By Sarah Sutton
Alberta Farmer Express staff
Work is underway in Saskatchewan and Alberta to boost the use of Polish canola, with some new varieties coming on line by 2009.
Kevin Falk, a researcher with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada in Saskatoon, was at FarmTech 2008 in Edmonton on Jan. 31 to talk about the breeding program at the Beaverlodge, Alta. research station, where early-maturing, disease-resistant, open-pollinated, synthetic and hybrid Polish canola varieties are being developed.
He says several hybrid and synthetic varieties are slated for registration and production in 2009, some with the potential to be registered this year.
At Beaverlodge, researchers are using isolation tents for experimental seed production. Using leaf-cutter bees for pollination, the experimental plots produce about two to three kilograms of seed per tent.
Hybrids seem to do well in most locations, Falk says, but the synthetics do well also. “We need to test over several locations and several years to determine how well these varieties actually perform,” he says.
Hybrid varieties produce vigorous plants, but can’t shed pollen. Their performance is quite dependent on pollen flow, so researchers mix in pollinator plants. Falk says this combination results in an “almost perfect” seed set at harvest.
It’s estimated that 25 per cent of Western Canada is better suited to growing early-maturing Polish canola rather than Argentine. Furthermore, Polish matures 10 to 14 days earlier and is more shatter-resistant than Argentine canola.
Polish canola originates from a Shellbrook, Sask. farmer who, in 1936, obtained some rapeseed from a friend in Poland. He grew this seed in his garden for a few years and the plants adapted well to the Canadian climate. However, at the time, there was no market for rapeseed. With the pending war and the release of information about the need for rapeseed production, the farmer increased his seed supply and sold seed to his neighbours.
Due to the Polish origin of the farmer and the seed, the species he grew became known as “Polish” rapeseed; it was later discovered that this rapeseed belonged to the Brassica rapa species.