GrainsWest Fall 2020

Fall 2020 Grains West 48 Research scientist Jaswinder Singh,left, works with barley genetics to address pre-harvest sprouting. Two new variety development projects focus on Thegeneticsofgermination GRAIN SCIENCE NEWS HARVEST CONDITIONS IN THE fall during two of past five harvests have been poor. Early snow last September was compounded by moist, wet conditions and a high percentage of crops remained in the field all winter. According to the Alberta Crop Report, in 2016 and 2019, less than 90 per cent of crops were harvested in Alberta on average. This figure was worse in certain areas such as the Peace Region of Alberta, which saw about 15 per cent and 32 per cent of all crops unharvested in those years, respectively. Farmers in the region were able to harvest only 65.3 per cent of wheat and 56.1 per cent of barley seeded in 2019. The story was similar in north- eastern Alberta, where about 19 per cent and 13 per cent of crops were unharvested in those growing seasons. Of course, such poor weather condi- tions can affect the quality of cereal crops. Early snow and wet or moist conditions in the fall are conducive to pre-harvest sprouting (PHS) in wheat and barley. PHS occurs when the seed’s dormancy is bro- ken, forcing it to germinate rather than to store starch as it should prior to harvest. In addition to fall precipitation, other factors are known to influence PHS in cereals. These include the cultivar grown, maturity stage, temperature, humidity and cloud cover. In-field factors can in- clude waterlogging and soil type. PHS damage reduces the value of cereals. Yearly estimated losses for wheat in Canada average $100 million. The neg- ative impacts of PHS on bread wheat grain quality include sticky, porous, off-colour dough with reduced baking quality. Wheat with greater than three per cent sprouting is relegated to the feed market and may suffer a 20 to 50 per cent loss in value. Sprouted barley has very low ger- mination power during malting and does not attract a premium price. Sprouted barley grain is also sold at a discount in the feed market. To make appropriate seed choices, farmers need to consult the Alberta Seed Guide, which lists the PHS rating for spring wheat varieties. For example, according to the guide, AAC Alida VB has very good PHS resistance, while AAC Brandon has poor PHS resistance. All other spring wheat varieties fall between these two. Even PHS-resistant varieties will sprout when conditions are cool and wet for an extended period. Given the poor harvest conditions in recent years, the development of pre-har- vest resistant varieties has become a priority for Prairie cereal commissions. This year, the Alberta Wheat Commission (AWC) and Alberta Barley have contract- ed two research projects aimed at the development of PHS-tolerant wheat and barley varieties. One of the projects will be led by Dean Spaner at the University of Alberta and the University of Manitoba’s Belay Ayele. It is funded by AWC and the Saskatchewan Wheat Development Commission (SaskWheat). The second project, led by Jaswinder Singh of McGill University, is funded by AWC, Alberta Barley, SaskWheat, Saskatchewan Barley Development Com- mission and the Western Grains Research Foundation. These initiatives, along with concurrent work undertaken by wheat and barley breeders, will ensure that new varieties are available in the near future that can better withstand the difficult conditions experienced during recent harvests. David Simbo is research program manager for Alberta Barley and the Alberta Wheat Commission. pre-harvest sprouting Photo:Courtesyof the JaswinderSingh