Cash prices for flax across Western Canada ranged from C$13.91 to C$16.48 per bushel delivered as of Jan. 15, reported Prairie Ag Hotwire. That compares with canola bids of C$13.65 to C$14.01/bu.

Trade deal could boost new crop prices

The recent Canada/China trade deal that reduces China’s tariffs on their imports of Canadian canola is unlikely to have any effect on old crop flax prices, said Scott Shiels grain procurement manager for Grain Millers Canada in Yorkton, Sask.

However, Shield said “it could affect flax pricing for next year.”

Flax plantings

With Prairie farmers making their plans for spring seeding, Shiels said it’s likely flax acres will increase in 2026/27.

In 2025/26, more than 620,000 acres of flax went into the ground, up from about 504,000 in 2024/25, according to Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. That produced 454,000 tonnes of flax this fall compared to 258,000 the previous year due in part to a stronger yield.

Farmers need premium

However, Shiels cautioned that any increase in canola prices don’t necessarily guarantee higher prices for flax.

“If canola rallies to $16/bu. then $16 flax isn’t good anymore,” he said. “We tend to want to see a couple of bucks per bushel premium compared to the canola market to get that flax into the ground.”

Shiels said Canada needs to grow more flax as to cut down on the amount imported. AAFC estimated 8,000 tonnes were brought in during 2024/25 and that increased to 10,000 tonnes in 2025/26.

“I’d rather see our Prairie farmers reaping the benefits from that,” he said.

The post A good year for flax could lead to more acres in 2026/27 appeared first on Manitoba Co-operator.

The average yield in Saskatchewan was about 27 bushels per acre, much higher than the 10-year average of 22 bu. In Manitoba, numbers were even higher. The province’s 2025 field crop production estimates put flax yield at 32.6 bu./acre, 120 per cent of last year’s crop and a three-year high.

WHY IT MATTERS: Yields may be up this year, but flax acres have continued to slide in Manitoba. Statistics Canada reported only 34,300 acres planted this spring, compared to 125,000 acres a decade ago.

There isn’t one reason for yields in the high 20s and 30s this year, but it’s a safe bet that the cool summer played a role. In Saskatoon, only one day in July had a daytime high that exceeded 30 C.

In previous years, with hotter summers, researchers from the University of Saskatchewan learned that flax doesn’t tolerate 33 C temperatures during flowering.

Bunyamin Taran, a flax and chickpea breeder from the University of Saskatchewan, found this out when he grew flax under irrigation at the university.

Even when sufficient water was available, flax plants could not withstand the summertime heat.

“When the temperature hits 30 to 32 degrees during flowering … there was no shortage of moisture … but the yield drops,” he said.

“When I looked at the bolls of flax, there (were) no seeds. This is the effect of the heat stress. A lot of seeds are aborted inside the bolls.”

Taran has been the flax breeder at the U of S since 2021, so he hasn’t had a lot of time to improve the heat tolerance and yield potential of new flax varieties.

The data clearly shows that flax yields have been “stagnant” for the past couple of decades, Taran said.

Using Statistics Canada data, average flax yields were slightly more than 20 bu. in 2005-10. Fifteen to 20 years later, yields had crept up to 23-25 bu. per acre.

Over the last 30 years, the yield gain in flax is only 9.6 pounds per acre per year, Taran said.

Yield gains flagging

That sounds worse when compared to canola, which has gained 52 pounds per acre per year.

To push flax higher, Taran and his colleagues are screening existing flax varieties and a broad germplasm, seeking genes and traits that could improve the oilseed’s heat tolerance.

It’s part of a four-year project, supported by the Sasaktchewan Agriculture Development Fund, the Manitoba Crop Alliance and SaskOilseeds.

So far in the project, there’s good news and bad.

• The good: some flax materials, including wild varieties, are more tolerant of high temperatures, Taran said.
• The bad: commercial flax varieties in Canada are sensitive to high temperatures in the summer.

It will take years for Taran to identify and understand the processes within flax that provide protection against 32 C days and warm nights during the bloom period.

Then, he will integrate that improved tolerance into a flax variety that has high quality oil in the seed and other desirable traits.

This process would be faster if Taran had more help.

At one point, Canada had three breeding programs for flax. Now, the Crop Development Centre at the U of S is the only flax program in the country.

