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Test yield categories in 2011 | Yield Summarization Methods | Maturity Ratings | Plant Breeder's Rights | Diseases, seed treatment and seed testing | Canola
This publication provides information on cereal and oilseed variety performance within Alberta and northeastern British Columbia. Important agronomic characteristics are given in tabular form for varieties of wheat, oats, barley, rye, triticale, flax and canola.
The Alberta Regional Variety Testing program is co-ordinated by the Alberta/British Columbia Grain Advisory Committee (ABCGAC) and Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development. Funding for the program is provided by Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development, the Alberta Seed Growers Association, the Alberta Winter Wheat Producers’ Commission and entry fees for the varieties in the tests.
Data for this publication are contributed by numerous applied research associations, the British Colombia Grain Producers, the Prairie Grain Development Committee, the Canola Council of Canada, Viterra, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada as well as Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development. Every year, the test results and updated tables are reviewed and approved by members of the ABCGAC. Sincere thanks are extended to all individuals and organizations who contribute to this important publication.
Test Yield Categories
The defined range for each Test Yield Category is provided in bu/ac. Variety yields are reported based on the site means relative to the check in two ways:
- As the overall average yield for all data available to the AB/BC testing program, with the number of site years of data indicated. When there are limited data for a new variety, yield information may only appear in the Overall Yield column.
- As the average yields in Low, Medium, High and Very High Test Yield Categories for comparison with the check for productivity regimes and environments that may be anticipated. Varieties that are statistically higher (+) or lower (–) yielding than the standard check are indicated. No symbol after the yield figure indicates that there is no statistical difference. Caution is advised when interpreting the data with respect to new varieties that have not been fully tested.
Test Yield Categories allow producers to fine tune their variety choices for the productivity levels expected in particular fields in the coming season. This approach is similar to that used when making decisions on the levels for other inputs. Scientific studies conducted on crop varieties in Western Canada show that Test Yield Category analysis provides a more stable description of variety yield performance than descriptions organized by geographic groupings.
To make effective use of the yield comparison tables, producers first need to assess where their target yield for the season fits within the Low, Medium, High and Very High Test Yield categories. It should be noted that the indicated yield levels are those from small plot trials, which are often 15 to 20 per cent higher than yields expected under commercial production. Also remember that yield is not the only factor that affects net return. Be sure to consider the other important agronomic and disease resistance characteristics. The genetic yield potential of a variety is often masked by various crop management factors, some of which can be controlled.
Yield Summarization Methods
For cereal crops, yield data is expressed on the basis of varying environmental productivity (Test Yield Categories of Low, Medium, High and Very High). Experience has shown that yield rankings can change substantially due to growing conditions. To reflect these differences and make the data more useful to producers, results from a test site that produced high yield in a particular year are now placed into the database for ‘high’ yielding environments. That same site may contribute to the ‘low’ yielding category in a drought year, when yields are low.
Consistent performance over all productivity environments indicates that the variety has good yield stability over a wide range of environments. For new varieties where sufficient data is not available to provide reasonable estimates of yield performance in each Yield Test Category, the overall provincial yield is a first indication of the yield potential relative to the check.
It is important to note that some of the comparisons in the tables are not direct comparisons. Small plot agronomic trials are expensive to grow, and new varieties are registered every year. It is simply impractical to grow all the varieties at the same time. Following several years of data collection, the yield data for a particular variety will stabilize relative to the standard check, and testing will no longer be warranted.
It is for this reason that the same standard reference check varieties are grown every year (e.g. AC Barrie for CWRS wheat, AC Metcalfe for barley), and changes do not occur very often. This means that the only direct comparison you can be sure of is with that of the reference check. The “number of station years” column provides some indication of the unbalanced nature of the data.
To help in the selection process, varieties that have yielded statistically higher (+) or lower (-) than the standard check are indicated. In many cases, no symbol is reported, indicating that the yields are not significantly different from the standard check.
If a large difference from the check is reported but is not significant, this could mean that the yields of the new variety have varied widely and/or there are still not enough data to prove a statistical difference. In all cases, for the yield data to be presented, there must be a total of at least six station years of data collected over two years. With additional years of testing, the reported yield differences will become more precise.
Variety choice should not be based solely on yield in a specific Test Yield Category. Producers are encouraged to consider other characteristics, such as maturity, straw strength and disease resistance, when considering a new variety. In addition, factors such as expected growth season rainfall, soil moisture status, disease forecasts, soil fertility and weed pressure will affect the specific Test Yield Category in which actual yields will occur.
Maturity Ratings
As is the case for yield, growing conditions have a tremendous influence on maturity. For example, a variety of CWRS wheat may mature in 98 days in Lethbridge, but take 103 days in Edmonton. In addition, a two-day difference in maturity between varieties in Lethbridge may amount to a five-day difference in Edmonton.
To take this factor into account, maturity is now expressed using a five category scale: Very Early, Early, Medium, Late and Very Late. To aid producers with this relative scale, the average number of days to maturity for the standard check is reported. Note that this scale is different for each crop type. For example, an early barley variety will mature much earlier than an early flax variety.
Plant Breeder’s Rights
The use of the Plant Breeder’s Rights (PBR) logo indicates a variety is protected by law, and seed of this variety cannot be sold without permission and royalty payment. The use of the logo p indicates that PBR has been applied for.
Diseases, Seed Treatment and Seed Testing
- Disease ratings are compiled from various data sources in Alberta and other prairie provinces.
- Treat rye and flax seed to control seedling blight, cereal seed for smuts and fusarium.
- Treated seed must not be fed to livestock, poultry or wildlife or sold for feed. Refer to labels for maximum storage periods of treated seed.
