Varieties Of Grain Crops Saskatchewan 2022

Testing Varieties in SaskatchewanBy The Ministry of AgricultureRegional testing of crop varieties is conducted to provide producers with information onthe agronomic performance of varieties under different agro-climatic conditions. Saskatchewan producers will continue to havethe opportunity to evaluate the newest graincrop varieties and their suitability for production in different regions of the province. Manyfunders contribute to variety testing in Saskatchewan.The Ministry of Agriculture provides 100,000toward a testing program that is based onindustry-government partnership. Technicaland in-kind support is also provided by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corporation and TheWestern Producer, publisher of the 2022SaskSeed Guide.The Saskatchewan Variety PerformanceGroup (SVPG) administers the program forspring cereals, fall rye and flax. SVPG iscomposed of representatives from the seedindustry, producers, breeders and government. The SeCan Association administersthe funds for SVPG. Crop coordinatorsmanage the data and provide expertise fortheir respective crops. An entry fee systemis used, in which variety owners or companies with the distribution rights to a particular variety pay a portion of the cost of havingthe variety tested. The Saskatchewan SeedGrowers’ Association, Saskatchewan WheatDevelopment Commission, SaskatchewanBarley Development Commission, Saskatchewan Oat Development Commissionand SaskFlax collectively provide more than 100,000 to the core program. Supplementary funds enhance the core program.Grower dollars at work testing varieties of grain crops across Saskatchewan.Variety results are reviewed and approved by SACGC to ensure informationpublished is based on sound scientific principles.Saskatchewan Pulse Growers (SPG) fundsthe pulse and soybean regional variety trials for Saskatchewan growers. For the2021 trials, this funding was approximately 390,000. Canadian marketing agents thatdistribute soybean varieties in Saskatchewan pay an entry fee that covers a portion ofthe cost of having their varieties tested. SPGcollaborates with researchers at several locations to conduct the trials, including theCrop Development Centre at the Universityof Saskatchewan, Agriculture and Agri-FoodCanada research stations, provincial AgriARM sites and the Canada-SaskatchewanIrrigation Diversification Centre.Canola Performance Trials represent the nextgeneration in variety evaluation for WesternCanadian canola growers. The three Prairiecanola grower groups – Alberta Canola Producers Commission, Saskatchewan CanolaDevelopment Commission (SaskCanola)and the Manitoba Canola Growers Association – fund the program. The Canola Council of Canada delivers the program on theirbehalf.The results from all variety trials of all cropkinds tested are reviewed by the Saskatchewan Advisory Council on Grain Crops (SACGC), which also updates disease and otheragronomic information and approves thedata prior to inclusion in this publication.Relative yield of varietiesTrials are conducted using uniform protocolsand standard check varieties. Data is collected from as many sites as are availableand statistically analyzed. Results in thispublication are aggregated over a number ofyears and on an area basis for most crops.Grain yield is a function of genetic andnon-genetic factors. Variety trials are designed to measure yield differences due togenetic causes. It is important to minimizevariability due to non-genetic factors such asmoisture, temperature, transpiration, weeds,diseases and other pests. Experimental design uses replication (repeated plantings ofthe varieties) and randomization (the positionof the varieties within the test is assigned bychance) to estimate the precision with whichthe genetic factors can be measured.Relative yield is the yield of one variety expressed as a percentage of the check variety. Yields obtained in these trials are notidentical to those obtained in commercialproduction. However, the relative rankingof these varieties compared to the checkvariety, obtained over a number of years atseveral locations, would remain the sameregardless of whether the grain yield wasmeasured in small plots or large-scale fields.Relative yield is the best estimate of expected yield advantage in the areas indicated.Considerations For New Variety SelectionThere are various factors to consider when selecting a new variety and it all depends on what your main priority is. Some factors to consider include: Market – Identify your target market and make sure the variety selected matches the specifications and quality expected by yourbuyers, such as seed size, colour, functionality and other attributes.Maturity – Identify realistic expectations on maturity needed to achieve optimum yield and quality in your region.Disease resistance – Select varieties with better resistance for high-risk areas or fields. Resistance helps with disease management,but may or may not reduce the reliance on fungicide application.Herbicide tolerance – Consider the weeds or volunteers that may be present in the field to determine if herbicide-tolerant options area good choice.Seed size – If seed size does not affect the market choice, then