The post Flax heat intolerance targeted appeared first on Manitoba Co-operator.

“A really good flax crop this year. Acres were up and the quality on an overall basis was definitely better than what we have seen in at least five years, maybe 10,” Shiels added.

He said there’s a possibility of more flax being planted come spring.

Why it matters: flax can be a suitable alternative to canola

Statistics Canada reported earlier in December that Prairie farmers brought in an estimated 454,460 tonnes. That’s up from nearly 258,000 tonnes combined last year and well above the five-year average of about 383,700 tonnes. Virtually all of Canada’s flax is produced on the Prairies.

“It’s been a good year, a little bit of a resurgence for flax,” Shiels said, noting the increase in flax largely came at canola’s expense.

Good prices

While Canadian flax production pales in comparison to the record 21.80 million tonnes of canola harvested in 2025, Shiels said there are a few factors favouring flax going into 2026.

One of those is pricing. Shiels said flax continues to maintain its premium over canola of C$2 to C$3 per bushel, despite the flax pulling back from around C$20/bu. for brown flax to about C$17.

“(Flax) is down a couple of bucks off of the highs that we saw at harvest time and in the late summer,” Shiels said.

Good pricing also fueled the increase in flax production this year, as farmers were able to lock in for C$19/bu. versus C$14 to C$15 for canola, he continued.

Shiels said the demand for flax is strong, particularly when it comes to the bakery and health food markets. Also, the United States hasn’t imposed a tariff on its imports of Canadian flax.

“Flax isn’t for everybody,” Shiels warned. “It’s a little tougher to market and it’s a lot tougher to grow.”

Looking ahead

However, he wasn’t sure if flax prices would improve between now and when spring planting begins in 2026.

“If canola prices stay where they are, we could see another bump up in flax acres,” Shiels said, adding that it depends on flax’s premium over canola. “If that remains when the new crop pricing comes out, we will see (an increase).”

Although canola’s outlook is currently bleak, as the market grapples with this year’s record harvest grapples versus poor exports, Shiels suggested any increase in canola prices could push up flax prices “just to try to stay competitive.”

Shiels said he welcomes more increases in flax production as the North American market doesn’t produce enough and relies on imports.

“We’d love to see flax acres back on the Prairies,” he said. “We would like to buy local.”

Flax production 2024/25 2025/26

Planted hectares 203,800 250,900

Harvested hectares 204,100 249,100

Production (tonnes) 257,974 454,461

Yields (tonnes per hectare) 1.28 1.82

Source: Statistics Canada

The post ‘A little bit of a resurgence for flax’ appeared first on Manitoba Co-operator.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) launched its Seed Regulatory Modernization process in September 2020, promising a once-in-a-lifetime transformation of rules that have governed how seed is produced and sold since the early 1900s.

The finish line is finally in sight, after a final policy paper was released this July with 52 proposals, but stakeholders are divided on whether the marathon was worth it.

“After five years of work, what’s been put in front of us, given that we know we’re well behind … I can speak on behalf of our membership when I say that we are disappointed,” said Lauren Comin, director of policy at Seeds Canada, which represents seed companies and some farmer seed growers.

WHY IT MATTERS: The future of seed in Canada will depend on the regulatory framework the sector operates in. Modernizing that landscape has been a long slog, and key voices still disagree over the scope and impact of proposed changes.

The disappointment stems from what Comin sees as missed opportunities. Many of Seeds Canada’s members fall into what she calls the “do not object” category, meaning that they feel the proposed changes won’t significantly harm their business, but won’t significantly improve it either. Meanwhile, time and business have been marching on for the seed sector while the modernization process lingers, unfinished, in the background.

“By the time we complete the changes that are recommended, we’ll already be behind again,” Comin said.

Federal agencies responsible for agricultural regulation commonly attract complaints about their slow regulatory reform or re-evaluation processes. Farm groups and businesses have commonly argued that new products are slow to be approved, hitting at the sector’s global competitiveness and adaptability.

But Doug Miller, executive director of the Canadian Seed Growers’ Association (CSGA), which partners with the federal government to deliver seed crop certification, is more positive about what’s coming out of Canada’s seed modernization.

“From a grading perspective, CSGA is giving CFIA a passing grade here, for sure,” Miller said. “They’ve done a tremendous job, especially given that this is a new consultation framework.”

