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Winter
2018
Grains
West
40
Feature
BY ALEXIS KIENLEN • LEAD PHOTO COURTESY OF GEORGE CLAYTON
Tips for choosing grain varieties
HOOSING SEED VARIETIES
is always a hot topic among
farmers, but the central reason
for selecting one variety over another
is straightforward. “Typically, growers
are growing something they can sell,”
said Monica Klaas, general manager of
Alberta Seed Processors.
Most farmers start by assessing the
big picture, refining these money-
making choices by examining
factors that most notably include the
profitability and protein content of
various crops within an established
rotation regime.
Naturally, farmers also look at disease
and insect susceptibility. “If people are in
a sawfly area, they will grow something
with a sawfly resistance,” said Klaas. “Or,
if they have a particular disease concern,
they will pick a variety for that.”
Lodging is another concern that varies
by region. In black soil zones with high
fertility or high moisture, choosing
varieties that exhibit good straw
strength is important. In drier areas,
lodging is not part of the seed-choice
equation.
Aiding this selection process, farmers
have a lot of choice in what they can
grow. There are more than 30 varieties
of Hard Red Spring Wheat alone, each
with characteristics that tailor it to
certain soil zones. “That’s reflected by
the seed growers that are growing them
and offering them,” said Klaas.
Variety choice is also a discussion
between the farmer and the grain buyer,
especially when the farmer is pursuing a
malt barley contract.
Alberta Seed Processors supports the
Alberta regional variety trials program,
which is run by government and industry
groups that place nine to 11 sites
throughout Alberta. The
Alberta Seed
Guide
is compiled using data produced
from these trials. The guide takes into
account qualities that include a variety
of yield categories. Also assessed
are maturity rate, lodging resistance,
resistance to disease and, in the case of
malt barley, 1,000-kernel weight. “It all
helps in picking a marketability for the
crop,” said Klaas.
Another consideration is the
changes made by the Canadian
Grain Commission’s wheat class
modernization, which will affect
insurance rules for some grain varieties.
Jesse Cole, research analyst with the
C
SEED
SAVVY