source: Farm and Food Report
Dr. Geoff Hughes has spent much quality time in a greenhouse injecting Fusarium Head Blight spores in water solution straight into the head of wheat plants at the University of Saskatchewan’s Crop Development Centre.
“Because Fusarium is not as well established in central Saskatchewan as it is in areas like the Red River Valley in Manitoba, we don’t actually conduct field screening experiments here, so we don’t create a problem for the industry where there isn’t one,” Hughes said.
Dr. Hughes is one of many plant breeders in Western Canada whose fundamental purpose it is to seek new sources of genetic resistance to diseases in plants that are grown as commercial crops in the province.
“There will always be mutations in disease strains that will stunt plant growth eventually. There is always that potential for change — pathogens mutate regularly. But change will occur less frequently with some diseases than with others. In some instances, the resistance to disease factors has lasted for up to 30 years for some crops in Canada. In Australia, the lifespan of disease resistance, on average, has a longevity of less than five years.”
In the case of Leaf and Stem Rust, these are diseases that have the potential to virtually wipe out crops where they occur. Yet in Saskatchewan, we haven’t seen a major outbreak of the Rust in 50 years. Most young farmers have never had to deal with an outbreak of Stem Rust.
Rick Holm is the director of the University’s Crop Development Centre. As such, he is well aware of plant breeders’ contribution to our industry.
“Staying ahead of diseases through screening and breeding research programs still remains the cheapest method of protection against diseases. The only other alternative available right now to producers is the use of commercial fungicides, which must often be applied more than once per season. It can become very costly.”
Holm emphasizes that the work being done on breeding and diseases in the province make sense because of the unique microclimates that exist in the Saskatchewan environment. “Factors such as genetics, weather, landscapes, soils and host plants all combine to play a role in creating the need for made-in-Saskatchewan solutions.”
Not only is plant breeders’ work invaluable, the way they go about finding the new sources of resistance they seek could be described as collaborative research at its best, according to Holm.
“Plants breeders are constantly exchanging genetic material and sources of resistance from colleagues around the world who work on wheat, barley and other grains. It is like a quest for the missing link or for a genetic Holy Grail in a way.”
Researchers will frequently seek these sources of resistance in wild relatives of plants developed for crop production. However, they are often confronted with the reality that the farther the distance between wild and domesticated species, such as between wheat grasses and wheat, the more difficult it will be to find precious sources of resistance.
That doesn’t stop Dr. Hughes and his colleagues from investing countless hours and energy in the task.
“It is sometimes difficult to get a sense of the kind of success our work is achieving. But when you think of it, perhaps the real measure can be drawn from the fact that outbreaks of crop diseases don’t happen that often. I would say our record speaks for itself. We have been pretty good at keeping diseases under control because of our plan breeding efforts over the years, wouldn’t you say?”
Dr. Geoff Hughes has spent much quality time in a greenhouse injecting Fusarium Head Blight spores in water solution straight into the head of wheat plants at the University of Saskatchewan’s Crop Development Centre.
“Because Fusarium is not as well established in central Saskatchewan as it is in areas like the Red River Valley in Manitoba, we don’t actually conduct field screening experiments here, so we don’t create a problem for the industry where there isn’t one,” Hughes said.
Dr. Hughes is one of many plant breeders in Western Canada whose fundamental purpose it is to seek new sources of genetic resistance to diseases in plants that are grown as commercial crops in the province.
“There will always be mutations in disease strains that will stunt plant growth eventually. There is always that potential for change — pathogens mutate regularly. But change will occur less frequently with some diseases than with others. In some instances, the resistance to disease factors has lasted for up to 30 years for some crops in Canada. In Australia, the lifespan of disease resistance, on average, has a longevity of less than five years.”
In the case of Leaf and Stem Rust, these are diseases that have the potential to virtually wipe out crops where they occur. Yet in Saskatchewan, we haven’t seen a major outbreak of the Rust in 50 years. Most young farmers have never had to deal with an outbreak of Stem Rust.
Rick Holm is the director of the University’s Crop Development Centre. As such, he is well aware of plant breeders’ contribution to our industry.
“Staying ahead of diseases through screening and breeding research programs still remains the cheapest method of protection against diseases. The only other alternative available right now to producers is the use of commercial fungicides, which must often be applied more than once per season. It can become very costly.”
Holm emphasizes that the work being done on breeding and diseases in the province make sense because of the unique microclimates that exist in the Saskatchewan environment. “Factors such as genetics, weather, landscapes, soils and host plants all combine to play a role in creating the need for made-in-Saskatchewan solutions.”
Not only is plant breeders’ work invaluable, the way they go about finding the new sources of resistance they seek could be described as collaborative research at its best, according to Holm.
“Plants breeders are constantly exchanging genetic material and sources of resistance from colleagues around the world who work on wheat, barley and other grains. It is like a quest for the missing link or for a genetic Holy Grail in a way.”
Researchers will frequently seek these sources of resistance in wild relatives of plants developed for crop production. However, they are often confronted with the reality that the farther the distance between wild and domesticated species, such as between wheat grasses and wheat, the more difficult it will be to find precious sources of resistance.
That doesn’t stop Dr. Hughes and his colleagues from investing countless hours and energy in the task.
“It is sometimes difficult to get a sense of the kind of success our work is achieving. But when you think of it, perhaps the real measure can be drawn from the fact that outbreaks of crop diseases don’t happen that often. I would say our record speaks for itself. We have been pretty good at keeping diseases under control because of our plan breeding efforts over the years, wouldn’t you say?”
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