Studies were conducted in Ontario on dry bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) in 2010 and 2011 using fulvic acid (LX7^®, MTS Environmental Inc.) or humic acid (Plant XL^®, Alpha-Agri) fertilizers. Twenty fulvic acid field trials and 15 humic acid field trials indicate that these fertilizers were ineffective, as plant vigour, height, 100-seed weight, and yield were similar to a control treatment.

Post-emergence herbicides were evaluated for glyphosate-resistant Canada fleabane control in corn (Zea mays L.) from 2013 to 2015. By 8wk after treatment, dicamba/atrazine (96% control), dicamba (95% control), bromoxynil atrazine (93% control), dicamba/diflufenzopyr (90% control), and tembotrione/thiencarbazone-methyl dicamba (85% control) reduced population density and aboveground biomass to levels equivalent to the weed-free control.

The original objective of cross breeding was to develop high-yielding spring barley with high barley yellow dwarf virus resistance. Imen is an F5-derived line with the original experimental number 137. A single seed selection breeding method was used to develop the cultivar. Imen is well adapted to semi-arid areas, carrying the resistant gene Yd2.

The transfer of nitrogen (N) from legumes to grasses is an important process in low-input forage production systems, and may be improved by selecting compatible species and cultivars. This study sought to examine what effect species and cultivar have on plant growth and N accumulation in temperate grass-legume mixtures under a range of nitrogen fertility levels. A pot study using two cultivars each of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), red clover (Trifolium pratense L.), perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.), and timothy (Phleum pratense L.) in all grass-legume combinations was devised. Compatibility indices, based on plant performance grown in combination versus alone, were used to quantify the net impact legumes and grasses had on each other. The presence of legumes had an overall negative effect on the growth of grasses (87% compared with growing alone), but did improve tissue N content by weight and total accumulated N. Improvements in total N were highest in a single timothy cultivar (Champ; 169%), but highest net total N was achieved in a ryegrass cultivar (Bastion; 1.92 mg N). Results indicate that grass N accumulation in legume-grass mixtures may be influenced more by grass N demand than legume supply, which suggests that competition between grasses and legumes may be a major determinant of N transfer efficiency.

Differences in metal concentrations and total antioxidant capacity were compared to assess potential risks of consumption amongst four locally sourced and imported crops in Saskatchewan, Canada. Total antioxidant capacity was significantly greater in locally sourced strawberry and red peppers. Concentrations of cadmium, copper, nickel, and zinc were significantly higher in imported crops as opposed to locally sourced crops, measured by inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy. Imported and locally sourced lettuce cadmium concentrations exceeded the hazard quotient consumption safety threshold. A field experiment evaluating metal concentrations in the edible tissues of five field grown lettuce cultivars identified that all cultivars exceeded the cadmium safety threshold. ‘Pandero’ and ‘Iceberg’ cultivars exceeded the consumption safety threshold for nickel and ‘Grand Rapids 08’ exceeded the consumption safety threshold for aluminum. Antioxidant capacity differed significantly amongst cultivars. Correlation analysis was conducted to determine if antioxidant capacity can be used as a proxy for trace metal concentrations. When comparing all field lettuce, there was a significant correlation between copper and nickel concentrations and antioxidant capacity. This research reinforces the need to screen for cultivar-specific metal accumulation and the identification of markers for cadmium accumulation in lettuce.

We assessed the extent to which summer fallow in the Dark Brown soil zone is likely to return as a response to net return (NR) risk. An economic model was used to identify, delineate, and quantify the effects of changes in product prices and input costs on the long-term economic performance of cereal, legume forage, and legume green manure rotations, based on a long-term study at the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Lethbridge Research and Development Centre in Lethbridge, Alberta. The analysis determined NR from the rotations and simulated NR in a stochastic risk model. Each rotation had a different yield distribution and cost profile. The NR risk for the rotations was evaluated using stochastic efficiency with respect to a function. A risk-free return was computed to rank the rotations. Continuous fertilized wheat was the most profitable crop rotation, followed by three-year rotations with fallow and either nitrogen fertilized wheat or livestock manure applied after fallow. Rotations with higher NR used less fallow but had higher risk. Summer fallow is unlikely to re-emerge as only rather risk averse and very risk averse growers would use summer fallow as a means of reducing NR risk.

