Recently, the Western Grains Research Foundation and industry stakeholders outlined six broad research priority categories that will benefit western Canadian producers of all crops. They are:
1. Breeding tools — This area will include such items as breeding methodology, breeding processes, markers, genomics, etc., that advance the tools breeders have to work with.
2. Post-harvest handling to address quality/market access — A number of problems arise with respect to crops post-harvest which cause economic loss to farmers. This area will work to solve problems that diminish crop quality and create market access issues for producers.
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3. New crops and crop uses — Opportunities may exist for new crops but also to use existing crops in new ways, whether it is for feed, biofuels and other non-food uses, health/nutritional ingredients or other market demands.
4. Pest and weather surveillance -This priority area was identified as one where there may be opportunity to enhance, fill gaps, and/or co-ordinate existing activity. Surveillance and monitoring could include disease, insects, and weeds, as well as weather impacts.
5. Fusarium head blight (FHB)/DON/ Mycotoxins — FHB was identified as a research problem that requires increased attention, including testing for FHB and DON. This area is increasingly important as FHB continues to advance across the western grain belt.
6. Agronomy — Key aspects of agronomic research identified were a whole farm approach focusing on production and profitability, impacts of fertilizer use, crop sequencing, fungicide application, seeding rates, etc. for different agro-ecological zones in Western Canada.
Each year, WGRF plans to approve funding for five-year Directed Research Program (DRP) initiatives worth one-half million dollars per year. By 2015 a projected $2.5 million will be spent annually on DRP initiatives. By 2015, the amount spent on projects under a new application process for small projects will also rise to about $825,000.
Please check the WGRF website www.westerngrains.com and click on the Endowment Fund tab for the most current information regarding the Directed Research Program.