The co-development experiment

The CFIA argues that their experimental co-development approach gave more direct voice to stakeholders, but that it was also the reason that this process was different from other regulatory re-vamps, and lengthy. Rather than the agency developing proposals internally and asking for feedback, it brought together all parts of the seed value chain from the start: seed growers, seed companies, plant breeders, farmers, grain buyers and commodity groups.

“These task teams were stakeholder driven,” said Wendy Jahn, national manager of the CFIA’s seed section. “The stakeholder chairs decided, based on feedback from their members, what topics they were going to look at, what order and the chairs helped move that conversation along.”

The result is that most proposals now already have a level of consensus built in, having been developed by balanced stakeholder groups rather than from the top down.

“We don’t get the chance to do modernizations as often,” Jahn said. “To do it like this, holistically, is an opportunity that we really wanted to do a meaningful, thorough review.”

Of the 135 recommendations received, CFIA moved forward with 48 and added four of its own.

The remaining 83 weren’t rejected outright, the agency maintains. About a third affirmed the current system is already working well, while others fell outside the scope of seed regulations or were flagged for future consideration elsewhere.

Key seed sticking points

While many of the proposals have broad agreement, significant fault lines remain, particularly between CSGA and Seeds Canada. CSGA wants to be named the main administrator of Canada’s seed certification system, expanding its current authority and delivering services through what it calls a digital single window.

“This is something that we see in other mature seed systems around the globe, where government has delegated day-to-day authority of seed certification to a non-government entity like CSGA,” Miller said.

Miller further pointed to the association’s century of experience in that field and recent digital innovations that have cut certification decision times from weeks to hours.

Seeds Canada, however, has concerns about expanding any single organization’s role without proper oversight and competition.

“We are very concerned by a number of the proposals that recommend alternative service delivery through a single third party provider,” Comin said. “This is an opportunity for costs to increase for the sector and then for farmers.”

The CFIA’s proposal doesn’t explicitly name any organization as the main administrator. Instead, it identifies areas where alternative service delivery makes sense and leaves the door open to multiple providers.

Data collection debate

One of CSGA’s biggest concerns involves mandatory reporting of certified seed quantities. Currently, Canada doesn’t track how much certified seed is produced nationally, information Miller believes critical for informed decision making across the sector.

“As a country, we do not currently monitor the outputs of our system,” Miller said. “This is something that we wanted to be able to see addressed in this process.”

The CFIA has regulatory authority to collect this data, but hasn’t been using it.

One new proposal removes the requirement to use a specific CFIA form, allowing seed establishments to keep records in their own systems and make them available to inspectors on request.

“Changing it from a CFIA form to their own system also allows another entity to collect that information,” Jahn said. “So, if there is buy-in, if there’s support for a digital system, it can voluntarily run.”

But Seeds Canada opposes any mandatory reporting to a third party, and Comin said the form referenced in the proposal isn’t even currently in use.

Variety cancellation

Another issue is whether seed companies should be able to cancel variety registrations. Seeds Canada is of the view that registrants should control their own intellectual property.

“If a registrant wants to cancel and does not want to transfer, then that should be their choice without any other additional administrative burden,” Comin said.

But farmers and seed growers worry about losing access to varieties they rely on if they’re dependant on the whims of seed businesses.

Here, the CFIA proposal has tried to find a middle ground. The proposal on the table would allow cancellation, but also creates a transfer pathway so other qualified entities could maintain the variety if desired.

“We wanted to have an easier pathway, a more obvious way to facilitate having those varieties be transferred to other qualified individuals,” Jahn said.

Proposal pros

Beyond those kind of select disagreements, both CSGA and Seeds Canada said they see value in many of the proposals, particularly plans for a stakeholder advisory committee and the use of “incorporation by reference” for certain standards and lists. Incorporation by reference allows documents like seed standards, labelling requirements and the list of crops subject to variety registration to be updated outside the formal regulatory amendment process.

“To me, when I talk to some folks on seed (regulatory modernization), they’ll say, ‘Doug, there’s no showstopper here,’” Miller said. “And I’m like, ‘Incorporation by reference. (They) may not realize it right now, but that is the showstopper.’”

Proponants argue the tool will allow Canada’s seed system to adapt more quickly to technological advances and market realities without waiting years for regulatory amendments.

