New and Ongoing Projects
New projects launched in the past year include research into nitrogen fertilizer sources, updating the critical weed-free period for canola, genetics to increase drought and heat tolerance, and quantifying combine auto settings for their ability to reduce harvest losses. Ongoing projects include research into biologicals for nitrogen fixation and insect management, phenology-based weed control, and new techniques to breed for disease resistance and environmental stress tolerance. Canola growers contribute to these projects through their levy payments to SaskCanola, Alberta Canola and Manitoba Canola Growers. In partnership with the grower groups and Canola Council of Canada, a number of ongoing projects are funded in part by the Government of Canada under the Canadian Agricultural Partnership’s AgriScience Program, a federal provincial, territorial initiative. Many projects are also collaborations with other commodity groups and other Prairie-wide funders, including Western Grains Research Foundation.