Updating the critical weed-free period in canola
This project will contribute to more efficient and sustainable weed management practices by optimizing canola genetics, plant stand densities and herbicide programs to achieve the above benefits.
Drought tolerance in Canola through modulating the Kanghan (KH) gene family
Improving crop tolerance to drought is essential for maintaining yield stability under the continued threat of climate change and a key factor for achieving sustainability in agriculture by saving water resource usage. Molecular breeding focusing on monogenic transgenic intervention has so far achieved limited success in the development of drought tolerance in crops. This project focuses on a gene family that is the basis of quantitative trait loci (QTL) affecting drought tolerance in Brassicaceae.
Continue monitoring Leptosphaeria maculans populations following the introduction of new resistance genes Rlm2, Rlm4, and Rlm 7 for effective resistance deployment on the Canadian Prairies
This project aims to help guide the effective use of cultivar resistance, which, when used in combination with other management practices will help mitigate the impact of blackleg on the Prairies.
Introgression of clubroot resistance from B.rapa into B.napus canola and identification of molecular markers for resistance, and pyramiding of this resistance with other resistance gene
Several clubroot-resistant canola cultivars have been developed in Canada, however the newly evolved Plasmodiophora brassicae pathotypes have overcome some of the resistances. The long-term objective of this project is to diversify the clubroot resistant genes in Canadian canola for clubroot resistance and develop molecular markers for these resistances.
Identification and exploitation of genome structural variants for trait improvement in Prairie crops
This has the potential to open up plant breeding to a whole new way to identify germplasm variation in breeding programs.
Level of canola source fat in pregnant beef cow diets – effects on cow and calf performance
This research is not only focus on determining the optimum amount of fat from off-grade canola seed supplementation to gestating beef cows, but the economic price point (taking into account prices of traditional feed sources and canola inclusion costs) when canola supplementation is most profitable.
Digital In-Field Phenotyping Vehicle
This will accelerate the breeding of improved canola varieties as breeders from academia/government/industry use this service to phenotype larger breeding programs.
Investigating the role of plant hosts in the outbreaks of the aster leafhopper vectored Aster Yellows (AY)
Aster leafhoppers are the main vector of Aster Yellows Phytoplasma (AYp) in the Canadian Prairies. AYp causes Aster Yellows (AY) disease in many plant species but can greatly affect canola in outbreak years.
Genome wide functional analysis of Plasmodiophora brassicae effectors and the management of clubroot disease
Clubroot disease in canola and other brassicas is caused by the pathogen Plasmodiophora brassicae. Researchers at the University of Saskatchewan conducted a five-year study to identify and characterize effector proteins and their role in the establishment and progression of clubroot disease.
Characterizing Turbulent Spray Deposition from Self-Propelled Sprayers
The uniformity of a spray deposit is fundamental to a successful spray application. Spray dosage is directly related to pesticide performance. The timely, accurate and efficient application of pesticides is an important activity in modern crop production methods.
Canola frequency effects on nutrient turnover and root-microbe interactions
Crop rotation is an important component to sustainable, healthy agroecosystems aiding in disease suppression, nutrient cycling and risk mitigation. In this study, researchers examined the agronomic impacts of crop rotation strategies including canola-canola; canola-wheat; and canola-pea-barley.
Introgression of the highly effective Brassica rapa blackleg resistance gene Rlm11 into spring-type Brassica napus
Researchers with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada recently completed the genetic mapping of the blackleg resistance gene Rlm11. Rlm11 is effective against the L. maculans isolates carrying the avirulence gene AvrLm11, which is found in 95 percent of L. maculans isolates collected from western Canadian canola farms.