Science Edition 2023—Total plant nitrogen uptake (i.e. in the leaves, stems, straw and seed) of the old rapeseed and canola varieties was actually just as good as modern hybrids, they just don’t have as much seed to pack the nitrogen into as the high-yielding hybrids. Modern canola hybrids do have superior ability to utilize ammonium fertilizer. “Making...

Science Edition 2023—Secondary dormancy is like a deep sleep for seeds, extending their life in the soil and increasing their weedy nature. Canola tends to have strong secondary dormancy, which is why volunteer canola can often germinate years after harvest. The goal is to find the genes responsible, and breed them out or turn them off. Weeding...

Science Edition 2023—This research on hairy canola (to deter flea beetle feeding) will provide canola breeders with B. napus lines that produce hairs, as well as genetic markers to allow this trait to be introduced into canola varieties. “Genetic resources for flea beetle resistance in canola,” Dwayne Hegedus, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Saskatoon AgriScience Program (Canola Cluster)...

Science Edition 2022—CRISPR technology was used to generate a range of starch branching enzyme (SBE) mutants in canola. Sbe quadruple and sextuple mutants were used for expressing maize endosperm SBEI and effects on growth, morphology, flowering and yield determined. Introduction of corn SBEI into quadruple mutants (four canola genes edited) repeatedly led to increased total seed yield...

Science Edition 2022—AAFC researchers completed the genetic mapping of blackleg resistance gene Rlm11. Rlm11 is effective against L. maculans isolates carrying the avirulence gene AvrLm11, which is found in 95 per cent of L. maculans isolates collected from Western Canadian canola farms. Canola lines with Rlm11 will enable canola farmers to effectively control the blackleg disease. “Introgression...