Activity 6 - ​Climate-smart trait developing in oat germplasm for Canada

Activity Lead: Kirby Nilsen, AAFC Brandon Research & Development Centre

​Activity Description: This activity will develop new and improved oat varieties for each of the three different oat growing environments in Canada (mega-environment 1, including southern and eastern Ontario; mega-environment 2, including northern Ontario, Quebec and the Maritimes; and mega-environment 3, consisting of the Canadian Prairies), with an emphasis on improving yield, milling quality, disease resistance, and general agronomic performance to keep oat competitive in a farm’s crop rotation and provide a reliable, stable supply to downstream processors. The activity also includes expanded use of genomic selection through testing networks and a collaborative effort to expand the use of genomic selection as a tool for oat breeding to help incorporate traits into elite germplasm