@PGDC_CAN

Over the last couple days our team has been in Banff for the annual Prairie Grain Development Committee (PGDC) meetings. @pgdc_can discussions contribute to the development of cultivars for western Canadian prairie grain crops. #abag #AG #westcdnag

If you didn't already know, the legendary Kelly Turkington is set to retire at the end of March. Our editor @mzienkie enjoyed sitting down with him for an interview yesterday at the @pgdc_can meetings in Banff. Stay tuned!

Wrapped up a very productive year at @pgdc_can in #Banff supporting 14 new varieties of #Wheat #Rye & #Triticale for PRCWRT voted to support 6 CWRS, 1 CPSR, 1 CWAD, 1 CWSP, 1 CWRW, 3 Fall Rye, 1 Spring Triticale. Congratulation to the Breeders #GeneticsAtWork #WestCdnAg...

Celebrating annual wheat breeders’ appreciation dinner at PGDC 2026 in Banff! Thanks to Adam Dyck and Warburtons for hosting the dinner. @WheatSingh @CurtisPozniak @gurcharn_brar @grafwheat @Val_Klymiuk @adamjdyck

At the @pgdc_can meetings in Banff this week. Lots of excitement about a new mustard line that could boost yields by nearly 10%. But there’s also real concern about GM mustard contamination, export market risks, and federal research cuts that could weaken Prairie crop testing.

PGDC executive committee kickstarted the 2026 meeting with enthusiasm and healthy discussions! Good luck to all the breeders with their candidate cultivars!

Great to host @AlbertaGrains & @RDARAlberta at the @AAFC_Canada Lethbridge Research and Development Centre and appreciate the opportunity to showcase our exciting work in #WheatBreeding and #Genetics Enchantments. @wheat_research @westerngrains @SaskWheat @SKAgriculture 🙏🙏

After walking through ~17,000 plots, 28,000 hill plots, & 800 F2 rows, 2025 field season is in books. I’m already excited to see selected lines & families’ performance in New Zealand! Also, with the first day of classes, it’s time to wear professor’s cap for the next few months.

“Plant breeders have a very tangible impact on the lives of growers,” said Gurcharn Brar, head of the University of Alberta wheat breeding program. “That’s very, very fulfilling" grainswest.com/2024/09/for-th… @AlbertaGrains

Another day of rating #StirpeRust in our Creston Valley nursery in Beautiful British Columbia with excellent expression of #StripeRust #RustNeverSleep @globalrust @SaskWheat @AlbertaGrains @mb_cropalliance #GeneticsAtAwork #thunderstorms

Creston stripe rust nursery is another (other than Surrey nursery) integral part of my breeding program. Excellent rust expression & already killing poor lines here. #PublicWheatBreeding #Genetics_at_work These nurseries help us build stripe rust resistance in Canadian wheat.

1st CBL Wheat Field Day is in books! A splendid day for @CBL_UA crew to showcase new varieties, genetics research & interact with growers, & seed industry. Thanks @wheat_research @AlbertaGrains @SaskWheat @mb_cropalliance @westerngrains @RDARAlberta for funding More photos below:

RDAR staff had the opportunity to attend the inaugural Cereal Breeding Lab (CBL) Wheat Field Day. The day showcased recently released varieties like UABrynn and other advanced lines in the breeding pipeline at U of A. #AlbertaAg #Wheat #UofA

How are researchers working to control leaf spot diseases in cereal crops? grainswest.com/2025/01/contro… @AlbertaGrains #leafspotcomplex

Big thanks to my good friend & a great colleague @ugill10 for helping screen many of our breeding lines in his stem & leaf rust nursery in Prosper, ND. With this we’ve covered stem rust screening capacity in my breeding program. This nursery has already helped us kill poor lines.

Learn about wheat variety development at the Cereal Breeding Lab field day on the morning of July 29 at #UAlberta South Campus. Learn more and RSVP: bit.ly/4eE7V0W)

Did you’ve a chance to look at👇 two very high yielding varieties (UA Brynn and Alotta) at @AginMotion from our @CBL_UA program. If not, sign up for our field day: forms.gle/fzfnNkLpSM8q53… We can’t wait to showcase our new candidate CWRS, CPS, GP wheat varieties in the pipeline.

Dr. Steve Shirtliffe is sharing insights on the Dept. of Plant Sciences’ UAV (drone) program and the new Nutrient Centre for Sustainable & Digital Agriculture. Big things ahead in precision ag and data-driven crop management! #CDCFieldDay #AgTech #UAV #SustainableFarming

Learn about wheat variety development at the Cereal Breeding Lab field day on the morning of July 29 at #UAlberta South Campus. Learn more and RSVP: bit.ly/4eE7V0W)

Couldn’t resist dropping some early morning shots showing active sporulation. These are some easy culls. Such a disease pressure helps us increase genetic gains for rust resistance in future wheat varieties! @SaskWheat @NSERC_CRSNG @wheat_research @AlbertaGrains @mb_cropalliance