As the seasons progress, autumn-planted winter wheat plants (Triticum aestivum L.) first gain then progressively lose freezing tolerance. Exposing the plants to freeze–thaw cycles of -3/3 °C results in increased ability to tolerate subsequent freezing to potentially damaging temperatures. This study was conducted to determine to what extent the length of time that a plant is grown at low temperatures influenced the effectiveness of this freeze–thaw enhancement of freezing tolerance. Plants from six winter wheat lines were grown at 4 °C for 1–18 wk, exposed to 0–2 cycles of freezing to -3 °C for 24 h, then thawed for 24 h at 3 °C, then tested for their ability to tolerate freezing to -10 °C to -17 °C. The freeze–thaw treatments resulted in increased freezing tolerance after 6–12 wk of growth at low temperatures, but had no significant effect before or after that time period. Two cycles of -3/3 °C freeze–thaw was consistently more effective than one cycle. Variation in the extent and timing of the effectiveness of the freeze–thaw treatments was found among the wheat lines, suggesting genetic variation that may be useful for prolonging freezing tolerance further into the winter months could be found in winter wheat.

Analysis of bulk ground samples by droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) was investigated as an alternative to individual kernel testing for assessment of interspersed refuge in midge [Sitodiplosis mosellana (Géhin)] tolerant wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) varietal blends. Four genotyping assays were selected such that at least one assay was informative for each of 15 varietal blends registered for production in Canada. The assays were examined in DNA of each of the constituent varieties to assess intravarietal polymorphism and in DNA mixtures simulating each varietal blend. Seed mixtures corresponding to a range of refuge proportions in two different varietal blends were prepared and assessed by ddPCR on two different platforms (RainDrop Digital PCR System, RainDance Technologies, Billerica, MA, and QX200 AutoDG Droplet Digital PCR System, Bio-Rad Laboratories, Hercules, CA). Both systems yielded refuge estimates that were very close to the targeted proportions across the range simulated. Standard deviations among estimates made with the QX200 were, on average, about 60% greater than those among corresponding estimates made with the RainDrop system, but in either case, the coefficients of variation generally remained under 5%. For a ddPCR-based assessment of interspersed refuge in midge tolerant wheat varietal blends, any advantage held by the RainDrop system with respect to precision may be offset by higher throughput achievable with the QX200.

Seed shatter of wild oat (Avena fatua L.), green foxtail [Setaria viridis (L.) P. Beauv.], wild mustard (Sinapis arvensis L.), cleavers (Galium spurium L. and G. aparine L.), wild buckwheat (Polygonum convolvulus L.), and kochia [Kochia scoparia (L.) Schrad.] was evaluated in field pea, spring wheat, and canola fields in Saskatchewan in 2014 and 2015. Seed shatter was assessed using shatter trays collected once a week during the crop ripening stage, as well as at swathing or direct-harvest (direct-combining). Seed shatter differed among weed species in field pea and wheat at maturity: 22%–30% for wild oat, and generally ≤10% for the other species. Seed shatter of investigated weeds in canola at swathing, including that of wild oat, was uniformly low (<5%). The relatively low level of seed shatter for cleavers, wild mustard, green foxtail, and wild buckwheat suggests that these species may be suitable candidates for harvest weed seed control (HWSC). Because of the amount and timing of wild oat seed shatter, HWSC may not reduce population abundance of this grassy weed, except in canola when swathed.

Le virus de la jaunisse nanisante de l’orge ou « barley yellow dwarf virus » (BYDV) est connu comme étant le virus le plus important se répandant sur les céréales. En Tunisie, les contaminations peuvent dépasser 40 % sur orge dans certaines régions. La sélection de génotypes résistants constitue le moyen le plus propice pour la lutte contre le BYDV. Ainsi, une sélection à partir de 10 populations d’orge F2 fournis par le Centre International de Recherche Agricole dans les Zones Arides (ICARDA) dont certains parents sont porteurs du gène de résistance Yd2, a été entreprise. De la F2 à la F5, 198 lignées avancées ont été sélectionnées pour leur résistance. Cette résistance a été évaluée, sur les plans symptomatique, sérologique et moléculaire par l’utilisation du marqueur Ylp (CAPS) associé au gène cible (Yd2). Une évaluation agronomique de ces lignées a été réalisée durant la campagne 2006--2007, à Béja (région subhumide) et au Kef (région semi-aride). Le choix particulièrement basé sur le rendement en grains a porté sur 25 lignées qui étaient toutes supérieures au cultivar sensible « Rihane » mais dont huit seulement dépassent l’autre cultivar sensible « Manel ». Parmi ces lignées, 16 pourraient être destinées à l’exploitation à double fin (grains et paille) alors que deux ont montré une souplesse d’adaptation à la fois aux conditions semi-arides et subhumides.

