Clubroot-resistant canola widely available in 2010

       I was at the official opening of Pioneer Hi-Bred’s breeding facility in Carman, Man., this week. The Carman site will join centres in Edmonton and Saskatoon in the development and field testing of high-yielding and disease-tolerant canola hybrids. What makes the Carman site special is its work on soybeans and corn for the Prairie market. It is the only corn-breeding centre on the Prairies for any company, not just Pioneer.

Notable seed news from the day:

1. Pioneer Hi-Bred’s clubroot-resistant canola hybrid, 45H29, will see widespread launch in 2010. Obviously the clubroot trait will have limited appeal — targeting only those growers in central Alberta with the problem — but the good news is that growers who choose this variety don’t have to give up any yield potential. In Pioneer Hi-Bred trials, it outyielded Pioneer’s 45H26 and had a better blackleg score, said Pioneer research scientist Igor Falak (in the photo.) See the numbers on the chart.

2. Pioneer Hi-Bred continues to develop earlier-maturing corn hybrids. New P7213R reaches flowering at 72 days, which is about three days earlier than 39D95 and 39D97, which have been good selling varieties in the shorter-season areas of Manitoba. Pioneer Hi-Bred hopes that varieties such as P7213R, which also has the Roundup Ready trait, will help move grain and silage corn into more areas of the Prairies.

3. The new juncea canola variety, 45J10, will be available for 2010. A small amount of seed was available in 2009. Juncea canola — which is a mustard plant that produces canola-quality oil — has more drought tolerance and better shatter resistance than napus, making it suitable for Brown Soil Zones and for growers who’d like to straight combine their canola. On that note, pod shatter resistance is a breeding focus for Pioneer’s napus program — so maybe someday all canola growers will be able to put away the swather for good.