Forage Seed Research Funding Announced
On January 17, 2019 federal Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Lawrence MacAulay and Saskatchewan Agriculture Minister David Marit announced more than $5.5 million in funding for 34 livestock and forage-related research projects through Saskatchewan’s Agriculture Development Fund (ADF) and the Strategic Field Program (SFP). ADF and SFP are supported through the Canadian Agricultural Partnership, a five-year, $388 Million investment in strategic initiatives for Saskatchewan agriculture by the federal and provincial governments.
These livestock and forage projects are also receiving more than $320K from the following organizations: The Saskatchewan Cattlemen's Association, the Saskatchewan Pork Development Board, Alberta Beef Producers, the Saskatchewan Canola Development Commission and the Saskatchewan Forage Seed Development Commission.
Galega forage legume. U of S. July 2018. Source: SFSDC
Three new forage seed research projects were included in the funding announcement from ADF. They are:
Dr. Bill Biligetu, University of Saskatchewan (UofS) - Evaluation of forage Galega (Galega orientalis LAM.) as a new forage legume in pure and grass-legume mixed stands. The objectives are to: evaluate the establishment, yield, persistence, and nutritive value of forage Galega in four soil zones; and to evaluate seed production of forage Galega in western Canada. This 3 year project will receive $117.9K from ADF and SFSDC will provide $7.5K.
Professor Yuguang Bai, UofS - Enhancing seed and biomass production and drought tolerance of plains rough fescue using novel seed treatments. The objectives are to: determine the effects of seed priming treatments on germination and seedling vigor in a controlled environment; determine effects of optimal seed priming treatments on drought tolerance and biomass/seed production; and to identify seed collections/lines with high seed production for future variety development. This 3 year project will receive $71K from ADF and SFSDC will provide $3K.
Dr. Alison Ferrie, National Research Council, Saskatoon SK - Doubled haploidy methodology for the forage grasses. This is basic research to start a modern process to advance the development of forage grass varieties. The objectives are to: evaluate three forage grasses for microspore culture response using three standard protocols; select the most responsive forage grass and evaluate factors influencing microspore embryogenesis; to convert microspore‐derived embryos to plants; and to evaluate doubled haploid plants under greenhouse or field conditions. This 4 year project will receive $511K from ADF and $8K from SFSDC.
The three new projects are in addition to the 3 year project started in spring 2018 by Dr. Sean Prager and Dr. Bill Biligetu at the UofS on an Integrated Management Approach to Optimize Red Clover Seed Production in Saskatchewan that is also receiving funding from ADF and SFSDC.
More information about these projects and their progress reports will be available in the future on the SFSDC website.