- The leaf spot rating in the wheat charts is a combination of resistance to tan spot and septoria leaf disease complex.
- Fusarium Head Blight (FHB), caused by Fusarium graminearum, is an increasing problem in Alberta. The relative ranking of crops from most susceptible to least susceptible is durum, CPS wheat, CWRS wheat, triticale, barley and oats. Corn is a host of F. graminearum and can serve as a source of infection when residue is left on the ground. Under severe epidemics, all cereal varieties will suffer damage. All seed, especially seed brought in from infected areas of the eastern prairies, should be tested for the presence of FHB and treated with an appropriate seed treatment. Producers are advised to choose varieties with the best FHB tolerance whenever possible and to always use best management practices to slow the spread of this disease.
- All seed of cereal varieties tested in the Alberta Regional Variety Testing program comes with a “fusarium-free” certificate. In addition, all regional trials are inspected for the disease at the most susceptible stage.
Laboratories participating in the FHB testing program:
- 20/20 Seed Labs Ltd., Nisku, AB
1-877-420-2099
- BioVision Seed Research Ltd., Edmonton, AB
1-800-952-5407
- BioVision Seed Research Ltd., Grande Prairie, AB
1-877-532-8889
- Parkland Laboratories, Red Deer, AB
1-403-342-0404
- Precision Seed Testing, Beaverlodge, AB
1-780-354-2259
- Seed Check Technologies Inc., Leduc, AB
1-780-980-8324
Canola Variety Information
Where are Canola Performance Trials results available?
Results for the 2011 canola performance trials are available through an online interactive tool at
www.canolaperformancetrials.ca on the Canola Council of Canada website. The interactive tool will allow growers to explore many agronomic factors and to search for trial data in specific geographic areas near their farming operations.
Details on management, operations and environmental data for each individual site will be reported online. The online tool will have an economic calculator that includes the costs associated with growing the selected variety to assist growers in determining potential profitability.
Data will also be available in booklet form that will be distributed through various publications and can be obtained from local agri-retailers.
Canola variety testing
The Prairie Canola Variety Testing (PCVT) program conducted until 2009 was replaced with the Canola Performance Trials (CPT) in 2011. The CPT trials represent the next generation in variety evaluation for Western Canadian canola growers. The trials were designed to provide the following:
- relevant, unbiased and timely performance data that reflects actual production practices
- comparative data on leading varieties and newly introduced varieties
- detailed reporting on agronomic characteristics such as yield, height, lodging, maturity and economic performance, and site specific performance variables including weather, soil type, crop nutrition, seeding and harvest management
The 2011 CPT trials were conducted under the guidance of a governance committee that oversaw approvals of participating varieties, protocol design, data collection, analysis, reporting and finance management. The Canola Council of Canada delivered the program on the committee’s behalf.
The CPT program included 23 small plot trials and 108 field scale trials in 2011. The trial sites were distributed based on seeded acres in Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta.
Small plot trials included popular varieties and newly introduced varieties. The new small plot system ensured several outcomes:
- All varieties were treated with appropriate herbicides and seed treatments.
- An independent third-party representative inspected all trials.
- Harvest occurred at the most appropriate time to minimize harvest losses due to maturity differences.
Field scale comparisons added extra perspective for assessing consistency in variety performance.
To ensure quality data, the CPT governance committee established protocols and developed research plot designs to ensure the data is representative. Performance objectives were established to provide guidelines on timely field operations and data collection. All sites were inspected to verify that guidelines were followed to allow a fair comparison among the varieties tested.
Audits of field-scale projects give growers the confidence that the protocol was conducted in a scientifically sound manner and that comparisons are appropriate. Qualified professionals with extensive backgrounds in conducting field-scale research trials performed the audits.
Brassica napus (‘Argentine’ canola)
Argentine varieties yield more but mature about two weeks later than B. rapa (‘Polish’ canola) varieties. Due to the late maturity, Argentine canola is better suited to the mid and long season growing areas. Argentine varieties are susceptible to seed shattering when left standing at full maturity. Later maturing varieties tend to produce higher levels of green seed under wet and cool conditions at harvest, which can cause substantial grade reductions.
Brassica Rapa (‘Polish’ canola)
Polish varieties mature approximately two weeks earlier than Argentine varieties and are less likely to produce green seed. They are also more shatter-resistant than Argentine varieties and are, therefore, well suited to straight combining. ACS-C7 has fair resistance to blackleg; all other Polish varieties have poor resistance.
Three new synthetic Polish varieties are Early One, ACS-C29 and Synergy. All three varieties yield significantly more than their open-pollinated counterparts like AC Sunbeam. Early One and ACS-C29 are available through Mastin Seeds, while Synergy is available through SeCan.
Canola quality
Brassica juncea canola is a new class of canola that is especially well adapted to areas where hot, dry conditions are common. It has very good resistance to blackleg and exhibits slightly better heat and drought tolerance than other canola. Juncea canola shattering resistance is similar to Polish canola and is well suited to straight-cut combining. All production is contracted.
XCEED VT Oasis CL, available from Viterra in 2012, is suited to the Brown and Dark Brown soil zones. It is compatible with the Clearfield Production System.
Canola information adapted, with permission, from “Varieties of Grain Crops 2012” published by the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture
Other Variety Information
For additional variety information, including varieties not listed in this factsheet, check the Alberta Agriculture website (www.agriculture.alberta.ca), or call the Alberta Ag-Info Centre toll-free at 310-FARM (3276).
All tables prepared, reviewed and approved by Alberta/British Columbia Grain Advisory Committee
Factsheet and data preparation coordinated by
Alex Fedko
Co-ordinator Regional Variety Trials/Crop Research Technologist
Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development
Source: Agdex 100/32. January 2012. |
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