“The most important outcome from this whole process is the flexibility and ability to make changes in the future easier and faster,” Jahn said. “This is going to ensure that this regulatory framework will be fit for purpose when we release it, but it’s also set up for future changes.”

What happens next

Consultation on the proposed changes closed Oct. 3. The CFIA will now analyze feedback and produce a report in early 2026, followed by proposed regulatory amendments for formal consultation in the government’s Canada Gazette Part I in winter 2026.

That means the already long journey to legal Seed Act regulatory amendments will likely have at least another two years before all is said in done. The typical timeline from Canada Gazette Part I to final publication is 18 months to two years, meaning farmers likely won’t see most changes take effect until 2027 or 2028. Some regulations may also have extra implementation delays to give industry time to adapt.

Not all of the 52 proposals require formal regulatory amendments, however. Many are policy changes that can be implemented sooner.

“There’s a lot of things in there that are low-hanging fruit that we think we can start working towards now, to be able to see the benefits sooner versus later,” Miller said, adding that CSGA has submitted both a red tape reduction plan and a pre-budget submission outlining immediate actions government could take.

The CFIA has already been working on several changes described in the policy paper, Jahn said.

Lack of unity?

One lingering question facing the seed industry is whether a unified industry voice would have yielded better results. In 2020, CSGA members voted 55 per cent against merging with other seed trade groups to form Seeds Canada (Manitoba’s provincial seed growers association later expressed disappointment about that result).

“I think a unified voice is what’s needed for the sector,” Comin said. “It’s unfortunate that we didn’t get there. Ultimately, for the seed sector, one voice would make us a stronger sector.”

Miller, however, sees value in the current model.

“We have a process here where we have two organizations that can really push each other to do better versions of themselves, to really be able to help drive our sector forward,” he said.

Miller believes this will be possible through focusing on common ground rather than differences.

“Let’s not focus on the minor issues where we may not agree on fully. Let’s focus on the areas where we do agree on and help move those forward.”

The CFIA considers input from all stakeholders when organizations disagree, Jahn said.

“It’s up to the CFIA to consider government mandates and agency considerations,” she said.

Stakes of seed modernization

At its core, stakeholders say, this regulatory overhaul is about keeping Canada’s seed sector competitive in a rapidly innovating global marketplace.

“The seed sector plays a large role in the success of Canadian agriculture. It can play an even larger role in the future, especially in the face of climate changes and market instabilities,” Comin said. “The rest of the world is going to adopt and adapt around us, and if we don’t keep pace and we don’t balance the perceived risk reduction with the cost and speed to market, Canada will be left behind.”

Miller puts it more simply: most bites of food globally start with seed.

“If we don’t have a strong seed system in this country, we’re not really building off of that strong foundation that we could otherwise have.”

The post Five years and counting: Inside Canada’s seed regulatory overhaul appeared first on Manitoba Co-operator.

Isolated showers had minimal impact on harvesting operations as 78 per cent of the province’s crops are now off the ground, an 18-point increase from a week earlier. This was compared to the five-year average of 69.8 per cent and the 10-year average of 56.2 per cent.

The south region led the way at 84.3 per cent, followed by the northwest at 80.1 per cent, the Peace region at 77.6 per cent, the northeast at 76.8 per cent and the central region at 71.5 per cent.

The winter wheat, dry pea, fall rye and lentil harvests are complete, while durum was 92.3 per cent done. The spring wheat harvest was at 88.8 per cent, while the barley harvest was at 87.4 per cent, followed by mustard at 84.9 per cent and oats at 82.1 per cent. The chickpea harvest was 71.1 per cent complete, compared to the canola harvest at 55.9 per cent, the potato harvest at 52.5 per cent and flax at 35.4 per cent.

Average crop yields were 76.2 bushels per acre for oats, 72.6 for barley, 54.6 for spring wheat, 46.8 for dry peas and 42.1 for canola. Except for dry peas, all estimated yields increased from the previous week.

Surface soil moisture in Alberta was measured at 34.1 per cent poor, 40.8 per cent fair, 23.2 per cent good and 1.9 per cent excellent. The five-year average was 45 per cent good to excellent. Sub-surface soil moisture was at 28 per cent good to excellent, down three points from last week.

