Oat growers concerned about crown rust might soon have another option when looking for varieties with greater resistance to the disease.
A potential new variety that features very good resistance to crown rust received support for registration from the Prairie Registration Recommending Committee for Grain when it met in Saskatoon in February. The resistance in OT 2021 would be a step up from what is available in existing varieties.
“I think in Manitoba, with the crown rust problems we’re experiencing, this might be the one choice we’ll have a year or two from now,” said Jennifer Mitchell Fetch, an oat breeder at Agriculture Canada’s Cereal Research Centre in Winnipeg, where OT 2021 was developed.
Read Also
Saskatchewan throne speech promises strong economy
Saskatchewan’s legislative agenda for the coming year will focus on meeting the challenges of new world trading relationships, said the speech from the throne.
Co-op trials show the potential variety produces yields in the ballpark of existing varieties and the quality is within what is needed to satisfy millers.
OT 2021 has very good resistance to crown rust and smut and fair resistance to stem rust.
The test weight is similar to CDC Dancer, and the kernel plump, at 80.6 percent, is also close to Dancer. Protein averaged 11.2 percent over two years of co-op trials and oil content is acceptable for human food uses.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency must now review OT 2021 before it can receive full registration to be grown in Western Canada. Production of select seed could begin this spring.
