50 GERMINATION.CA NOVEMBER 2018 NOPLANB Here’s how you can ensure midge tolerant wheat technology remains a viable option for seed growers and farmers for years to come. Todd Hyra and Dr. Santosh Kumar A NEW TOOL HELPING YOU IN THE REALM OF RETAIL SEED SALES. biographies Dr. Santosh Kumar Research scientist AAFC Brandon Santosh specializes in wheat breeding, including projects to investigate new sources of resistance to wheat midge. He’s also an adjunct professor at the University of Brandon and secretary for the Prairie Recommending Committee for Wheat, Rye and Triticale. Todd Hyra Western Business Manager SeCan Todd’s love of agriculture started in childhood, being raised on a mixed grain and beef farm in Grandview, Man. He continued his journey in agriculture when he began his career in 1990 in the seed industry, first at Proven Seed, and now at SeCan. He is also president of the Canadian Seed Trade Association. What is Wheat Midge? Wheat midge is an insect that’s found in all wheat growing areas of the world. It is the size of a mosquito (between 2-3mm) and causes major yield and grade losses to the developing wheat grain. How does Wheat Midge Damage Wheat? An adult female can lay 70-80 eggs during the months of June and July. The eggs turn into larvae, which feed on wheat ker- nels and cause significant damage (the adult insect itself causes no damage). After feeding, the larvae go into the soil and hibernate. In the spring the larvae become adult flies — the females lay eggs and the Photo: Gilles San Martin Midge larvae compared to a canola seed. Photo courtesy Alberta Agriculture