consider the seeding costs of the variety. Smaller-seeded varietiesare usually cheaper to seed and have fewer production issues with plugging seeding equipment and other operations. Faba beansare a good example where seed size may be an important consideration.Crop growth habit and other physiological factors – Factors such as growth habit (determinate or indeterminate), plant height, standability, harvest management and quality parameters such as resistance to sprouting, seed coat breakage and bleaching.Yield – This is often the highest priority, as it directly relates to the ultimate goal of net return. In some cases, the advantages andhigher performance of new varieties may not necessarily translate into higher yield, due to environment or management practices. Ifall other factors have been considered, then use yield potential as the deciding factor.VR4 The Western Producer

What Are Plant Breeders’ Rights?By The Ministry of AgricultureThe goal of Plant Breeders’ Rights (PBR)legislation is to encourage investment anddevelopment in the crops sector. Thereare many ways to accomplish this, butUPOV-based PBR balances the interests ofthe farmer and the breeder. This gives thefarmer fair access to the use of purchasedseed and the breeder can expect a royaltyfrom every farmer buying new seed ofthe breeder’s variety.The royalty and protections under PBR assure that companies and institutions that invest in plant breeding are able to keep reasonable control of their varieties and securefair compensation for their efforts. Some ofthe benefits of PBR include: Access to new and improved plant varieties, improving the bottom line for producers. Enhanced protection under therevised PBR will encourage the releaseof new varieties from other countries(once registered in Canada), as well asstimulate increased investments in variety development here in Canada. Farmers are allowed to save seed fortheir own use, on their own farms, if theoriginal seed was obtained legitimately. No negative impacts for those who legitimately purchase seed.When a plant breeder develops a new variety for use in Canada, they may apply under the Plant Breeders’ Rights Act to obtaincertain controls over the multiplication andsale of the seed of that variety. Sale, tradeor any other transfer of the seed for propa-UPOV is the International Union for theProtection of New Varieties of Plants. Tobe a member, a country must have legislation that aligns with a ratified UPOVconvention. There are 76 UPOV membercountries, 59 of which have ratified UPOV’91-compliant legislation.gation purposes is prohibited by law withoutthe written permission of the breeder or theiragent.Varieties previously protected by PBR remain under the same rules as before. Varieties protected since Feb. 27, 2015, areprotected under the new PBR Act.The new PBR Act extends the right of thebreeder, giving them further opportunity toprotect their variety and ensuring that thosewho benefit from the technology are payingfor it.Varieties protected by PBR are identifiedwith one of two logos. Varieties protectedprior to Feb. 27, 2015, are identified by:It has always been illegal to sell PBR-protected seed without consent of the breeder.Now, it will also be illegal to purchase seed,meaning both the seller and purchaser canbe liable if the seed sale is not approved. Tobe sure, the best way to know if the seedbeing purchased is an approved sale is topurchase certified seed. Producers shouldlook for the blue certified seed tag and keepit in their records as long as they grow grainderived from that original seed purchase.and those protected after Feb. 27, 2015, areidentified by:The first 10 years of Canada’s PBR Actbrought improved access to varieties, newinvestment in varieties and new and improved genetics for farmers. With the newPBR, producers will benefit from greater access to new varieties for the crops they growand breeders will be able to better protectthe investment made in the development ofnew varieties so they can continue to develop new varieties.For more information, visit www.pbrfacts.caor contact the PBR Office at 613-773-7188.Progress Through ResearchLe progrès grâce à la recherchePlant Breeders’ Rights status can change throughout the year. Significant efforts are taken to ensure the correct logo is applied at thetime of printing this guide. The PBR Office maintains an online database (www.inspection.gc.ca) that can be accessed to verify accuracyand/or changes to PBR status.A Variety Use Agreement (VUA) will be applied to specific varieties as determined byplant breeders and their seed distributors.When producers purchase a VUA varietyand then divert some of that grain at harvest for seed use and plant it the followingspring, they will declare that use in the VUAPlatform and will then be invoiced a VarietyUse Fee for use of the variety. This royaltyVARIETY USE AGREEMENTfee, which is set at the time of certified seedpurchase, will be invoiced to the producerevery year that farm saved seed of the VUAvariety is grown.Varieties with a VUA will be designated inthis guide with VUA symbol following entry in the data tables. The VUA platform ismanaged by Seeds Canada. For more information, 22 SaskSeed Guide VR5

