Reading Time: 5 minutes It may not have seemed like a big deal when researchers announced they had sequenced the genomes of a bunch of wheat varieties. But it was big news for wheat midge — as well as other pests and diseases such as stripe rust and fusarium head blight. That’s because it should greatly speed up the […] Read more
QUIET REVOLUTION: Genomics takes wheat breeding into new era
Having a set of complete genomes unlocks the door to wheat’s vast and vastly useful genetic richness
India unveils new rice variety to reduce water use, labour
New Delhi | Reuters — India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday launched an array of new high-yielding crop varieties, including herbicide-tolerant rice that can be directly sown into the soil, cutting expenditure on water and farm workers. In India, the world’s biggest rice exporter, the conventional method of rice cultivation requires farmers to sow […] Read more
Don’t count chickens before they hatch: Tyson bet on wrong rooster
Meat giant books unexpected decline in hatching
Chicago | Reuters — Tyson Foods is laying off a certain type of rooster from its U.S. chicken business after a surprising discovery that eggs fertilized by the male bird hatch less often, resulting in fewer chickens. The world’s largest meat producer by sales will install a replacement across its breeding program by this fall […] Read more
Farmers asked to back gene editing
Reading Time: < 1 minute Producers are being asked to urge Health Canada to adopt “fair and reasonable rules” for gene editing. The department is conducting a public consultation on “novel food” guidelines, which could impact use of gene editing by plant breeders. Canada has not kept pace with other countries, says an alliance of national farm groups and industry […] Read more
Successful hunt for ‘P’ gene to pay dividends for bean growers
Darkening pinto bean problem solved by gene discovery, which benefits breeders and farmers
Reading Time: 2 minutes Can one small gene really affect an entire crop or does it amount to only a hill of beans? It does matter if we’re talking about pinto beans. “Most beans keep the same look after growers harvest and store them,” said Sangeeta Dhaubhadel, a research scientist at the London Research and Development Centre. “With pinto […] Read more
‘Genomic atlas’ a boon for wheat breeders
Reading Time: < 1 minute An international team of nearly 100 researchers led by the University of Saskatchewan has sequenced the genomes for 15 wheat varieties. “By having many complete gene assemblies available, we can now help solve the huge puzzle that is the massive wheat pan-genome and usher in a new era for wheat discovery and breeding,” said project […] Read more
Pork genomics project gets $1 million
Reading Time: < 1 minute University of Alberta professor, Michael Dyck has been awarded a $1-million grant for a project that will use genomics to select pigs with improved disease resilience. The funding, which comes from Genome Canada, will build on the work the professor of animal biotechnology has done with funding from Genome Alberta and is being supported by […] Read more
Beware of Kazakhs wanting to buy seed, agency says
Seed growers and farmers alike are being warned such sales breach breeders' rights rules
Western Canadian seed growers, seed retailers and commercial farmers are being urged not to sell seed to Kazakhs or their agents because it breaches plant breeders’ rights rules. “The basic fact is no Canadian breeder has given permission for their genetics to go to Kazakhstan,” Lorne Hadley, executive director of the Canadian Plant Technology Agency, […] Read more
Farmer and activist Percy Schmeiser, 89
Thorn in Monsanto's side also the subject of a new major film
Funeral services are to be held and livestreamed Saturday for Prairie farmer, businessman and activist Percy Schmeiser, best known for his ultimately unsuccessful court battles with the company behind Roundup Ready canola. Schmeiser, who farmed at Bruno, Sask., about 90 km east of Saskatoon, died Tuesday at age 89. According to Saskatchewan media, he had […] Read more
University of Alberta conducting genomic prediction trial
Reading Time: < 1 minute The University of Alberta’s Genomic Prediction Project is developing tools to predict the feed efficiency and carcass traits on any beef cattle in a herd, including crossbred animals. It costs participants $25 per animal to be genotyped with about 100,000 DNA markers, which will be used to provide a report. The report, to be available […] Read more
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