Research projects on ways to improve winter wheat’s survival and yields will get just over $1.25 million in federal support.
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, through its Developing Innovative Agri-Products initiative, pledged the funding Tuesday toward work to help “address the barriers farmers face in adopting winter wheat, such as its small window for seeding and the risk of winter damage.”
Ducks Unlimited Canada and the three Prairie provinces’ winter wheat producer commissions will work with AAFC researchers to find ways through alternative seed treatments and strategies to improve plant durability, yields and profitability of winter wheat.
Read Also
Entomologist tests trap crops and marigolds to repel flea beetles at an Ag in Motion
An Agriculture Canada entomologist is experimenting with trap crops and marigolds at an Ag in Motion demonstration cropplot
The results are also expected to yield information for growers on ways to increase the efficiency of pest and nutrient management practices.
“Improved varieties and good management by producers have made winter wheat one of the most profitable crops over the past few years,” Paul Thoroughgood, a regional agrologist for DUC in Saskatchewan, said in the government’s release.
“This funding will allow us to focus on providing farmers with the tools they need to plan and manage their winter wheat crops to maximize productivity and profitability.”
In all, the funding will support nine studies in which AAFC scientists evaluate integrated crop management strategies ranging from nutrient management, weed, disease and insect issues to stubble, crop residue and crop rotation management, “which will all lead to improved winter wheat plant health,” DUC said in its own release.
“Time management is an issue because when winter wheat needs to be seeded, farmers are often busy with their spring crop harvest,” Brian Beres, a biologist and principal investigator on integrated crop management systems at AAFC’s Lethbridge Research Station, said in DUC’s release.
“Our research is going to focus on developing better production methods that will ultimately result in improved winter survival, crop yield, and yield and grade stability across the Prairies.”
More likely to hatch
DUC’s well-known interest in boosting winter wheat’s viability and acreage stems from the crop’s status as an ideal undisturbed nesting site for waterfowl, providing a longer, more productive nesting period.
“Ducks that choose to nest in winter wheat are 10 times more likely to successfully hatch as those that nest in spring-seeded cereals,” Thoroughgood said in DUC’s release. “This is particularly beneficial to northern pintails, a species that has declined since the late ’70s.”
“Today’s announcement is the result of the co-operation between producer groups and DUC working together towards the common goal of increasing the cultivation and profitability of winter wheat,” Jake Davidson, executive director of the Saskatchewan Winter Cereals Development Commission and Winter Cereals Manitoba, said in DUC’s release.
“Currently winter wheat is one of the smaller cereal crops grown on the Prairies. It is essential that all the parties with a vested interest in winter wheat work closely together to maximize the investment of producer dollars in this research.”
Investment in these projects is also expected from “industry partners” such as Agrium, Canadian Wheat Board and Agrotain International, DUC noted. Bayer CropScience also backs DUC’s winter wheat research through the Winter Cereals: Sustainability in Action initiative.
“These relationships are essential to the success of seeing more farmers include winter wheat in their cropping plans and for us to provide more wildlife habitat,” Thoroughgood said. “It really is a win-win situation for everyone involved.”
The federal DIAP funding comes from the five-year, $158 million budget of the Growing Canadian Agri-Innovations program, which backs industry-led initiatives to help get new ag products into the marketplace and improve agricultural processes.
