1. The University of Saskatchewan Crop Development Centre
Presentation to Sask Flax Development Commission
Dorothy Murrell
Managing Director, CDC
January 12, 2009

2. The Crop Development Centre is a field crop research organization
which seeks to improve economic returns for farmers
and the agriculture industry of western Canada
by improving existing crops,
creating new uses for traditional crops,
and developing new crops.

3. Or: all great ideas boil down to hard work.
Crop Development Centre
Or: all great ideas boil down to hard work.

4. Crop Development Centre
History of CDC
Began in 1971 at the U of S with funding from National Research Council and Saskatchewan Agriculture
Core group in 70s included Ron Bhatty, Larry Gusta, Al Slinkard, Gordon Rowland, Brian Fowler, John Burdall, Brian Rossnagel
Formed to provide long term and continuous genetic improvement to the farmers of Saskatchewan
Focused on existing and new crop development, with a strong agronomic and extension component
Has continued to the present day on SMA base funding, funding from private and public sources, & infrastructure support from U of S

5. CDC Scientists Sabine Banniza Brian Rossnagel Pulse pathologist
Crop Development Centre
CDC Scientists
Sabine Banniza
Pulse pathologist
Pierre Hucl
Bread wheat & canaryseed breeder
Curt McCartney
Cereal pathologist
Curtis Pozniak
Durum & high yielding
wheat breeder
Gordon Rowland
Flax breeder
Brian Rossnagel
Barley and oat breeder
Tom Warkentin
Pea breeder
Bunyamin Tar’an (SPG)
Chickpea breeder
Bert Vandenberg (AFIF Chair)
Lentil and bean breeder

6. Related Scientists Kirstin Bett (U of S) Bean breeder
Crop Development Centre
Related Scientists
Kirstin Bett (U of S)
Bean breeder
Bob Bors (U of S)
Small fruit breeder
Ravi Chibbar (Canada Research Chair)
Genomics, Carbohydrates
Bruce Coulman (U of S)
Forage breeder
Brian Fowler (U of S)
Winter wheat breeder
Bryan Harvey (Prof. Emeritus)
Six-row barley breeder
Rick Holm (U of S)
Weed Scientist
Mike Nickerson (SMA Research Chair)
Protein Quality & Utilization
Xiao Qiu
Lipids
Martin Reaney (SMA Research Chair)
Graham Scoles (U of S)
Molecular Geneticist
Steve Shirtliffe (U of S)
Agronomist
Bob Tyler (U of S)
Grain Scientist

7. General Breeding Goals
Crop Development Centre
CDC
General Breeding Goals
High yield
Disease resistance
Appropriate maturity
Lodging resistance
End-use quality to meet industry standards
Specialty traits

8. CDC Outputs Varieties Germplasm Technology
Crop Development Centre
CDC Outputs
Varieties
Germplasm
Technology
Basic research and pre-breeding
Training – undergraduate and graduate programs, technical
Technology transfer

9. Crop Development Centre
“Partnership:
the relationship between two or more people or organizations that are involved in the same activity
cooperation between people or groups working together
an organization formed by two or more people or groups who work together for some purpose
a company set up by two or more people who put money into the business and share the financial risks and profits”

10. Crop Development Centre
CDC Partnerships
Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture base funding of 21.5%
Other funding from:
ADF, NSERC, Genome Prairie, CFI, U of S
Sask Pulse Growers, WGRF, SFDC, SCDC, SODC; Ducks Unlimited, Alberta Pulse Growers
BASF, Brandt Industries, CanOat, Canterra Seeds, Cargill, FP Genetics, Grain Millers, Morris Industries, Paterson Grain, Parrish & Heimbecker, Prairie Malt, Quaker, Sapporo, SeCan, Viterra
40:40:20 ratio

11. Flax CDC Program A strong western Canadian success story
Crop Development Centre
Flax
A strong western Canadian success story
40% of world production
$300 million to farm gate annually
CDC Program
70% of acres
CDC Vimy, CDC Bethune, CDC Sorrel
CDC Bethune $472 million
Long term partnerships with growers, seed companies, provincial government

12. Crop Development Centre
Flax
New developments
Increased focus on basic science: molecular mapping and marker development for seed quality, straw fibre and agronomic traits
A search for yield
Specialty oil breeding – high oleic, high and low linolenic acids
Herbicide tolerance discussion
All based on research and funding partnerships across institutional and political boundaries

13. Crop Development Centre
Flax Partnerships
Research and breeding projects are all based on partnerships across institutional, sector and political boundaries
Sask Flax Development Commission
SeCan
NAFGEN (ABIP)
NAPGEN (PBI)
TUFGEN (Genome Canada)

14. Crop Development Centre
Flax Opportunities
Maintain and increase the economic value of western Canada’s flax industry
Oil
Fibre
Nutraceutical / functional
Food and Feed

15. Flax Challenges Agronomics – yield, weed control
Crop Development Centre
Flax Challenges
Agronomics – yield, weed control
Local and global competition
Adhoc Project Funding
Slow decision making
Administrative burden and cost

16. Crop Development Centre
CDC
Grains Innovation Lab

17. Crop Development Centre
Creating superior genetics
for western Canadian farmers