Plants gene-edited for efficient use of water or nutrients or to better withstand pests or drought now won’t have to clear the same regulatory hurdles in Canada as any crops that are modified for herbicide tolerance or include foreign genes. Federal Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau on Wednesday announced updated guidance from the Canadian Food Inspection […] Read more

Gene-edited crops clear CFIA’s regulatory bar
Agency guidance puts gene editing on level of conventional breeding

In one giant leap for Earth plants, seeds are grown in moon soil
Washington | Reuters — Scientists for the first time have grown seeds in soil from the moon — samples retrieved during NASA missions in 1969 and 1972 — in an achievement that heralds the promise of using earthly plants to support human outposts on other worlds. Researchers said on Thursday they planted seeds of a […] Read more

USDA limits review requirements of some biotech farm products
Chicago | Reuters — The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced on Thursday a rule that will simplify or waive agency reviews of certain biotech farm products, including plants and seeds that have been genetically modified or engineered. As a result, some products could be sold to farmers without a USDA review — a move that […] Read more

You’ve got more (landscaping) choices than you think
Many imported trees and shrubs can do well here and mixing them with native species adds diversity
Reading Time: 2 minutes Diverse species of trees and shrubs contribute to the health, function, and beauty of your property, says the province’s agroforestry and bioenergy specialist. “A variety of tree and shrub species can be found in Alberta’s urban and rural areas including ones that, in theory, should not be grown here at all due to our harsh […] Read more
Fall yard care pays dividends next year
Reading Time: < 1 minute Autumn yard care can pay big dividends next year. Topping or cutting back herbaceous perennials can help prevent the overwintering of diseases and insects. Mulching will help to prevent plants from being forced from the ground (but apply mulch after the ground is frozen). Watering lightly after applying the mulch will help hold it in […] Read more

Now’s the time to attack winter annual weeds
Many winter annuals are often too well established or already flowering once spring arrives
Reading Time: 2 minutes Conditions are favourable this year for some excellent post-harvest weed control, says a provincial crop specialist. “Winter annuals are weeds that germinate in the fall or late fall, go through the winter in a rosette form, and go to seed quickly once spring comes,” said Harry Brook. Common winter annuals include stinkweed, shepherd’s purse, scentless […] Read more

A bad year for crops has been a good one for weeds
Dry conditions have allowed weeds — including herbicide-resistant ones — to thrive in many fields
Reading Time: 3 minutes Although dry conditions made weed control a challenge during the 2015 growing season, late-summer moisture and an early harvest may give farmers a decent chance to control perennial weeds. “I’ve heard it said that 80 to 90 per cent of successful weed elimination comes from a competitive crop,” said Matt Gosling, an agronomist in the […] Read more

Cancer-fighting drugs in your pasture?
University of Lethbridge researchers have already found one native plant — buffalo beans — that offers early promise
Reading Time: 2 minutes Plants you see every day in your pasture could contain valuable components for cancer-fighting drugs. Scientists from the University of Lethbridge recently found that buffalo beans, a plant commonly found in pastures in the south, contain compounds that may be beneficial to people fighting cancer. “We’ve always been interested in my lab in looking for […] Read more