GrainsWest Winter 2020

Winter 2020 Grains West 12 THE FARMGATE THE WORLD’S FOOD DEMAND IS increasing, but its supply of agricultural land is not. The challenge faced by the farming industry is to increase produc- tivity, improve food security and boost farm income on a land base that is fixed, or in some cases, shrinking. One of the best strategies to address all these related demands is to encourage innovative scien- tific research. In 2020, the Alberta Wheat Commis- sion (AWC) will invest about $5.5 million in the area of research. Similarly, Alber- ta Barley may invest up to $500,000. Although the AWC spends significantly more than its sister commission in this area, research represents the biggest part of both commissions’ budgets. These investments align with their missions to advance the interests of their members through leadership and investment in innovative research and development. The research priorities of the commis- sions are set by their respective research committees in consultation with farmers. Research projects that are chosen for consideration typically address the needs and challenges farmers experience in their operations. These are then sent for peer review to ensure their methodology is sound and will deliver quality results. Following peer review, decisions are made as to which projects will receive fi- nancial support. As a member of the Agri- cultural Finding Consortium (AFC), AWC and Alberta Barley co-operate with other crop commissions and funding agencies covering project costs. AFC’s 12 member organizations take a team approach in supporting agricultural research and development. Splitting the cost of a given project between multiple partners makes the process more economical for each one. Among the many projects now be- ing supported by AFC, three are being conducted by research scientists at Agricul- ture and Agri-Food Canada’s Lethbridge Research and Develop- ment Centre. A study of beneficial insects is being under- taken by researcher Ha- ley Catton. It is focused on those that eat insect pests, pollinate crop plants, eat or destroy weed seeds and contrib- utes to nutrient cycling in the ecosystem. A vast majority of the insect species that inhabit farm fields are not considered pests as they’re not harmful to crops. Some of these, in fact, may be very beneficial to farmers. Unfortunately, the control products that kill pests may also impact beneficial insects. Though the benefits many of these insects provide may be known to scientists and farmers, the true value of these positive services has not been adequately quantified. The study is intended to establish the economic and ecological value provided by beneficial insects. Such information will help farmers make better insecticide application decisions to improve integrat- ed pest management on their farms. André Laroche is leading a project study- ing stripe rust resistance in wheat. Its goal is to renew the effectiveness of a defeated and currently ineffective resistance gene no longer effective against the stripe rust pathogen. There is a limited number of resistance genes now effective against stripe rust and the pathogen that causes the disease is constantly evolving. Because it may defeat currently effective resistance genes, more must be incorporated in wheat breeding. The deployment of new stripe rust resistant genes in wheat germplasm will reduce the cost of wheat production as it may shrink pesticide costs. Diminished pesticide use may in turn produce environ- mental benefits. Led by Claudia Sheedy, a third project will study the impact of pesticide on the soil microbiome under cereal production. It will identify microbes thriving under pesticide use and investigate their poten- tial as pesticide degraders. Pesticides protect crops, boost yield and ensure food security, but their residues cause concern. Identifying and multi- plying microbes capable of degrading them may protect ground water and the environment without affecting farm operations and profitability. This may also provide a degree of environmental licence for Alberta’s wheat industry. In staying true to AWC’s mission to increase the long-term profitability of wheat through innovative research, the sustainability of our agricultural produc- tion system can’t be overlooked. Researchproject roundup Wheat and barley commissions fund cutting-edge crop science