SCAP CCC Canola AgriScience Cluster 2023-2028
Term: 5 years, beginning 2024
Status: Ongoing
Researcher(s): Chaouki Benchaar, Sally Vail, Gary Peng, Hossein Borhan, Dwayne Hegedus, Eric Page, AAFC; Mario Tenuta, U of M; Michael Emes, U of G; Kenneth Kalscheur, USDA-ARS-U.S. Dairy Forage Research Centre; Nick Savidov, Lethbridge College; Ivan Tankovski, Centre for Aquaculture Technologies; Raju Datla, GIFS
SaskCanola Investment: $1,950,515
Total Project Cost: $17,091,950
Funding Partners: ACPC, MCGA, AAFC
Objective
1. Enhance understanding and application of advanced 4R nutrient management practices to increase yield and profitability while reducing nitrous oxide emissions and sequestering more carbon
2. Expand understanding of how canola can mitigate climate change
3. Expand efforts in developing robust genetic resistance against key canola pathogens and pests
4. Strengthen economic advantages for the grower through yield improvements, optimizing inputs, and reduced risk from pests, pathogens and environmental changes
5. Enhance understanding of canola meal’s impact on reducing emissions in dairy production and its nutritional value in aquaculture markets
Project Description
Canola plays a significant role in carbon sequestration given the deep rooting nature of the crop. Priority 1 activities will concentrate on methods to further increase carbon sequestration, while reducing greenhouse gas emissions from fertilizer and dairy-associated methane emissions. Projects will evaluate strategies to increase nitrogen use efficiency and improve nitrogen management and methods to inform fertilizer rate recommendations.
Priority 2 activities are multidisciplinary, demonstrating the development and growth of the canola sector through genomics, plant physiology and the differentiated value of canola meal. The three activities under priority 2 centered on genomics will look to produce novel clubroot genes, gene-specific markers for precision breeding of blackleg resistant cultivars and new canola genotypes with improved yield and abiotic tolerance. The plant physiology focused activity will aim to improve seed and seedling vigor by collecting additional data through seed vigor screening and profiling. The final three activities under priority 2 are centered around canola meal, further evaluating the positive impact of canola meal in dairy cow and aquaculture diets.
As climate, insect pressures and pathogens change, so do the environmental and pest management challenges faced by Canadian canola growers. Priority 3 activities will concentrate on canola breeding opportunities to produce improved climate adaptive resilient traits and flea beetle resistant traits,
along with optimizing fungicide use for sclerotinia stem rot.
Along with activities related to administering the Science Cluster to guarantee continued success and high impact of research findings, priority 4 also includes the following activities:
Knowledge and technology transfer: Increase the value of all Science Cluster research by assisting scientists in sharing their findings from current and past activities with growers and other industry stakeholders. The Canola Council’s agronomy specialists will turn research results into tangible practices that can be applied on farms and disseminate findings through innovative strategies and knowledge transfer products, including Canola Watch, the Canola Research Hub, the Canola Encyclopedia and Canola Digest magazine.
Economic impact assessment: A network of econometric analysts will examine and provide quantitative data on the return on investment of research dollars and impact on the canola industry.