Researchers at the University of Saskatchewan conducted a multi-year, multi-objective research project developing, analyzing, and testing the use of biomaterials (e.g. flax shives, canola meal, and oat hulls) as a biosorbent to dry natural gas and bio-alcohols.

Cleavers are problematic weed species in canola that can reduce crop yield, impair harvest operations, and reduce crop processing efficiency. A two-year field study was conducted to better understand the biology and impact of pre-harvest herbicides on cleavers populations.

Researchers in Saskatchewan conducted a series of trials to evaluate the value of canola meal in growing/finishing beef cattle diets relative to other common protein supplements such as soybean meal and wheat dried distiller’s grains with solubles (WDDGS).

Researchers conducted several field studies in four ecoregions across the Canadian prairies to develop integrated approaches for flea beetle control for modern high-yielding canola varieties.

Researchers in Saskatchewan conducted a project to resolve the connection between primary and secondary dormancy, premature germination (sometimes found in the pods of maturing canola), overall seed biology, and seed and seedling vigour related traits across a diverse panel of Brassica napus (canola) lines.

Although clubroot resistant (CR) hybrids are available in Canada, the recent emergence of new pathotypes such as 5X and the erosion of CR in the Canadian resistant hybrids is of concern.

Researchers conducted a three-year study focusing on four key components using multiple commercial canola varieties to reveal the mechanism of race-specific and non-specific blackleg resistance.

Technology plays a larger role on the farm than ever before throughout all aspects of farming but especially through real-time sensor data collection. However, grain loss monitoring technology for combines has generally experienced minimal advancement since being introduced into the market around 1975.

Clubroot caused by Plasmodiophora brassicae has spread across central Alberta and to isolated fields in southern Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and North Dakota since it was first identified on canola in 2003.

Cultivar resistance is considered the most effective and practical approach for clubroot management. However, current resistant canola cultivars, available in Canada since 2009, were based on a single clubroot resistance (CR) gene.

Clubroot, caused by Plasmodiophora brassicae, was first identified in western Canada in 2003, spreading to more than 2700 fields.

Surveillance monitoring has shown that blackleg is again increasing in incidence and severity in western Canada, in part due to breakdown of a widely used major resistance gene. Sclerotinia stem rot is also a serious disease for canola growers, particularly in severe wet and cool growing seasons.

Sustainable land management decisions and advancements in precision agriculture technologies need to be based on reliable information about soils and land capability.

Researchers initiated a four-year project in 2014 to develop a set of differential lines of spring type Brassica napus with single genes for identification of races of Plasmodiophora brassicae and for durable resistance to clubroot.

Researchers at the University of Saskatchewan conducted a two-year project to further the discovery and subsequent genetic transformation for the introduction of apomixis technology into agriculture crops.

Clubroot, a serious threat to canola (Brassica napus) yields across Canada, is caused by the intracellular parasite Plasmodiophora brassicae.

Canadian canola-based biodiesel production is projected to increase over the next few years. Researchers at the University of Saskatchewan conducted a multi-year, multi-objective project with the aim to improve the glycerol purification process as well as the glycerol-based by-product process.

Canola meal use in starter mixtures for calves has been limited due to a perception that it has low palatability and digestibility. Researchers conducted a four-year project and four studies to evaluate the use of canola meal as a protein source for dairy calves.

With increasing pressure to complete field operations in a timely manner and the trend to using fertilizer custom applicators, a segment of growers in Western Canada are transitioning towards surface applications of granular urea; which represents a departure from the recommended practice of deep banding.

For many years, the main blackleg management strategies in western Canada were variety resistance and crop rotation. However, with tighter crop rotations in most of the canola growing regions, there have been increasing reports of blackleg, with a sudden spike reported in 2012.