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 PRRCG Report
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Barley and Oat SubcommitteeDate posted: May 3, 2002The Barley and Oat Subcommittee evaluates lines based on a combination of agronomic, disease and quality performance. Here are highlights of key activity at the 2002 meeting. Agronomic merit supported as part of “holistic” approachThe Barley and Oat Subcommittee voted nearly unanimously in a motion to support retaining agronomic merit as part of its “holistic” approach to evaluating new crop lines. This decision was made in response to the CFIA’s proposed changes to the variety registration system. Currently, barley and oat lines are recommended for registration based on merit in agronomics, disease and quality. But the CFIA has proposed dropping agronomic merit as a requirement, as part of a major overhaul to the system expected in 2003. The Barley and Oat Subcommittee’s holistic approach means lines are evaluated based on the entire package of agronomic, quality and disease performance. The vote reaffirmed its goal to keep agronomic performance as part of this overall evaluation. A key argument was that evaluating lines without knowing agronomic performance is a blind judgement that could lead to weaker lines moving through the system. New Forage Barley Co-op Trial approvedThe Subcommittee affirmed the dramatic rise in importance of the new forage barley class for Western Canada’s expanding cattle industry, with a show of support for a new Forage Barley Co-operative Trial to begin this crop year. Co-op trials are a series of field tests across the Prairies that evaluate how new lines perform under a variety of conditions. Information from the tests is used by the Subcommittee as part of its decision-making process for choosing which lines to recommend for registration. The Subcommittee’s support is the latest indication that forage barley has reached a new level of demand. As Western Canada’s cattle industry expands, producers want multi-purpose varieties that are suitable for silage, greenfeed or grain. Barley breeders have responded by developing a new class of forage barley varieties with greater flexibility and feed quality for western cattle producers. These varieties feature high biomass for silage, along with good grain yield and quality. This section is sponsored in part by Western Grains Research Foundation, in the interest of informed producer investors in wheat and barley breeding research. More information on wheat and barley breeding research is available on the Western Grains Research Foundation Web site, www.westerngrains.com. Print complete report Download PDF file (803K)
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© 2002 Meristem Land and Science | |
Draft day for top crop prospects