Research variety trial data on track for 2021

Chances are if you are a farmer, you rely on side-by-side comparisons of the available options to help make decisions for your farming operation. The Alberta Seed Guide is an important resource that provides farmers with variety performance data to aid with deciding which varieties to grow and manage in the next crop year.

The data in the Alberta Seed Guide represents consolidated efforts from a wide variety of stakeholders, including seed distributors and growers, crop commissions, breeders, agronomists, academic institutions and applied research associations. Each year, these groups coordinate regional variety trials to be grown across the province and organize and collect the resulting data. Far from a simple task, data from the regional variety trials go through screening before the data is analyzed and results are organized into tables. The tables, organized by crop type and market class are published each winter in the seed guide.

The regional variety trials for wheat, barley, oats, rye, triticale and flax are coordinated

by the Alberta Regional Variety Assessment Committee (ARVAC). ARVAC is an unofficial industry group funded by variety entry fees and sponsorship from the producer commissions, the Alberta Seed Processors and Alberta Seed Growers. Before funding cuts, Alberta Agriculture and Forestry (AF) provided in-kind support to the regional variety trials through a trial coordinator technician who treated and set up seed, provided in-field quality control, collected data and analyzed results. In late 2020, this crucial position was eliminated by AF with no alternative support provided.

Losing AF’s support meant that the committee needed to find new funding in addition to a contractor who could complete the tasks previously carried out by the AF technician. Replicating the specific role was to be a challenge as the role requires a very specific skill set. Despite this setback, ARVAC was committed to delivering the trials for the 2021 season.

To provide consistent support to the trials, the Alberta Wheat and Barley Commissions, decided to alter an open staff position to include coordination of the regional variety trials. Luckily, the commissions were able

to add Dr. Sheri Strydhorst to their team as agronomy research specialist in mid-February. Strydhorst’s role will greatly expand the capacity of the commissions’ research team while also providing needed support to the regional variety trials. The commissions will also continue to support the regional variety trials through in-kind accounting support. Read more on how Strydhorst’s unique role benefits Alberta wheat and barley farmers in the article “The commissions welcome Dr. Sheri Strydhorst”.

Thanks to the dedicated efforts of industry stakeholders, including the commissions, farmers can count on using data from the 2021 crop year to make selections for their farms.