b'PLANT BREEDERThe Well-Rounded Plant BreederHarwinder Sidhu, the new AAFC winter wheat breeder, didnt always plan to become a plant breeder. IT WASNT Astraightforward path to plant breeding forAs his studies drew to a close Sidhu started looking for Harwinder Sidhu. He started in his home country of Indiaemployment. It was 2021 and three provinces away Rob Graf, studying agricultural sciences for his undergraduate degree with athe winter wheat breeder at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada focus on soil science. From there Sidhu branched into horticulture,(AAFC) Lethbridge, was starting to make his retirement plans. The studying physiological stresses on plants for his masters in Georgia,timeline lined up just perfect and Sidhu found himself moving to U.S. Initially Sidhu had started his post doctorate studies in theAlberta to work under Graf with the plan for him to take over the United States focusing on plant pathology, but he left the programwinter wheat breeding program.midway through it. I thought he was a very bright, motivated individual that was When I came to Canada, I was looking at what I wanted to dovery willing to learn. Listen and learn and take on the objectives of in agriculture because I was still very interested in agriculturalthe program as I had established them, and then add to them in the research and sciencesI thought plant breeding is the sweet spot,ways that he felt were most appropriate, and put his own stamp on Sidhu explains in a phone interview. The specialization of soilthe program, Graf says in a phone interview.science and understanding of physiological stress from my masters,The two worked side by side for a year and a half with Sidhu and then the short stint in plant pathology, all could be applied inlearning the ropes from Graf before Graf retired in the fall 2022. variety development.Sidhu discovered the transition ideal as he was able to pose any Sidhu started a PhD program at the University of Guelphquestions he had for Graf and Graf would explain the history of the studying plant breeding in 2015. He worked under winter wheatprogram to him. breeder Ali Navabi at the university. His research focused onRob was really incredible in guiding me into the program and identifying genomic regions to improve fusarium head blightlearning the nitty gritty of how things went and what to focus on, resistance in winter wheat.Sidhu adds.26seed.ab.ca'