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RDAR funding aimed at helping Alberta producers access crop and variety performance data

Results Driven Agriculture Research (RDAR), the Western Grains Research Foundation (WGRF) and Alberta Oat Growers Commission announced a $782,400 investment in Alberta Regional Variety Trials (RVT). This project will put verified variety data into the hands of Alberta producers, enabling them to make the best crop decisions for their farm operations. RDAR’s funding contribution for this research project is valued at $582,300 over three years.

“Every farmer knows how different varieties can perform from one stretch of the province to the next” says Alberta Agriculture and Irrigation Minister Nate Horner. “Regional variety trials are small in size, but large in impact. These trials and the data they generate will help producers across Alberta make more informed decisions.”

RVTs are independently conducted field trials on small test plots at multiple sites across Alberta. These trials compare the performance of newly registered wheat, barley, oat, flax and triticale varieties with the performance of well-known cultivars. RVTs are essential to crop producers because they provide variety performance data collected using standardized protocols across multiple geographies and soil types.

“RVT data supports Alberta crop producers in making decisions on which new varieties to grow based on their performance across Alberta.” says Clinton Dobson, RDAR research director. “RDAR’s investment in this research project will help Alberta producers access reliable RVT data and recognize the economic value of agronomic and disease traits such as yield potential, lodging risk, days to maturity and disease and pest resistance associated with new varieties.”