b"PARTNER CONTENTThe Future is Bright for Spring Wheat ProducersBy: Tatiana Henry, Chief Operating Officer, Limagrain Cereal SeedsL imagrain Cereal Seeds (LCS) is intensifying efforts, bothWhile LCS is looking to breed spring wheat varieties adapt-on its commercial and research and development (R&D)able throughout the region, LCSs spring wheat breeding program sides, to grow its business on the Northern Plains. The aimzeroes in on the traits each region needs the most.is to deliver products optimized for the Northern Plains growingIf we go to the Red River Valley in North Dakota, they need conditions, a region that Benzon Lorenzana, LCSs Head of Cere- more resistance to diseases like fusarium or bacterial leaf streak, als and Pulse Research for North America, says is a key growingLorenzana says. If we go to Montana, those are less of a concern, region and priority for his research team. but sawfly is a big issue.We know how important and how big that market is, he says.One trait in demand everywhere is weed suppression. LCSs We are committed to supplying the varietal solutions that North- herbicide tolerant CoAXium Wheat Production System has proven ern Plains farmers need now and in the future.extremely successful in providing broad spectrum weed control Specifically, LCS is working to further align its spring wheatin winter wheats and promises to deliver similar benefits for breeding objectives with the needs of producers to ensure thespring wheat. products the R&D team develops possess the characteristics thatIt's a valuable tool if the farmers have that weed spectrum deliver the greatest value to Northern Plains farmers. Top of theand need effective chemistry to assist them in being able to suc-list is increased yield, but varieties also have to perform well un- cessfully grow a crop, Lorena Pahl, LCSs Commercial Product der a wide range of conditions, including unpredictable weather.Development Manager, says. One year it could be warm and dry, the next could be coldLCS spring wheat breeding program, housed in Saskatche-and rainy, Lorenzana says. With Mother Nature, you don't knowwan, Canada, has long developed material optimized for different what you're going to get in any given year, so we have to breedsubregions in the Northern Plains. materials that are stable.In 2024, trial locations expanded by 33%, and include sites in That stability shows up as consistent performance data despitethe Dakotas, Montana and the Red River Valley in Minnesota. LCS variable multiple conditions. That's where predictive breedingalso works with university research teams and various collabo-technologies come in. We use them to select the materials that arerators on research trials, as well as dealer networks and farmers the most stable across locations and years, Lorenzana says. on evaluation. Being able to test lines in such diverse growing LCS is also working to improve protein levels to ensure theyenvironments across multiple seasons results in a robust data meet the minimums that millers and bakers want to see, withoutset that helps LCS identify lines with the characteristics that will sacrificing the yields growers crave.serve farmers best. You have to find that balance, and sometimes there's a trad- It really is a team effort. We've been cranking out a lot of eoff. Too much protein and your yields suffer. Too much yield andgood data, and we've revamped some of our testing procedures, your protein levels go down, Lorenzana says. So, the goal is toso we're in a really good spot to bring our products to the U.S. raise protein to a level where it's acceptable, then raise the yield asmarket, Grant Groene, National Sales and Marketing Manager for much as possible.LCS, said.DECEMBER 2024SEEDWORLD.COM /81"