Provincial pasture growth was rated at 28 per cent good to excellent, down four points from the previous report. This was below the five-year average of 32 per cent.

Fall-seeded crops were rated 40 per cent good to excellent, below the five-year average of 57 per cent. Provincial dryland hay yields were estimated at 1.3 tons per acre for the first cut and one ton per acre for the second cut, indicating that current dryland hay yields are in line with long-term averages. Provincial irrigated hay yields were only reported for the South Region and were estimated at 2.5 tons per acre for the first cut and 2.3 tons per acre for the second cut.

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StatCan published its major grain deliveries report for August 2025 on Sept. 25. In total, 3.588 million tonnes were delivered compared to 4.329 million in August 2024. The agency noted that tariffs placed on Canadian goods headed to the United States may have an impact on deliveries.

All wheat deliveries in August totaled 2.259 million tonnes compared to 2.321 million one year earlier. For durum, 279,584 tonnes were delivered last month, up from 244,560 tonnes in August 2024.

Canola deliveries fell below one million tonnes for the first time since August 2023, dropping to their lowest monthly total since May 2022. StatCan reported 621,555 tonnes of the oilseed were delivered in August, compared to 1.32 million tonnes in August of last year.

August barley deliveries were 379,238 tonnes, slightly more than the 375,071 tonnes delivered in August 2024. For oats, 278,097 tonnes were delivered, up from 267,271 tonnes one year earlier. Rye deliveries were up from 29,375 tonnes in August 2024 to 38,098 last month. Flaxseed deliveries were down from 15,127 tonnes in August 2024 to 11,953 tonnes a year later.

Saskatchewan provided 36.6 per cent of all deliveries, followed by Manitoba with 22.2 per cent and Alberta at 20.4 per cent.

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Combining reached 29 per cent completion, the province’s weekly crop report said. The winter wheat and fall rye harvests were 99 per cent complete, while field peas were at 95 per cent. Barley and spring wheat were at 65 and 59 per cent, respectively, while oats were at 41 per cent. Canola was 10 per cent combined.

The most rainfall was recorded at Kane in the central region at 60.3 millimetres, with Dominion City in the east and Newdale in the southwest receiving 31.2 and 30.9 mm, respectively. Several areas across Manitoba received no rainfall.

Total precipitation accumulations this season were below 60 per cent compared to the 30-year average in the Interlake and parts of the Northwest and Eastern regions. Parts of the Southwest have accumulated higher than normal precipitation levels since May 1.

Spring wheat conditions ranged from 80 to 90 per cent good to excellent, while producing 50 to 60 bushels per acre. Winter wheat yields ranged from 50 to 80 bu./ac., while fall rye was at 60 to 110. Barley was at 60 to 70 bu./ac., while oats were at 100 to 150. Most corn was in the R5 (dent) stage of growth.

Canola yields were from 45 to 60 bu./ac. as swathing and desiccation were ongoing. Flax was in the brown capsule stage and most sunflowers have completed flowering. Avian Control, a bird repellent, received emergency registration in sunflowers to reduce damage by blackbirds. However, the treatment, which can be applied up to the day of harvest, can cause damage such as leaf discolouration.

Field pea yields ranged from 30 to 75 bu./ac., averaging approximately 60 bu./ac. Dry beans were in the R7 and R8 stages, while most soybeans were in the R5 and R6 stages.

Warm weather and improved moisture conditions in some areas allowed pastures to regrow, providing extra grazing days for livestock. Second cut harvest yields for beef producers were below-average and dairies were on their third cut, which were seeing higher yields than the second cut. Slough hay and straw yields appeared to be average. Silage corn harvest is set to begin in two weeks as most corn were in the dent stage.

Cattle on pasture were in good condition while producers monitor for foot rot, fly pressure and pneumonia. Water levels were mixed, causing some producers to move cattle or haul water. Winter feed supplies were also mixed with some producers sourcing additional feed and others with a surplus selling their own.

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Manitoba’s growers completed 10 per cent of the harvest, compared to four per cent one week earlier, according to the province’s weekly crop report released on Aug. 26. The central region’s harvest was 16 per cent finished while the northwest was at four per cent.

Winter wheat and fall rye were 85 per cent combined, followed by field peas at 65 per cent. Barley was 20 per cent complete, while spring wheat was at 18 per cent, oats were at 10 per cent and canola was at one per cent with its harvest starting in the central and eastern regions.

