The quest for a Western Prairie comeback faces challenges
Seed companies continue to improve their early-maturing soybean varieties, but no one is holding their breath for a rebound west of the Manitoba border. “That whole Saskatchewan market has kind of faded away, so a lot of the really early genetics are just kind of sitting on the back shelf, and nobody’s really been asking […] Read moreTag Archives SeCan
Rethinking oats
Seed companies look to new varieties to get farmers excited about oats again
When this story ran in the New Seed Variety Guide it incorrectly identified FP Genetics. Oats have had a tough time of late. After reaching a 10-year high of 3.9 million acres in 2022, oat acres dove 40 per cent to 2.5 million acres the next year, the lowest number on record. However, with some […] Read more
In-grained pest resistance
Wheat midge are a problem in much of the Prairies and next year producers may seek wheat varieties that can limit damage from those insects. Todd Hyra, western business manager for SeCan, urged producers to note its CWRS variety AAC Oakman VB, which carries tolerance to both midge and sawfly, but it is not available […] Read more
Midge tolerant wheat varieties available
Glacier FarmMedia – Wheat midge are a problem in much of the Prairies and next year producers may seek wheat varieties that can limit damage from those insects. Todd Hyra, western business manager for SeCan, urged producers to note its CWRS variety AAC Oakman VB, which carries tolerance to both midge and sawfly, but it […] Read more
New wheat on the block for sawfly, midge
Glacier FarmMedia – A major agronomic announcement at Ag in Motion 2024 was the introduction and naming of a new sawfly and midge tolerant Canadian Western Red Spring wheat: AAC Oakman VB. The variety still has two years of propagation ahead, but distributor SeCan expects it to hit the commercial market in 2026. Related story: […] Read more
New variety aims to grab Prairie wheat crown
Developers of AAC Westking are confident the new variety will supplant AAC Brandon as the spring wheat of choice
Glacier FarmMedia – Can a single wheat variety become synonymous with prairie spring wheat production? If so, it would be AAC Brandon. One of the most widely grown Canadian Western Red Spring wheats in Western Canada for the past nine years, Brandon first hit the seed market in 2014 and quickly became a farmer favourite, […] Read moreSeed growers prove new varieties
By the time a new variety becomes available to farmers, it’s been through up to 10 years of trials and the registration system for three years
LANGHAM, Sask. — It’s become commonplace to buy things that aren’t complete right out of the box. There’s probably no better example of this than the software industry, where products are often released to customers and released again when the “bugs” have been removed. Todd Hyra can’t speak for the entire grain industry, but as […] Read more
From AIM: Sawfly and midge-resistant wheat named AAC Oakman VB
Glacier FarmMedia – A new solid stem spring wheat variety featuring both wheat stem sawfly and midge tolerance now has a name: AAC Oakman VB. The variety, which is in its first year of seed grower increase and marked for a 2026 release, is a surprise even to its future seed supplier. This is because […] Read more
Research priorities breed frustration, confusion
WINNIPEG — Last year at harvest time, farmers across western Manitoba and parts of eastern Saskatchewan had a similar reaction. When they looked at yield monitors in their combines, they were surprised at figures of 60 to 75 bushels an acre for spring wheat, despite lack of sufficient moisture during the growing season. Other stories […] Read more
Fast, accurate variety confirmation
An AI-driven seed recognition technology cuts accurate confirmation time of varietal purity from days to minutes
With enough training, an experienced seed grower or grain inspector can tell the difference among different varieties of barley, although they may need to take a closer look with a 10x lens or even a binocular microscope. But what if they’re stumped, or the variety for a particular sample is unknown? A genetic test will […] Read more