Seed Quality and Seeding Rates Are Crucial to a Good Plant StandBy The Ministry of AgricultureSeed quality and seeding rates are importantfor establishing good plant stands and unlikethe weather, are two factors we can control.Plant population sets the stage for the yieldpotential of a crop. Research has shownthat each crop has an optimum plant density range that producers should target whenseeding their crop. Rates may be adjusteddepending on the conditions in the field, dateof seeding, weed pressure, seed-placed fertilizer and other pressures that may affectemergence or plant stand.Determining the quality of the seed starts witha seed test prior to buying seed or seedingthe crop. Sending a seed sample to a qualified lab can provide information on germination, vigour, diseases present, purity andthousand kernel weight (TKW). All of thesefactors help inform growers of whether theseed is suitable for planting and influenceseeding rates for that seed lot. Germinationtells us how many seeds are expected to germinate and vigour gives an indication of howwell the seedlings will thrive under stressfulconditions. TKW provides the seed size,which is vital when calculating seeding ratesto target optimum plant populations. AverageTKW for varieties are listed in the Varietiesof Grain Crops, but individual seed lots canvary tremendously. Having the actual TKWfor the seed lot being grown is important forthe accuracy of seeding rates.There are upcoming changes in the canola seed industry that might require you topay closer attention to seeding rates, or tochange how you approach seeding. At leastone company has begun selling seed basedon categories of seed size, represented bythousand seed weight (TSW).CropWheat – hard red springWheat – CPSDurumWheat – SWSBarley – 2 rowBarley – 6 rowOatTriticale – springBrown and Oriental MustardYellow Canary seed2CamelinaHemp (green)Hemp (fibre)Quinoa2Target PlantPopulation(per m2)Target PlantPopulation(per ft2)TKW(grams)250250210 – 250210 – 250210 – 250210 – 25035031070 – 12070 – 12060 – 100300 – 40085451304444 – 57n/a210100 – 125300 – 375n/a242420 – 2420 – 2420 – 2420 – 2435297 – 117 – 116–930 – 40841244–5n/a2010 – 1230 – 35n/a31 – 3839 – 5041 – 4534 – 3640 – 5030 – 4530 – 4542 – 482–35 – 6.52.5 – 7.55 – 6.5125 – 300350 – 42530 – 80220 – 450n/a6–71.312 – 1812 – 182.8Soybeans are seeded based on seeds per acre and it is recommended to target 200,000 seeds per acre with air drillsand 180,000 seeds per acre with planters. The soybean emergence rates are higher with planters than airdrills due toairflow causing some damage to sensitive seeds.2Target plant stands are not well established for Canary seed and quinoa. Canary seed target 35 to 45 kg/ha (500 to750 seeds/m2). Quinoa target 10 kg/ha (10 lbs/ac.).1The majority of canola seed today falls intoa TSW range of 4.0 to 5.9g. The TSW is currently listed on a bag, but each bag is equalweight and price; thus, the number of seedsbetween bags with different TSWs might beinconsistent. With upcoming changes, bagweights will differ between each TSW category, but the number of seeds per bag will bemuch more consistent across TSWs listed onthe bags; germination and vigour will not differ. Pricing should remain consistent, as well,regardless of bag weight. The important consideration to note is that seeding rate mustbe adjusted accordingly to achieve consistent establishment (and plant stand density)across any of the TSWs.Calculating Seeding RatesThousand kernel weight (TKW), germination rate and target plant populations are needed when calculating the seeding rate. Crops and varieties can vary significantly in seed size, especially pulses and not knowing your TKW could mean seeding too heavily and spending moreon seed than needed, or seeding too lightly and limiting yield potential. Emergence rate is more difficult to estimate, as it is dependent ongermination and environmental conditions.Expected seedling survival is typically five to 20 per cent less than the germination rate with pulses and cereals — more under ideal conditionsand less under adverse conditions. For canola, expected survival rates range from 40 to 60 per cent. Factors to take into account whendetermining the expected seedling survival are seeding date, soil temperature, moisture and texture, as well as seed quality and possiblesoil-borne diseases and insect pressures. The amount of seed-placed fertilizer and the seeding depth are factors that can also affect seedlingsurvival. The formula below should be used to determine the target seeding rate:Seeding Rate kilograms per hectare (kg/ha) (target population per square metre x TKW* in grams)% field emergence or survival (in whole number, i.e. 85)To convert to pounds per acre, multiply the seeding rate (in kg/ha) by 0.89*TKW Thousand Kernel WeightFor example: With CDC Amarillo yellow peas, the target plant population is 85 plants/m2. A seed lot with TKW of 235 grams and germinationat 98 per cent under good emergence conditions (using 88 per cent emergence, which is 10 per cent less than the germination rate) wouldhave a target seeding rate of: 85 x 235 / 88 227 kg/ha, or 202 lbs./ac. or 3.4 bu./ac.VR6 The Western Producer