Yield estimates for winter wheat ranged from 50 to 80 bushels per acre, while those for fall rye were 60 to 110. Early in the spring wheat harvest, yields were from 50 to 60 bu./ac., with quality ranging from 80 to 90 per cent good to excellent. Oat yields were 100 to 150 bu./ac., while barley was 60 to 70. Most corn was in the R4 and R5 stages.

Canola yields so far were 45 to 60 bu./ac. with swathing and desiccation ongoing. Flax was in the brown capsule stage and sunflowers were either in full flower or have completed flowering. However, blackbird damage to sunflower fields has led to the emergency registration of Avian Control, a bird repellent to be applied in fields up to the day of harvest. However, it can cause plant damage including leaf discolouration.

Portage la Prairie in the central region received the most rainfall during the week at 111.1 millimetres, with 98.5 mm falling between Aug. 20 and 21. On the flip side, Treherne, located in the same region, only saw 0.2 mm. Several areas in the southwest region received no precipitation at all.

Moisture conditions for the top 30 centimetres of soil varied wildly. Parts of the Interlake saw dry to very dry conditions, while areas within the northwest, southwest and central regions were rated optimal and very wet.

Field pea yields averaged 60 bu./ac., while dry beans were in the R7 and R8 stages and most soybeans were in the R5 and R6 stages.

Pastures were rebounding due to improved moisture conditions and producers were taking advantage by providing additional grazing days for livestock. Many producers also have hay and greenfeed, but rain has prevented them from being baled and quality is a concern. Second cut harvest yields for beef producers are below average, while dairies are going ahead with a third cut with yields stronger than the second. There were also average yields for slough hay and straw, as well as average to below-average yields for cereal greenfeed. Feed corn is starting to dent with silage harvest three weeks away.

Cattle on pasture were in good condition, but fly pressure was a concern with producers monitoring foot rot and pneumonia. Rains have replenished water sources in some areas, but others have remained dry. Some areas are also sourcing additional feed for the winter, while others are selling some of their surplus.

The post Manitoba Crop Report: Winter wheat, fall rye harvests almost complete appeared first on Manitoba Co-operator.

A project at the Manitoba Crop Diversification Centre (MCDC) in Carberry is testing two seed treatment options at different rates on yellow and brown flax varieties, focusing on helping crops establish strong stands rather than controlling specific diseases.

“I’m more concerned about the benefits of a seed treatment for getting the profit of the ground, having a little bit of strength so that can grow to have a strong plant,” said Morgan Cott, agronomy extension specialist for special crops with Manitoba Crop Alliance, at an MCDC field day on Aug. 6.

WHY IT MATTERS: Study examining if seed treatments can help flax crops emerge better and establish stronger plant stands.

The research addresses a gap identified by producers who questioned why little flax seed treatment research was being conducted in Manitoba. The study examines not just emergence and disease control, but also the “treatability” of flax seed itself, Cott said.

Farmers don’t typically like to treat flax because they feel like it runs right off, due to the seed’s shiny, waxy coating that makes it difficult for treatments to adhere properly, Cott said.

Three key diseases under examination

The trial is testing seed treatments targeting three main seedling diseases that affect flax: fusarium, rhizoctonia and pythium. These diseases affect flax as they do most crops, making prevention through seed treatments or other management practices important, Cott said.

Fusarium, while present in Manitoba soils and affecting cereals, oilseeds and pulses, tends to be a weaker root rot in flax compared to other crops. However, it can cause fusarium wilt later in the plant’s development rather than just root rotting issues in seedlings.

“It’ll affect the plant at any age. So, when we’re scouting for it in seedlings, we’re going to be pulling up those flax plants and finding like an ashy gray root color,” Cott said, adding that in more mature plants, the tip turns yellow and the condition moves down the plant.

Rhizoctonia represents a bigger concern, particularly given its prevalence in pulse crops. The disease can affect plants before, during and after emergence, causing lesions at or below the soil surface that can kill smaller plants, but which larger plants may grow out of as they become stronger, Cott said.

Pythium, she added, thrives in wet conditions and saturated, cool soil conditions. Unlike some diseases, it doesn’t need a wound to infect the plant and causes browning and discoloration of roots along with stunted plant growth.

