Elgin-ND, a new high-yielding American Dark Northern Spring wheat, received a three-year interim registration May 20 from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), making commercialization possible in Western Canada.
FP Genetics has the Canadian distribution rights. Buying Elgin-ND for seed to be planted in Western Canada from American suppliers contravenes plant breeders’ rights’ laws and those who do face heavy penalties, warns the North Dakota State University Research Foundation (NDSURF).
Earlier this month FP Genetics’ chief executive officer Rod Merryweather said all its Elgin-ND seed will be going to western Canadian seed growers for multiplication. Pedigreed seed will be available for commercial production next year in Western Canada, he said.
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Elgin-ND was released in 2014 for general distribution in North Dakota.
Elgin-ND has high yield potential, says North Dakota State University.
“According to North Dakota variety trial results for 2012, Elgin-ND’s yield beat five of the top six most popular varieties for the year in eastern North Dakota,” NDSU said in a news release. “The average yield in 2012 for Elgin-ND across eastern North Dakota locations was 62.6 bushels per acre, compared with 58.2 bushels for Barlow, the variety with the most acres planted in the state.”
Elgin-ND rivals Glenn for high protein content and is “superior to Faller and Barlow.”
Elgin-ND has excellent diseases resistance, NDSU says and is moderately resistant to fusarium head blight.
The Canadian Grain Commission (CGC) says once commercialized, Elgin-ND will be placed in the commission’s new ‘interim’ wheat class along with Faller and Prosper.
The CGC has proposed creating a new class for these and future red spring milling wheats with weaker gluten strength than most wheats in the Canada Western Red Spring (CWRS) class. The CGC has also proposed moving some of the weaker CWRS wheats currently to the proposed new class.
The CGC will make a decision on making the interim class permanent following a review of the class’s market potential.