Cyhalofop-butyl-resistant Echinochloa crus-galli (L.) Beauv. has become wide-spread, so rapid diagnosis of herbicide resistance in E. crus-galli at various growth stages is crucial for timely and effective management of herbicide resistant E. crus-galli throughout the season. This study was thus conducted to diagnose cyhalofop-butyl resistance in E. crus-galli at various stages of growth using rapid diagnostic test methods. Growth pouch, trimmed seedling, and stem node tests were conducted on E. crus-galli at seed germination, juvenile, and heading stages, respectively, and the diagnostic results were then compared with the conventional whole plant test. All rapid diagnostic tests discriminated resistant and susceptible biotypes on the basis of R/S ratios (the ratio of GR₅₀ values of resistant and susceptible biotypes) within 7 d after herbicide treatment. The statistical agreement in R/S ratios between the rapid diagnostic tests (R/S ratios, 2.0–4.8) and the whole plant test (R/S ratio, 3.6) demonstrated that the rapid diagnostic tests could be reliably applied to diagnose cyhalofop-butyl resistance in E. crus-galli at various stages of growth with significant time and cost savings compared with conventional whole plant tests. In addition, the presented diagnostic results coupled with discrimination of herbicide-resistant weeds in previous studies suggest that the rapid diagnostic tests are capable of detecting herbicide resistance regardless of herbicide in many different weed species.

Organic spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) breeding programs have been initiated, yet yield efficiency and N economy research is limited. We evaluated the performance of advanced lines selected from an organic breeding program initiated in 2003. Fourteen F₈ and F₉ lines in 2009 and 11 lines in 2010 were compared with commercial (check) cultivars. Field experiments were conducted under organic management at four site–years in Manitoba and Saskatchewan. Combined analysis showed no difference in biomass accumulation between organic lines and check cultivars; however, harvest index and grain yield were greater in organic lines compared with the checks. Organic lines were shorter than check cultivars, but yield efficiency, defined as kernel number per unit of crop biomass at anthesis, was higher (P < 0.05). Kernel mass was also greater for organic lines. Biomass N uptake was similar for organic lines and check cultivars, although total uptake of N into grain was greater for organic lines. The average grain protein content of organic lines was significantly lower than the check cultivars. This study demonstrated that improved yield under organic management was because of better assimilate partitioning, both at anthesis and crop maturity, for organically selected genotypes.

Plant height (PH) is an important agronomic trait affecting crop yield and quality. In this study, a soybean collection of 192 natural accessions and 1536 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) makers were used to identify genomic regions associated with PH. There is a large genetic variation in PH with a diverse panel. Three phenotypic indexes (PH measured at six stages, the conditional PH, and the relative growth rates of PH) were used to identify developmental behavior for PH in soybean. Six methods were used to minimize false-positive associations in association mapping, and finally the generalized linear model for principal component analysis had been used in this study. Three SNPs, BARC-040651-07807, BARC-030433-06867, and BARC-042475-08274, were highly significantly associated with PH in the final growing period, and two SNPs, BARC-038795-07333 and BARC-013749-01246, were connected with PH in the early growing period.

