Why is this research important for Alberta ag?
Canola cultivars with higher yields can substantially benefit producers and downstream industries in Canada. Drought stress, one of the most detrimental abiotic factors, may cause severe yield loss in the Canadian Prairies. Therefore, it is important to develop cultivars with both higher yield and improved drought resilience.
Through the screening of a canola library, researchers identified three lines with higher yields in previous studies. Further analysis revealed that the increased yield of each canola line was caused by the higher expression of a single Transcription Factor (TF), respectively. The seed yield of the T1 plants increased by 73% to 103% compared to the negative controls. Further analysis indicated that the yield increase was associated with a substantial increase in their seed size and pods per plant.
For this project, researchers plan to generate homozygous lines from the T1 seeds and evaluate seed yield and quality under normal growth conditions. They will also evaluate seed yield and quality of the canola lines under drought stress. Researchers will also optimize the CRISPR Knocking-In method and use it to generate non-GM canola lines with stimulated expression of the above TFs on a canola breeding line (Hi-Q).
What benefits can producers expect from this research?
Improved germplasm will be used in breeding better canola lines, benefiting canola producers and the entire industrial chain.
How will these research findings reach producers on-farm?
Researchers will work with members of the Canola Council of Canada and Alberta Canola producers Commission to implement and distribute the knowledge of this study.
Findings will be shared at industry and scientific meetings and workshops, both nationally and internationally.
The research team will prepare scientific and extension reports for publication in industry newspapers and magazines as well as in peer-reviewed scientific journals.
Funded in part by the Government of Canada and the Government of Alberta under the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership, a federal-provincial-territorial initiative.