b'Making Consumers Happier score the programs commitment to developing climate smart Crop Development Centre barley cultivars capable of thriving in future climatic conditions At the forefront of Aaronwhile promoting sustainable farming practices and reducing Beatties research agenda is thegreenhouse gas emissions. quest to imbue barley and oat crops with traits that enhanceFirst-of-its-Kind Agronomy Programdrought tolerance and diseaseAAFC Lacomberesistance. By equipping theseThe GROW Barley agronomy program, announced back crops with the tools to thrivein February, is underway to accelerate the uptake of newly under diverse climatic condi- registered barley varieties. Recognizing the sluggish adoption tions, Beatties work holds therates and subsequent indus-promise of stabilizing yieldstry losses, the project led by while simultaneously reducingAaron Beattie is an oat andHiroshi Kubota focuses on farmers reliance on chemi- barley breeder at the Universityproviding timely, optimized cal inputs, thus nurturingof Saskatchewans Cropagronomic information to environmental sustainabilityDevelopment Centre. producers as these varieties for future generations. hit the market. But Beatties innovations dont stop there. Hes spearheadingCollaborating with key efforts to develop hull-less barley varieties, engineered to meetstakeholders such as public the growing demand for healthier grain options. With higherbreeding programs and fibre content and a lower glycemic index, these varieties cater toseed companies in Western consumer preferences and bolster nutrition. Canada, the project aims to streamline the process byHiroshi Kubota spearheads the 100 Years of Breaking New Ground conducting agronomic stud- GROW Barley program at AAFC AAFC Brandon ies in the three years follow- Lacombe.ing registration, effectively addressing adoption barriers. By positioning these new varieties as primary choices within four years of registration, the potential return on investment for barley breeding could surpass $40 for every $1 invested by producers, offering a promising outlook for industry growth and sustainability.Keeping Triticale AliveWestern Crop InnovationsHeadquartered in Lacombe, Alta., Western Crop Innovations (WCI)formerly known as the Field Crop Development Centreis at the forefront of developing barley and triticale Harvesting of barley plots at AAFC Brandon. varieties tailored for feed, forage, and malt barley purposes in Alberta. The AAFC barley breeding program in Brandon, Man., whichWCI stands as the sole program in Canada dedicated to marks its centennial this year, has made a name for itselfboth breeding and releasing new triticale varieties, showing when it comes to doing amazing things in barley. Under thehow serious it is when it comes to designing versatile crop solu-leadership of Ana Badea since 2012, the program has releasedtions. Triticales adaptability across various climates and soils, cultivars across malting, feed, and food barley classes, each withcoupled with its potential benefits in pest and pathogen man-unique trait combinations poised for success. These cultivarsagement through crop rotation, makes it an important crop. promise increased revenue, reduced risk, and enhanced stabil- WCIs focus is on producing awnless varieties aimed at ity for Canadian barley growers, thereby fostering economicenhancing palatability, feed efficiency, and ultimately, improv-growth within the industry.ing animal health and performance. With a multidisciplinary Recent breeding achievements include pioneering elite linesteam spanning biotechnology, pathology, and quality experts, such as TR20273, boasting resistance to stem rust and earlysupported by robust international collaborations, WCI has led maturity, and HB21147, notable for its purple grain colour andthe charge in releasing barley varieties with novel traits such high anthocyanin content with health benefits. The programsas nitrogen use efficiency and non-glycosidic nitrile traits. research extends to novel approaches like field testing for water- By employing targeted germplasm and accelerating breeding logging tolerance and the first genome assembly of a Canadiancycles, WCI expedites the delivery of sustainable varieties, barley cultivar.which is important for adapting cereals to rapidly changing Ongoing projects, such as exploring the endophytic seedenvironmental pressures. barley microbiome for microbiome-assisted breeding, under-8 SEEDWORLD.COM/CANADA JULY 2024'