Plant breeding Archives - Page 6 of 12

Manitoba Wheat and Barley Growers Association director David Rourke says it will do most of its research on joint projects with other provinces.

Giving farmers a role in variety development

Should farmers just provide a little assistance, or form their own breeding company?

By Allan Dawson February 24, 2015

What role should farmers play in developing new wheat and barley varieties? It’s a question Western Canada’s cereal groups are tackling together, says Brent VanKoughnet, a consultant working with the Manitoba Wheat and Barley Growers Association (MWBGA), one of the groups involved in the project. Directors and staff from eight organizations, with some funding and

Crops, Local news

You can save seed, but can you ‘stock’ it?

As UPOV ’91 becomes closer to reality for Canadian farmers and seed breeders, many questions remain to be answered

By Shannon VanRaes February 17, 2015

Planned amendments to Canada’s Plant Breeders’ Rights Act are generating a lot of questions and few answers, as some farmers begin to fear they’ll be left to reap what the federal government sows. Omnibus Bill C-18 — known as the Agricultural Growth Act — will affect a total of nine pieces of legislation including the

Crops, National news

AAFC proposing two-tier crop variety registration system

One category would require merit testing and the other would only require the registrant to demonstrate a variety was new, distinguishable, uniform and stable

By Allan Dawson November 24, 2014

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) is proposing to reduce Canada’s crop variety registration system from three tiers to two by 2016. One of the tiers would still include merit testing as part of the process for registering new wheats for western Canadian farmers, which is seen by many as an important tool in assuring wheat

Crops, National news

Right to save seed will be absolutely clear, Ritz vows

The government has introduced amendments to its Agricultural Growth Act  to make the language around seed saving clearer

By Alex Binkley October 17, 2014

Legislation updating plant breeders’ rights will be amended to make it absolutely clear that farmers can save and replant seeds from crops they have grown, says Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz. It was one of several amendments the government plans for the Agriculture Growth Act, which was forced through second reading in the Commons in June.

Did you know?, International news

Golden Rice, make way for Orange Corn

Orange corn rich in vitamin A on its way

By Manitoba Co-operator Staff October 16, 2014

While the world continues to debate the potential for Golden Rice genetically modified to contain higher vitamin A, Purdue University researchers have found a way to boost vitamin A in corn using traditional plant-breeding methods. Researchers say they have identified a set of genes that can be used to naturally boost the provitamin A content

Possibilities include bananas with more vitamin A or apples that don’t brown when cut.

Country Crossroads, Did you know?

Genetically edited, not genetically modified?

Avoiding introduction of genes from other organisms  could alleviate consumer concerns

By Cell Press September 11, 2014

Recent advances that allow the precise editing of genomes now raise the possibility that fruit and other crops might be genetically improved without the need to introduce foreign genes, according to researchers writing in the Cell Press publication Trends in Biotechnology on Aug. 13. With awareness of what makes these biotechnologies new and different, genetically

Emerson’s “R” rating for fusarium head blight is driving demand for the new winter wheat. photo Canterra Seeds

Cereals, Crops

Big demand for “R” rated Emerson winter wheat

Early indications are Canada’s only fusarium head-blight resistant wheat  performed well despite a high incidence of fusarium this year

By Allan Dawson September 5, 2014

Canada’s first fusarium head-blight resistant wheat variety survived a baptism by fire this summer, which explains why demand for its seed exceeds the available supply. Emerson winter wheat is the first variety to achieve the “R” rating for resistance to fusarium. The level of fusarium head blight infection affecting winter wheat crops in Manitoba in

Crops

Farmers’ groups speak out in favour of plant breeders’ rights

The national coalition says farmers’ ability to save seed is not affected by  legislation strengthening plant breeders’ rights

By Alex Binkley May 28, 2014

A coalition of farm and agriculture supply groups are defending federal legislation to update plant breeders’ rights from attacks by the National Farmers Union, environmental organizations and the United Church of Canada. Partners in Innovation includes the Canadian Federation of Agriculture and Grain Growers of Canada, the two largest farm organizations, as well as 15

Cereals, Crops

U of M project puts DIY back into plant breeding

DIY has done wonders in the metal shop. Why not try it in the fields, too?

By Daniel Winters May 27, 2014

What do you do if you can’t find or can’t afford a piece of farm equipment for a particular job on your farm? For many, the answer is DIY, short for do-it-yourself. Necessity is the mother of invention, and often inspiration, a welder, chop saw, and a trip to the scrap pile is enough to

Crops

CFA joins coalition supporting plant breeders’ rights changes

The bill to update Canada’s plant breeders’ rights provisions is before Parliament

By Alex Binkley May 21, 2014

The Canadian Federation of Agriculture has joined a coalition of farm and seed industry groups supporting controversial changes to plant breeders’ rights. The CFA wasn’t included in the Partners in Innovation when the coalition was formed last year to support C-18 the Agriculture Growth Act. While it supported the breeders’ provisions, the country’s main farm

Daily Network News

U.S. livestock: Chicago cattle futures climb on post-Thanksgiving trade

U.S. grains: Corn futures set June high on US export demand

California researchers create nitrogen-fixing wheat

Tag Archives Plant breeding