seed germplasm facility in Saskatoon, SK. Photo courtesy of Axel Diederichsen. FEATURE With funding from farmers through check-off dollars, plant breeders have gained access to advanced tools, but the long-term success of their work still depends on numbers. “The more plants, the more plots that you can evaluate, the greater the chances of finding those rare segregants, that needle in the haystack that is going to become the next great variety,” said Graf. The contribution of funding by farmers became a necessary and integral part of public breeding programs. While amounts have increased over time, the costs associated with breeding programs are rising. “This a big concern to me and many in the industry, particularly with climate change,” said Graf. “Somehow, we need to find ways to invest more in plant breeding, not less.” Alberta Grains uses check-off dollars to invest in the priorities of wheat and barley farmers. As a partner in research funding through the Canadian Wheat Research Coalition and Canadian Barley Research Coalition platforms, Alberta Grains allocates 70 per cent of its research budget to breeding projects and core breeding agreements. “By developing new varieties and hybrids with higher yields, better quality and resistance to stresses, breeding can improve the productivity and profitability of crops,” said Nasima Junejo, Alberta Grains research director. Alberta Grains funds five major breeding programs on the Prairies. These are conducted by AAFC, the Crop Development Centre, the University of Alberta, the University of Saskatchewan and the University of Manitoba. “The commissions invest in breeding activities that enhance the sustainability of grain production,” said Junejo. Over the years, it has invested in many wheat and barley breeding projects focused on important issues. These include molecular breeding approaches for the development of elite, drought-tolerant western Canadian wheat cultivars with high water-use efficiency, as well as development of barley germplasm with improved resistance to Fusarium head blight and other biotic stresses. “Again, all the farmer money that is collected by the various provincial commissions and now administered by the Canadian Wheat Research Coalition has made an absolutely huge difference,” said Graf. “As plant breeders, we’re thankful for the confidence that producers have in us.” The sustainability of cereal production in Canada depends on that continued trust and investment in field-ready variety development along with closely related research. The establishment of Canada’s national plant germplasm system was another major advancement in plant breeding launched since the 1970s. While it’s not new, it offers an essential resource to plant breeders today and could play a role in solving important challenges in the future. Axel Diederichsen, curator and research scientist for the Plant Gene Resources of Canada seed germplasm system in Saskatoon, SK, said three Canadian gene banks were established to centralize collections of plant genetic material. “[We] preserve the genetic diversity as such by growing it and harvesting it, keeping plant material available,” said Diederichsen. Cereals are the focus of the Saskatoon gene bank. They make up 80 per cent of its seed entries. Some of the plant materials are imported from other countries by researchers and plant breeders, and they’re crucial to the sustainability of cereal production in Canada. “Cereals are of key relevance; they have a long history in Canada,” said Diederichsen. Without gene banks, plant breeders would not have access to important plant material they need to pursue a sustainable future for cereals. As the challenges of cereal production evolve, access to this collection is imperative. With an accelerated pace of change in agriculture, particularly with climate