The western producer august 20, 2015

Page 1

THURSDAY, AUGUST 20, 2015

VOL. 93 | NO. 34 | $4.25

BUILT. COMES Robot tractor | FARMER WHEN IT’S CALLED P64

SERVING WESTERN CANADIAN FARM FAMILIES SINCE 1923

|

WWW.PRODUCER.COM

IT’S ALL IN THE WRIST…

Trick roper LaRue Olson performs during the 11th Annual Sid Hartung Memorial Rodeo held in Vulcan, Alta., Aug. 15-16. | MIKE STURK PHOTO

CEREAL CROP RESEARCH

Old war against stem rust rages on Research centre in Morden, Man., carries on the work as new strain spreads in East Africa BRANDON BUREAU

MORDEN, Man. — Tom Fetch admits his job description makes little sense at first glance. Fetch is an Agriculture Canada research scientist who specializes in stem rust in cereal crops, but Canada hasn’t had an outbreak of stem rust in decades. “I’ve been working for Ag Canada for 15 years and when I was hired we hadn’t seen (stem) rust on the Prairies for probably 30 years,” Fetch said. “And (people) were wondering why I should be working here.” Fetch explained the reasons for his study during an open house at

the Agriculture Canada research centre in Morden. Former Ag Canada scientists, current employees and residents of Morden celebrated 100 years of research at the centre Aug. 12. Following the 2014 closure of the Cereal Research Centre in Winnipeg, Morden became home to more than 15 plant pathologists who study diseases in cereal, pulse and oilseed crops. The federal government built a new building to accommodate the new staff and their work, and it is the only Level 3 lab in Canada where scientists study hazardous plant pathogens. Stem rust hasn’t been an issue in

North America since the 1950s because plant scientists developed varieties with resistance to the disease. But in 1998, a new type of stem rust, Ug99, emerged in Uganda and has since spread across eastern Africa. The Ug99 outbreak may be thousands of kilometres from Western Canada but it’s a threat to cereal crops here for several reasons: • Stem rust is a devastating disease in cereal crops and can destroy yields in infected fields. • Prevailing winds can transport fungal spores across countries or potentially oceans. • An estimated 90 percent of

global wheat varieties are susceptible to Ug99. “Our Canadian wheat, I’ve tested it to these strains,” Fetch said. “About 80 percent of it is susceptible, so I still have a job to do.” He and his colleagues study Ug99 fungal spores at the Morden lab under highly controlled conditions. The Level 3 lab operates under negative pressure so air cannot flow out of the room. As well, the scientists work with Ug99 only in winter and do not wear laboratory clothes outside of the building. “You do your work, then you SEE WAR AGAINST RUST, PAGE 5

»

u|xhHEEJBy00001pzYv.:% AUGUST 20, 2015 Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: Box 2500, Stn. Main, Saskatoon, SK. S7K 2C4 The Western Producer is published in Saskatoon by Western Producer Publications, which is owned by GVIC Communications Corp. Publisher: Shaun Jessome Publications Mail Agreement No. 40069240

BY ROBERT ARNASON


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.