b"Harwinder Sidhu, winter wheat breeder at Agricultureand Agri-Food Canada Lethbridge.The plant breeding process is time consuming. It can take overimproving the quality of winter wheat varieties. He plans to put a decade to create a variety from the initial cross being made tohis own mark on the program by improving heat and drought variety registration. Having someone to step in and continue thetolerance and adding some genomics tools into the program.work Graf had started was crucial to ensure no variety currentlyWith climate change and the hot, dry conditions Western being bred was forgotten about. Canada has experienced over the past five years, Sidhu believes hot Its very important to have consistent objectives. If you changeweather and less moisture availability will be a significant issue your objectives midstream the program is going to be far lessmoving forward for farmers. He plans to slowly develop germplasm productive than if you have a consistent approach. By being able towhich will address these challenges in seed reproduction.mentor Harwinder I think he got a good understanding of where ISidhu sees his second goal of adding genomic tools as going hand was going, Graf says. in hand with his heat and drought tolerance work. One the tools Coming into the job, Sidhu worked with Graf to finish off AACthat could assist in this could be using genomic selection processes Overdrivethe winter wheat variety was nearing the registrationto select desirable traits. stage. AAC Overdrive matches check varieties for yield and otherInitially, it could be off some high costs. But I think long term, quality traits, and as of right now its the highest rated winter wheathaving the genomics tools added to the program will be really variety in Western Canada for resistance to stem and stripe rust,beneficial, he adds.and common bunt.Long term Sidhu would like to use phenomics tools to help I think that speaks to the kind of work that Rob did in the lastimprove winter wheat survival rates. Early adopters of phenomics two decades to improve the disease resistance in winter wheat. Andare using drones and other tools to record data on how well plants that variety I'm sure will do really well when it is available to theare performing in fields. farmers based on that particular trait, Sidhu says. I think my approach (to running the program) will still include Sidhu plans to continue with many of the same focuses for thea mix of conventional breeding and every tool that we can utilize in program as Graf. Sidhu will still concentrate on improving yieldsbreeding better winter wheat varieties, Sidhu says. and disease resistance of the winter wheat germplasm, along with Ashley RobinsonAlbertas Crop Protection GuideCurrentScientific Current TrustedTrustedDont wait for the busy growing season!Visit albertabluebook.com to place your pre-orderof the 2024 Blue Book today.The 2024 Blue Book is produced collaborativelyby three of Albertas crop commissions.Spring 2024 27"