b'LETTER TO THE EDITORTHINK VARIETY REGISTRATION SLOWS INNOVATION? THINK AGAIN, SAY THREE BREEDING LEGENDSCritics argue Canadas wheat variety registration system slows innovation, delays adoption of new varieties, and curtails Canadas competitiveness. But its time to move beyond rhetoric and think about what makes sense for Canada. By Ron DePauw, Rob Graf and Pierre HuclIs the System Too Restrictive? Considering that only a small number of CWRS varietiesFrom left: Pierre Hucl (wheat breeder, Crop Development Centre), achieve even 1% of seeded acres, probably not. In fact, most pri- Ron DePauw (science advisor, SeCan) and Rob Graf (science vate companies in other countries likely test a similar amountadvisor, SeedNet) are three of Canadas most legendary plant breeders. to ensure they have a product worthy of commercialization. No plant breeding entity, whether private or public, wants to bringThese members define operating procedures and determine an inferior product to marketthe key is broad area testing,what traits need to be measured to show merit for registration. over several years, to avoid what are very costly false starts forVariety registration is based on agronomic traits and response seed growers and farmers.to diseases, which is the jurisdiction of the Variety Registration The Prairie Grain Development Committee (PGDC)Office of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA). Quality Evaluation Team includes representatives from theDepending on the crop kind, testing of candidate varieties usu-entire value chain of marketing, handling, milling, baking,ally takes two or three years of data collection in trialswith farmers, researchers and variety developers. The milling andapproved protocols that are vetted by the appropriate registra-functionality of the candidates are evaluated relative to thetion recommending committee. These registration trials can standards of the wheat market classes. Based on the data, atake various forms, provided accepted procedures are followed.recommendation is made for the candidate to be eligible for aPrivate registration trials do not have any restrictions for particular market class.entry. Thus, it is conceivable that for lines requiring two or The ultimate classification of a variety is then determinedthree years of registration data, all field plot yield trials could by the Canadian Grain Commission (CGC). Based on this pro- qualify as registration data, minimizing any delay to potential cess, the entire industry has a good understanding of a varietyscommercialization. Its a reasonable assumption that companies value for production and where it fits within that system. Thiswould be following a similar process of due diligence prior to has enormous benefit to the entire agri-food chain and canreleasing a new cultivar, regardless of variety registration. rapidly accelerate the uptake of improved varieties.It should be noted that currently, no wheat quality typeDoesnt Registration Delay Uptake of Improved New Varieties?is excluded from market classification, unless it would causeActually, in many cases the opposite happens. Seed growers and harm. Even varieties outside existing guidelines have beenfarmers take a very large risk when they commit to a new wheat approved where a market exists. Examples include extra strongvariety. So, you cant afford false starts with the wrong variety. durum, purple wheat, forage wheats, etc.Without high quality data and transparency, a very cautious approach is taken with new varieties. In the U.S., for example, Why do we Have Variety Registration for Wheat? Shouldntadoption often lags well behind Canada due to inconsistency in Industry Pick the Winners and Losers? state-to-state regulations and lack of data transparency.Industry does pick the winners and losers. Variety recommend- Essentially, the cost to assess varieties in small plots prior ing committees are, first and foremost, industry-led and encom- to variety release is a small fraction of the cost relative to false pass the entire value chain, including seed growers, farmers,commercial starts with varieties that have agronomic or quality grain handlers and processors. shortcomings.44 SEEDWORLD.COM/CANADA NOVEMBER 2025'