Field trials were conducted under natural infection and artificial inoculation from 2012 to 2014 at seven sites across the Canadian prairies to determine genetic and management effects on Fusarium head blight (FHB) in wheat production systems. A system of management, which consisted of (1) a control of no fungicide was compared with (2) the seed treatment (ST) thiamethoxam difenoconazole metalaxyl-M S-isomer, (3) an in-crop foliar fungicide (tebuconazole prothioconazole), or (4) ST foliar fungicide, was integrated with four wheat cultivars of contrasting growth habits and levels of FHB resistance. Results indicated the cultivars expressing improved FHB resistance, Carberry (spring wheat) and Emerson (winter wheat), were superior over susceptible cultivars, Harvest (spring wheat) and CDC Falcon (winter wheat), in reducing Fusarium-damaged kernel (FDK) and deoxynivalenol (DON) levels, and displayed higher yield under high Fusarium pressure. Winter wheat displayed higher overall yield, with Emerson producing the highest and most stable yields across environments. Application of foliar fungicide, with or without the ST, increased grain yield, seed mass, and test weight; and lowered FDK and DON. Seed treatment alone increased test weight, spring plant density of both winter wheat varieties, and kernel weight in Emerson. A management strategy of foliar fungicide and (or) ST foliar fungicide generally produced higher yields with greater stability, particularly for susceptible cultivars in high FHB environments. The results of this study reinforce that integration of FHB-resistant cultivars with appropriate cultural practices is required to reduce the risk of FHB and optimize grain yield, and is further enhanced with a winter vs. spring growth habit.

The wheat stem sawfly, Cephus cinctus Norton (Hymenoptera: Cephidae), is a major pest of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) in the northern Great Plains of North America. The use of solid-stemmed cultivars helps mitigate crop losses and can also affect the survivorship of C. cinctus. The efficacy of a plant’s resistance is based on its ability to develop pith in the culm of the stem, which is influenced greatly by interactions between the genotype and environment. Precipitation-related weather interacts with photoperiod to reduce pith expression in solid-stemmed wheat. A model that predicts pith expression could serve as a management tool to prevent losses by alerting producers if in-season precipitation patterns have caused less than ideal pith expression in a cultivar. Artificial Neural Network (ANN) models are used to make predictions for complex, non-linear systems with many co-related variables. Our objective was to improve upon past models that used regression analyses by deploying an ANN model to predict in-season stem cutting of wheat by wheat stem sawfly. Results indicate that stem cutting is influenced by the precipitation within a 5 wk period from 1 June to 5 July. These results were successfully deployed in a model that should assist with predictions of potential late season stem cutting. Deployment of this ANN model as a transferable executable file may facilitate predictions of stem cutting by wheat stem sawfly in any given year, which will empower producers to implement the appropriate harvest management strategies to reduce losses.

OAC Prosper is a semi-determinate food-grade soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) cultivar with high yield potential, high seed protein concentration, and resistance to soybean cyst nematode. OAC Prosper is developed and recommended for soybean growing areas in southwestern Ontario with 2950 or greater crop heat units. OAC Prosper has a relative maturity of 1.8.

AAC Y012 and AAC Y015 are high yielding, early maturing yellow dry bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) cultivars with a determinate bush growth habit (Type I), improved seed coat colour, and partial field resistance to white mould. AAC Y012 and AAC Y015 were developed at the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC), Lethbridge Research and Development Centre (LRDC), Lethbridge, AB. AAC Y012 and AAC Y015 are suitable for irrigated wide row production in Alberta and Saskatchewan.

CDC Precision durum wheat is adapted to the durum production area of the Canadian prairies. This conventional height durum wheat cultivar combines high grain yield potential with high grain pigment and low grain cadmium. CDC Precision is resistant to prevalent races of leaf, stem and stripe rust, and common bunt and expresses end-use quality suitable for the Canada Western Amber Durum (CWAD) class.

AAC Whitestar is a high yielding great northern dry bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) cultivar with an upright, indeterminate bush (Type IIb) growth habit, large seed size, and partial field resistance to white mould. AAC Whitestar was developed at the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC), Lethbridge Research and Development Centre (LRDC), in Lethbridge, AB. AAC Whitestar is suitable for irrigated wide row production in Alberta and Saskatchewan.

AAC Kolosse is a yellow-hulled, spring oat (Avena sativa L.) cultivar bred by the Ottawa Research and Development Center (ORDC), Agriculture and Agri-Food (AAFC). It was supported for registration by the Ontario Cereal Crops Committee (OCCC) in January 2015 and registered in Canada on 8 Apr. 2016 (CFIA variety registration number 7981). AAC Kolosse is adapted widely to Canada but more so to Ontario and Zone 1 of Quebec. The strengths of AAC Kolosse include high groat content, superior resistance to crown rust, and superior resistance to lodging. AAC Kolosse is later to heading than the control cultivars.

