b'Over the last 25 years we have taken the wet chemistryThe quality assessment work that Oatway does helps us make on our varieties and used it to develop the equations weprogress with several end-use quality traits that are desired by need in NIRS, explains Oatway. In the calibrations that wethe industry, he says. Her expert opinion on grain and forage develop, every wavelength of light is absorbed by a differentquality is taken into consideration when making decisions and it component in the grain. aids us in selecting and releasing the best varieties for farmers.Ranging between 400 and 2,500 nanometers, the visible andIn addition to her formal education, Oatways expertise also infrared light scans a sample and records what was absorbedstems from practical experience as a pedigree seed grower. She and what was reflected back. Various grain components can bejoined her husbands family business, Oatways Seed Farm near predicted by knowing how much light was absorbed at whatClive, Alta. when they got married over 26 years ago. wavelength. Since Oatway and her team have developed over 30 quality calibrations for barley alone, putting a whole grain in the instrument for 45 seconds produces absorption spectra and what she calls a digital fingerprint that can be used to estimate quality. Given these developments, Oatways lab can process an impressive 400 samples per day. In comparison, it could takeThe quality assessment work many months to run 50 samples using the traditional method of feeding trials to assess digestibility in cattle. that Oatway does helps us NIRS is a great way to screen large numbers of samples,make progress with several says Oatway. Its very economical, non-destructive and its environmentally friendly because we dont use any chemicals. end-use quality traits that But NIRS isnt the only way quality is assessed at the FCDC. Inare desired by the industry. fact, its a secondary method used to screen for potential thats later confirmed by wet chemistry. Yadeta KabetaIt takes about five generations to produce a head row, which is when quality testing begins. There are a large number of samples but very low seed, so we assess all of the lines as a way of screening and throwing out the worst, Oatway explains.The screening process continues until theres a more manageable number of samples in the program. Only thoseGlobal Knowledge with the best potential are sent away for wet chemistry, which isOatway says she has been fortunate to have excellent mentors, a requirement for a new variety to be registered.access to training around the world and opportunities to train Oatway calls it a full circle process because as wet chemistryothers throughout her career.results come in, she adds the data back into her developmentAn experience that will forever stand out in her memory program to either validate and update NIRS equations or towas when she was invited to become an expert with the develop new ones. International Atomic Energy Agency and travel to Lima, Peru. If were part of a project that is looking at gas production inWhile she was there, she played a key role in setting up a NIRS cattle and were providing 100 different varieties of barley to belab for barley and quinoa quality testing and trained ag college assessed, I can use the data on all 100 samples to see if we canstaff and graduate students on how to improve their program. produce a new equation. If we can, we are able to start screeningIt was really exciting, and it was an eye-opener because I was for it without doing the live animal feeding trials, she says.in a developing country with peers who do the same thing we do in Canada, with a lot less resources and access to technology, Practical Expertise explains Oatway. Research scientist and barley breeder Yadeta Kabeta, who hasDespite the budget fluctuations the research program has been working with Oatway since he joined the FCDC in 2008,experienced over the years, Oatways experience in Peru says quality is a critical component of breeding and is especiallyshowcased how fortunate Canadian research scientists are to important in malting barley and forage barley. have opportunities to innovate. Spring 2023 9'