Gene editing promises to open floodgates for canola traits
Canola growers can expect a bunch of new seed traits to hit the market in coming years as gene-editing technology takes off, says an industry official.
Cibus is one company doing a lot of work on that front and is expected to commercialize three new traits in Canada before the end of this decade.
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The first one to market will be its pod-shatter resistance trait, which has been extensively field tested and placed into germplasm provided by a variety of seed companies.
The trait could be commercialized as early as next year in the United States, said Norm Sissons, senior vice-president of seeds and traits with Cibus.
It will take a little longer to arrive in Canada due to the country’s variety registration system.
Jury still out on public acceptance of gene editing
WINNIPEG — “Uncertain” is a good way to describes how China, India and other food importing nations could respond to gene edited crops from Canada.
Globally, the regulatory situation looks hopeful, said Krista Thomas, vice-president of trade policy and seed innovation with the Canada Grains Council.
But in many cases the regulations for gene edited plants are untested.
“Most countries that have put in place rules … for gene-edited products have confirmed that (they) are not GMOs,” said Thomas, who spoke at a plant technology conference in England in late May.
“(But) some of our key export markets still have some uncertainty attached to them.”
Gene editing is a relatively new technology that allows scientists to precisely cut and delete sections of DNA.
Canada has decided that gene edited crops will be regulated more like conventional plant breeding, provided the plant doesn’t contain foreign DNA.
Man. canola oil researcher enters agricultural hall of fame
Michael Eskin’s long career as a canola researcher has landed him a spot in the Canadian Agricultural Hall of Fame.
“I’ve been very lucky,” he said. “I’m originally from England, and I came to Canada in ’68, to the University of Manitoba. It was being at the right time, at the right place.”
Eskin, along with forage crop researcher Bruce Coulman, former Semex chief executive officer Paul Larmer and entomologist Charles Vincent, will be formally inducted Nov. 2 at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair in Toronto.
“We are thrilled to honour their accomplishments in advancing cattle genetics, forage breeding, sustainable insect management and Canadian canola oil,” said Canadian Agricultural Hall of Fame chair Phil Boyd in a release. “As a key part of each of their professional careers, they have mentored future leaders — an equally vital contribution for the long-term sustainability of Canadian agriculture.”
The induction comes hot on the heels of Eskin’s welcome into the Manitoba Agricultural Hall of Fame last year, where he was praised for his years of mentorship and “pivotal role in transforming canola into the country’s most profitable food crop.”
Researchers work to narrow canola’s protein gap
The North American market for swine feed is worth US$17 to $27 billion, or possibly more. There are dozens of reports that estimate the size of the market, so it’s hard to nail down the exact number.
Regardless, it’s big.
Corteva Agriscience is planning to tap into that market with a new type of canola that could be more competitive with soybean meal.
“The mono-gastric (feed) market in North America is exceptionally large, and right now, canola meal doesn’t trade into that,” said Tyler Groeneveld, North America director of grains and oils for Corteva.
Canola meal is not competitive because it contains too much fibre and insufficient protein for poultry and swine. The Canola Council of Canada says canola meal is around 37 per cent protein, at 12 per cent moisture.
“Soybean meal would trade up around 49 per cent,” Groeneveld said.
The protein gap has constrained sales and market opportunities for canola meal.
‘Wolfpack’ bacteria could help control blackleg
Paul Holloway’s small lab at the University of Winnipeg isn’t cluttered, but it is busy.
On one counter there are microscopes, square plastic containers with blue lids and about eight flasks that contain a yellow-orange liquid.
On the opposite counter, petri dishes are stacked about 15 dishes high. Each dish is approximately 10 centimetres in diameter and two cm in height.
Inside those petri dishes are bacteria collected from soil in Mississippi — but not any ordinary bacteria.
These microbes are myxobacteria (pronounced mixxo), which are sometimes called “wolfpack” bacteria.
“They are predators. They are predators of (other) bacteria. But they also seem to go after fungi,” said Holloway, a microbiologist at the University of Winnipeg.
“They will pack together. Myxos actually swarm… It’s called a wolfpack.”
