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Story Posted: February 09, 2011 Growers to Benefit from Next Generation Canola Variety Testing A next generation canola variety testing program is moving forward this year to serve the needs of canola growers. The initiative, a result of extensive consultations, will involve most of the seed industry. The approximately $1 million program will be funded by the three Prairie canola grower groups - Saskatchewan Canola Development Commission (SaskCanola), Alberta Canola Producers Commission (ACPC), and the Manitoba Canola Growers Association (MCGA), as well as by seed trade entry fees. The Canola Council of Canada (CCC) will coordinate the program as a service to growers.
The objective of the new variety testing program is to provide growers with the information they need to make informed seed selection choices based on:
In order to meet these criteria, the protocol for the program will involve two components: small plots that will examine relative performance of commercial varieties, and an audited field scale component based on field trials conducted by seed companies. The small plots component will involve both varieties with the greatest market share and newly-introduced varieties used with the corresponding herbicide systems that are also commercially available to growers. Management of the small plots will address some of the shortcomings of former trials through plot design, data delivery and harvest management.
The field scale component will involve a review of the seed trade field scale projects through an audit of the protocols being used for constructing the trial data analysis and reporting. The development of the audit process will involve qualified statisticians and professionals with extensive background in conducting field scale research trials. "Including the seed trade field scale projects will be an added service to growers," says ACPC chair Jody Klassen. "It's not about imposing a protocol on them. It's about ensuring their protocols are based on sound science so that the data accurately represents performance." Small plot and field scale data will be presented separately. Detailed reporting will include site specific data on weather, soil type, previous crop, fertility, seeding date and rate, harvest date etc. Print copies will be published and a web based application housed on the grower association websites and CCC website. The data will continue to be reported in the provincial seed guides.
A governance body will be established shortly to oversee the program, and to provide a mechanism for evaluating success and making improvements to protocols in the future. The governance body will be charged with resolving details around data analysis and reporting. Membership will include growers, provincial specialists, the seed trade and the CCC. I have been very impressed by the participation of the seed trade throughout the consultations," says Maurice. "They have brought nuances to the discussion that has added great insight into many issues. There has been a great spirit of participation."
Background The next generation program for canola variety testing is based on the Canola Council of Canada's (CCC) extensive consultations with canola grower groups and the seed trade. The intention of the discussion was to establish a new variety testing program based on sound science and representative of the commercial varieties and production practices most commonly used in western Canada. In the Fall/Winter of 2009, input and feedback was obtained from both the seed trade and grower groups. Grower groups expressed a clear need for variety testing and reporting. Variety performance data is the number one ranked agronomic information that farmers view as essential to the effective operation of their businesses. A survey conducted in January 2010 of 1,359 growers found that variety data was the third most important information need, superseded only by weather and commodity prices. Objectives
Funding and Governance An agreement will be developed with all parties involved to establish rules of engagement. The governance body will consist of:
Funding will consist of:
Project Details For 2011, site distribution will be representative of seeded acres in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta. This will generate enough information to ensure that the data is statistically representative while accounting for some site loss. More sites can be added in subsequent years under the direction of the governance body. The small plots component will involve only commercially available varieties. The total number of varieties will be determined by the number of top commercial varieties in the test and the number of varieties that each company would contribute. The top commercial variety will be determined by the market share data obtained from the previous year. Management of the small plots will address some of the shortcomings of former trials through plot design, data delivery and harvest management. Specifically:
For seed trade field scale research, a protocol will be developed and an audit process so that growers have confidence that the protocol was conducted in a scientifically sound manner and that comparison is appropriate. Data Collection and Reporting Disease rating (blackleg) will be requested from the Western Canada Canola Rapeseed Recommending Committee to include in reports. At a few select sites additional data will be collected such as growing degree days, pod shatter/drop, sclerotinia infection, vigor assessment and or ground cover. These sites will be located near research institutions where additional research is being conducted on these parameters. Detailed reporting will include site specific data on weather, soil type, previous crop, fertility, seeding date and rate, harvest date etc. Print copies will be published and a web based application housed on the grower association websites and CCC website. The data will continue to be reported in the provincial seed guides.
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