Testing multiple treatment options

The research is using either Insure Pulse or Vitaflo products at high and low application rates on two varieties: AAC Bright, a yellow-seeded variety, and CDC Rowland, a brown-seeded variety.

Cott has noticed visible differences between treated and untreated plots in her research. In one comparison, untreated AAC Bright was still flowering while treated plants in the adjacent plot had progressed further in development, suggesting the treatment may have prevented delayed emergence rather than necessarily controlling disease.

“My takeaway is not that there was necessarily disease here. There could have been, but it was probably delayed and emerging a little bit. Not that I’m trying to self seed treatment, but it did work,” Cott said.

CDC Rowland appeared to be a stronger plant compared to AAC Bright in the trials, she added.

Application challenges

Beyond disease control and emergence benefits, the research examines how well seed treatment products adhere to and flow with flax seed during planting operations. The seed’s waxy coating creates challenges for both treatment application and seed flow through planting equipment.

For producers who do choose to treat flax seed, seed treaters have developed best practices to improve results, Cott said.

“A seed treater would typically encourage a farmer to treat it and then leave it for a few days to let it really not solidify, but get firm on the seed and then flowability is better.”

The recommended practice involves treating the seed and then letting it sit for about a week before planting to improve flow characteristics and reduce bridging issues with the small seeds, Cott added.

The research is being conducted at all four diversification centres across Manitoba, providing 12 site-years of data when the study concludes this year. However, Cott doesn’t expect to see major disease control or yield boost benefits from the treatments.

“I typically don’t think you’re going to be seeing too much for disease control or yield boost. It’s more, as I say, about getting the crop out of the ground,” she said.

Flax crop update

The research comes as Manitoba’s flax crop appears to be performing well this season.

In the southwest region, no major issues were being reported and flax was at 50 per cent brown boll, according to Manitoba Agriculture’s Aug. 26 provincial crop report. Earlier in August, the province had noted that new moisture would help with seed set following the earlier heat and dry conditions.

Flax was at the brown capsule stage in central Manitoba while, in the Interlake, flax was in full boll development and fields were changing colour.

The positive crop conditions come after variable weather across the province, with isolated rainfall and storm events occurring across southern Manitoba in the second week of August. Some areas received significant precipitation, benefiting longer-season crops, including flax.

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The studies highlighted during an Aug. 6 field tour at the Carberry site, The Manitoba Crop Diversification Centre, were no exception.

Winter wheat shows climate, wildlife benefits

Winter wheat was noted as a resilient crop option to attendees, one that’s good for the birds as well.

Alex Griffiths of Ducks Unlimited Canada presented research that had found significant wildlife habitat benefits to the crop alongside agricultural potential.

“Winter wheat provides excellent nesting habitat for both waterfowl and other upland game birds,” Griffiths said.

Their study has shown that a nest has a 38 per cent chance of hatching in winter wheat, compared to spring wheat where there was 12 per cent chance of surviving to hatch, Griffiths said. The group also found only one nest in every 55 acres of spring wheat.

The research suggested that winter wheat gives 24 times more nesting habitat than spring wheat.

Flax research addresses producer concerns

Seed treatment trials in flax are attempting to address longstanding producer concerns about the crop’s waxy seed coat affecting treatment adhesion.

The research focuses on practical benefits, said Morgan Cott, an agronomy extension specialist with the Manitoba Crop Alliance.

“I’m more concerned about the benefits of a seed treatment for getting the profit off the ground, having a little bit of strength so that we can grow a strong plant,” she said.

The flax industry has seen significant variety shifts, with CDC Rowland growing from 32 per cent to 62 per cent market share in Manitoba between 2023 and 2024, according to Sonia Wilson, oilseeds specialist with Manitoba Agriculture.

Bio-stimulant testing reflects global trends

Researchers at MCDC are also testing bio-stimulants on soybeans as interest grows in natural crop enhancement products. Bio-stimulants represent a $1.5-million U.S. global market, with 33 per cent of American producers having tried some form of bio-stimulant products, said Baljeet Singh of Assiniboine College.

“Bio-stimulants are natural products that naturally enhance the plant’s capability to absorb nutrients from the soil. They also make plants little stronger…so that you withstand pest attacks,” Singh said.

Check future updates and print editions of the Manitoba Co-operator for more on these projects.

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