rapid test for falling number

New falling number test may better spot sprouting

A new methodology could save farmers from misapplied penalties in years of weather damage

Some growers say they’ve been unfairly penalized for a condition that did not harm the baking performance of the flour made from their wheat, prompting calls for a new methodology to replace the standard Hagberg-Perten falling numbers test.

A sprouted wheat kernel, in which the sprout is visibly still within the contour of the germ, is classified as “regular sprouted.” (GrainsCanada.gc.ca)

Grain grading guide to tighten definition of ‘severely’ sprouted wheat

More changes, clarifications on deck for Aug. 1

A laboratory review of the end-use quality of sprouted wheat will lead to changes in how wheat is graded starting Aug. 1 this year. The Canadian Grain Commission on Tuesday announced changes in store effective Aug. 1 for how Canadian wheat is graded, along with a list of clarifications and new housekeeping rules for the […] Read more


Wet harvests hurt U.S., Canadian spring wheat quality

Wet harvests hurt U.S., Canadian spring wheat quality

Chicago | Reuters — Excessively wet conditions in the northern U.S. Plains and Canadian Prairies have hurt the quality of the region’s spring and durum wheat crops, potentially tightening supplies of top grades of the grains, handlers and agronomists said. Rains and heavy dew have slowed the harvest and, worse, caused mature, un-harvested wheat kernels […] Read more

Falling number can be obtained free of charge from the Canadian Grain Commission through its harvest sample program until Dec. 31 if you’re registered for the program. (Canadian Grain Commission photo)

Grain grading revamp may add falling number, DON as factors

Two significant grain specs that aren’t yet factors for a crop’s official grade are now under consideration to join that official list. The Canadian Grain Commission on Monday put out a call for “grain sector stakeholders” to submit their views before May 10 on a proposal for falling number and deoxynivalenol (DON) to both become […] Read more


When a seed sprouts in the field, starches, which ultimately become bread or pasta, convert to sugars, which make end products, like bread or pasta too sticky.

Genes can control pre-harvest sprouting

Manitoba researchers are using new technology to solve an old problem


Pre-harvest sprouting of cereal seeds in the field is directly linked to the seed’s dormancy level. Plants produce different compounds that regulate physiological processes, including seed germination and dormancy. When seeds are dormant, even if they have adequate moisture, heat and oxygen, they simply won’t germinate. One of the factors which prevents seeds from germinating […] Read more

(Doug Wilson photo courtesy ARS/USDA)

Oat prices move higher to spur farmer selling

CNS Canada — Prairie oat prices are ticking upward as buyers try to coax farmers into a slow market — but prices, most notably in Saskatchewan, may need to move further before that happens. “Prices are below expectations, and in some instances quality is below what the market is willing to accept at this point,” […] Read more


(Doug Wilson photo courtesy ARS/USDA)

Oat prices remain under pressure

CNS Canada –– Oat prices continue having trouble breaking through key resistance figures as harvest winds down across the Prairies. “They’re (prices) below what farmers like… having trouble breaking that $3 a bushel level in Manitoba and $2.50 in Saskatchewan,” said Ryan McKnight of Linear Grain at Carman, Man. So far, he said, very few […] Read more

Rain in Sask., Man. stalls harvest, causes crop damage

Rain in Sask., Man. stalls harvest, causes crop damage

CNS Canada — Rain in Manitoba and Saskatchewan has stalled harvest and caused crop damage, but moving forward, conditions should improve, two industry specialists predict. Shannon Friesen, a regional crops specialist with Saskatchewan Agriculture in Moose Jaw, said recent rains have delayed harvest and stalled maturity in some crops. Producers have found peas and canola […] Read more