Interpreting Seed Test ResultsBy Jason Danielson, Discovery Seed LabsSeed testing can give an indication of howfit your seed is for planting. Tests should bedone for germination, vigour and disease.This package of tests can help you betterunderstand how suitable seed will be forspring.The germination test will give you an indication of the percentage of seeds that willgrow in an ideal growth environment. Thevigour test indicates the percentage of seedthat will grow in adverse conditions. Eventhough the vigour assay is not standardizedbetween seed labs, the results should be indicative of the seed’s fitness when grown inharsher conditions. Combining the information from the germination and vigour testswill give you a good snapshot of the fitnessof your seed.Ideally, the germination rate from your sample should be higher than 85 per cent. Thevigour should be close to the germinationvalue; but if there is variation, it should be nogreater than 10 percentage points. A largedifference could be an indication of issuesin the seed, especially if storage conditionsover the winter months are not ideal.Challenging harvest conditions candecrease the viability of the crop forseed. A germination test in the fall maynot be representative of the germinationin the spring, after several months ofstorage. A fall germination test can behelpful in determining seed needs for theupcoming year. A germination test closerto spring is recommended to ensure theseed remains sound for spring planting.Grain dryers can be used on crops intended for seed, but the grain dryer mustbe kept at temperatures safe for theseed. High temperatures in grain dryerscan reduce germination. For more information on grain drying and storage, visitwww.saskatchewan.ca and search “drying grain.”If forced to use seed with a lower germination rate, you will have to increase theseeding rate to reach your target plants persquare foot. Keep in mind that you cannotjust increase the seeding amount by thepercentage you are off from 100 per cent asnot all of the seeds you are adding to the increased seeding rate will germinate. A seed-ing rate calculator can be a helpful tool todetermine the correct seeding rate.Significant time between when your test wascompleted and when seeding will occur canresult in your germination and vigour values dropping. You can retest your seed inthe spring to determine if germination haschanged from the initial test in the fall.When performing your own germinationtests, it can be challenging to determine ifa seed has germinated and is healthy, versus a seed that develops weak roots thatwon’t grow into a plant. Other issues suchas fresh and hard seeds, in addition to seeddormancy, can lead to inaccurate results. Acertified seed analyst is trained to conductseed tests.There are different diseases of interest depending on the crop that you are seeding.For cereals, the main diseases to test forare Cochliobolus sativus (root rot), Ustilagonuda (smut) and Fusarium (root rot) — bothFusarium graminearum and total. AlthoughF. graminearum is not the most aggressiveFusarium species for seedling blight, any areas that have not had fusarium head blight(FHB) caused by F. graminearum shouldavoid introducing it. The Fusarium total reported on the seed test includes F. graminearum.For pulses, the diseases of interest are Ascochyta (leaf blight), Anthracnose, Botrytis(grey mould) and Sclerotinia (white mould).The amount of disease pressure during thelast growing season will determine what youwill likely have available for quality of seed.A good practice is to always use the bestseed you can source. In good years youshould look for seed with little to no presence of disease. In challenging years whenthe disease is higher, it is important to stillsource the best seed available and be sureto use seed with good germination.When using seed with high disease andlow germination, more seed is needed toachieve the target plants per square foot.Increasing the seeding rate increases theamount of disease inoculum that you areadding to your soil. A seed treatment can bea good investment in a variety of scenarios,including when using seed with higher disease levels.Soil Germination TestIt is important to communicate if the cropintended for seed has been treated withpre-harvest glyphosate. Otherwise, the seedwill be tested in a normal germination testand the glyphosate may adversely affectgermination. This adds an additional costbecause the sample will have to be retestedfor germination. If there is a possibility of glyphosate on the seed, a soil germination testshould be requested to “tie up” any glyphosate that might be on the outside of the seedso it does not have adverse effects when theseed is germinating.Some crop desiccants are registered foruse on crops intended for seed production.Glyphosate is not a desiccant. Glyphosateis not recommended for any crop that is tobe used for seed. Glyphosate at pre-harvestcan cause germination and possibly vigourproblems if the herbicide was applied beforethe seed was fully mature. Crops sprayedwith

2022 SaskSeed Guide VR1 Varieties of Grain Crops 2022 Table of Contents . Malting Barley .18 Feed and Food Barley . 19 2022-2023 Recommended Malting Barley Varieties . production. However, the relative ranking of these varieties compared to the check