Higher yields are always a top priority for plant breeders developing new crop varieties, but yield itself is the result of a combination of different factors, including resistance to disease threats, maturity timing, and harvestability. These characteristics are all taken into consideration when screening and developing new edible bean varieties, explains Anfu Hou, bean breeder… Read More
Category: Seed
A program designed to provide Prairie canola growers with third-party data comparing different canola varieties will be terminated following the 2022 harvest, according to a notice issued to industry partners. The Canola Performance Trials (CPT) program, which dates back to 2011, was funded by the Saskatchewan, Alberta, and Manitoba canola grower associations and commissions. “After… Read More
Each year, corn hybrid selection is a balancing of growing conditions, field selection, and in-field management that can bring up some tough questions to navigate when chasing big yields. On this episode of The Sharp Edge, Maizex agronomist Greg Stewart tackles these questions with with help from Illinois-based Crop-Tech Consulting agronomist Ken Ferrie. Together, they… Read More
It’s time for Day 2 of Ontario Diagnostic Days! The annual Ontario crop diagnostic days were back in the field on July 20 and 21, 2022, but only at Ridgetown campus University of Guelph. Not everyone could attend these two field days, so the organizing committees of these highly successful in-field education and learning events are again… Read More
BASF is switching the main seed treatment package on its InVigor canola varieties for 2023, after determining “many, many factors” led to certain canola fields getting off to a noticeably sluggish start in 2022. The company, which has long held the largest market share in canola seed in Canada, published a statement in late June… Read More
Living in a world where everything from entertainment and fixes to problems are seemingly instantaneous, wheat breeding remains outside of these parameters, taking upwards of 10 years to have a concept come to fruition. This balance between what we know now and what may be needed in the future is what wheat breeders, like Richard… Read More
There is no room for error when it comes to producing hybrid seed corn. It’s a complicated business, and one of the keys to success is effectively detasseling rows of female plants of one inbred line so it can be fertilized by the second male inbred line, creating a hybrid. On this episode of The… Read More
BASF says it is investigating an issue with the performance of some InVigor canola seed in Western Canada. The company issued a statement on Thursday saying it “has been made aware that certain InVigor canola hybrids may be experiencing slow emergence in select geographies…” “We have a dedicated team examining possible contributing factors,” the company… Read More
In February, the seed industry participated in a three-day Seed Summit over the course of three Mondays. The summit brought together the entire value chain to discuss and answer some questions that have been top of mind between seed sellers and buyers, including what it means to meet the needs of producers. RealAgriculture founder and… Read More
Great Plains is expanding the capacity and efficiency of its BD7600 box drill lineup with the addition of a 50-foot model. Two years after the initial roll-out of the BD7600, the company is now offering its largest model size with several enhancements, including hydraulic drive with DrillCommand capabilities, an exclusive metering system, and a durable, field-tested design. Now… Read More
Canada grows a lot of seed — from forage, canola, wheat and a host of other crops. But when it comes to Canadian edible bean production, the vast majority of the crop is grown from seed produced in Idaho. The decision to grow seed south of the border really comes down to the need to control seed… Read More
Several Canadian companies have been impacted by what has happened thus far between Ukraine and Russia, and the aggression by Russia. North American Plant Genetics (NAPG) is one of those companies — based in Canada, with international partners — and their focus being entirely on Ukraine. The company sources genetics from breeders in Canada and… Read More
By John McGregor, extension support for Manitoba Forage and Grasslands Association Supply shortages have become almost the norm for most of us. From the infamous toilet paper shortage back in 2020 to hay shortages presently, living with and planning for supply disruptions are becoming all too common. On the agricultural side, we read about supply… Read More
What should the future of Canada’s seed industry look like? How should new varieties be funded and brought forward? Described by some as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency is currently leading consultations on modernizing the rules around plant breeding and how new varieties are brought to the market. Seeds Canada and other… Read More
2021 was a big year for corn yield in Ontario. Although not official, the average yield is expected to check in at just over 200 bu/ac — a new record. On this episode of RealAgriculture’s Corn School, we take a closer look at where this yield is coming from with Purdue University agronomy professor Dr…. Read More