CO457, CO458, CO459, and CO460 are the first corn (Zea mays L.) inbred lines released from the common rust (Puccinia sorghi Schwein.) resistance breeding program of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. All four inbreds possess extremely high levels of resistance, which is expressed in hybrids when these inbreds are combined with susceptible test lines. Acceptable grain yields and moistures are also achieved in some hybrid testcrosses. All four inbreds also possess intermediate resistance to eyespot [Aureobasidium zeae (Narita & Hirats.)].

AAC Royce is a semi-leafless, green cotyledon field pea (Pisum sativum L.) cultivar developed at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Lacombe Research and Development Centre, Lacombe, in Alberta, Canada. It has a maturity of 105 d, 1000-seed weight of 254 g, and medium lodging resistance. AAC Royce is resistant to powdery mildew (caused by Erysiphe pisi Syd.) and moderately susceptible to mycosphaerella blight (caused by Mycosphaerella pinodes) and fusarium wilt (caused by Fusarium oxysporum). AAC Royce is adapted to all field pea growing regions in western Canada.

AAC Jatharia (BW483) is a hollow-stemmed, high-protein, and high-yielding spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) for the longer growing season areas of the Canadian Prairies. AAC Jatharia was the highest yielding line in the Central Bread Wheat Cooperative (CBWC) Registration Tests performed in the eastern prairies in 2011, 2012, and 2013. Over 2 yr of testing (2011–2012), AAC Jatharia had grain yield 2.5% higher than Unity, 11.6% higher than 5603HR, 7.8% higher than McKenzie, and 19.2% higher than CDC Teal across all locations. In 2013, AAC Jatharia yielded 6.3% higher than Unity across all Manitoba and Saskatchewan locations. AAC Jatharia was resistant to leaf rust (Puccinia triticina Erikss.), and had intermediate resistance to stem rust (Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici), stripe rust (Puccinia striiformis Westend), leaf spot complex, and Fusarium head blight (FHB) (Fusarium graminearum) infection, with lower FHB index and deoxynivalenol (DON) content compared with Unity. AAC Jatharia was resistant to infestation of the orange wheat blossom midge (Sitodiplosis mosellana Géhin) evaluated over 2 yr (2012 and 2013). It had higher kernel weight and test weight compared with all check cultivars, whereas its maturity was within the range of the check cultivars. AAC Jatharia is registered in the Canada Western Red Spring Wheat class for its premium quality attributes.

HS-161 is a 7S β-conglycinin α' and 11S glycinin A₃ null food-grade soybean line (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) with high protein concentration, yellow hilum, and fair food processing quality. It is adapted to areas of southwest Ontario with 3100 or more crop heat units and has a relative maturity of 2.4.

CDC Dynamic durum wheat is adapted to the durum production area of the Canadian prairies. This conventional height durum wheat cultivar combines high grain yield potential and protein concentration with high grain pigment and low grain cadmium. CDC Dynamic is resistant to prevalent races of leaf, stem, and stripe rust, and common bunt and expresses end-use quality suitable for the Canada Western Amber Durum (CWAD) class.

CDC Alloy durum wheat is adapted to the durum production area of the Canadian prairies. This conventional height durum wheat cultivar combines high grain yield potential with high grain pigment and protein concentrations and low grain cadmium. CDC Alloy is resistant to prevalent races of leaf, stem and stripe rust, and common bunt and expresses end-use quality suitable for the Canada Western Amber Durum (CWAD) class.

Candor is a yellow hilum tofu-type soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) cultivar with extra-large seed size, high protein level, and high yield potential. Candor is adapted to and recommended for soybean growing regions in southwestern Ontario with 3000 or greater crop heat units. Candor has a relative maturity of 2.1.

AAC Brandon hard red spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) has grain yield and time to maturity within the range of the check cultivars: Katepwa, Laura, Lillian, Carberry, and CDC Kernen. AAC Brandon has an awned spike, a low lodging score indicative of strong straw, and a short plant stature typical of a semidwarf. AAC Brandon expressed resistance to prevalent races of leaf, stem, and stripe rust, and moderate resistance to fusarium head blight and loose smut. Compared with the five Canada Western Red Spring check cultivars, AAC Brandon has improved flour yield and lower flower ash. AAC Brandon is eligible for grades of Canada Western Red Spring.