Canola Breeding
The objective of the canola breeding and research program is to advance winter canola as a viable oilseed crop for producers in the Great Plains and other regions. The program focuses on releasing winter canola varieties and germplasm, as well as hybrid parent line development. Considering there are limited canola breeding programs in the U.S., a unique opportunity exists to foster new production and to promote the crop regionally and nationally.
The canola breeding program relies heavily upon U.S. and overseas germplasm sources to increase the genetic diversity of the varieties grown. Traits of interest include:
- Winter survival of adapted canola cultivars
- Tolerance to sulfonylurea herbicide carryover to allow planting after wheat
- Yield potential
- Oil quality
- Glyphosate resistance
- Lodging tolerance
- Forage quality
- Disease and pest tolerance
- Shatter resistance
Coordination of the National Winter Canola Variety Trial (NWCVT) is a significant activity of the program. The NWCVT was established to permit testing of commercial cultivars and advanced experimental lines in a wide range of geographic settings. Information obtained from these trials helps seed developers determine what experimental lines should be commercialized and where those varieties can be profitably marketed. Producers use the information to make informed variety selections.