b'PARTNER CONTENTChanging the Wheat Game: What Sets our Elite Team ApartThe wheat of the future will deliver new technologies like herbicide tolerance, solid stem and powerful disease resistance. Our team is only beginning to show whats possible.B eing as well-established a crop as it is, it might beproducts that meet the needs of our end-user.hard to believe that truly exciting things are just beginning to happen in wheat. After joining the team atThe FutureLimagrain Cereals Research Canada (LCRC) just a coupleWhat weve brought to market so far is just the tip of of months ago, I can tell you that this is indeed the case. the iceberg. Noteworthy is the coming introduction of The diverse group of breeding experts on the LCRCCoAXium wheat, containing the patented non-GMO trait teamincluding our North American research headconferring tolerance to Aggressor AX Group 1 herbicides. Benzon Lorenzanais at the forefront of wheat breed- This innovation provides farmers with another tool to Andy Chen,ing, driving innovation and pushing the boundaries oftackle weed problems in their field. Our team is meticu-Wheat Breeder,what this seemingly traditional crop can achieve. lously ensuring the safety of this novel trait through com-LimagrainThe team is made up of individuals with rich back- prehensive testing by Health Canada and the Canadian Cerealsgrounds and experiences, each contributing a uniqueFood Inspection Agency (CFIA) before release.Researchperspective to the world of wheat breeding.From disease resistance to herbicide tolerance, Canada After studying to become a wheat breeder for overwheat varieties coming through our pipeline are brim-seven years, I bring my knowledge and experience toming with promise. In the coming years, we will also be the LCRC team. Having earned my stripes in the fieldreleasing varieties equipped with traits/genes such as of plant breeding beginning as a grad student at thesolid stem and Sm1 to tackle the growing pest problem, University of Guelph, I had the benefit of studying underhighlighting our continuous efforts to meet the evolving the late Ali Navabi, a renowned winter wheat breeder.needs of farmers. I then worked as a canola breeding assistant beforeSome of these varieties will be put forward for continuing my graduate studies in the United Kingdom. registration at the 2024 Prairie Grain Development My passion for plant breeding and contributing toCommittee (PGDC) meeting.Canadian agriculture made joining the LCRC team last year a no-brainer. The Canadian AdvantageThe team, housed at our research station inGiven the importance of the Canadian market to Saskatoon, Sask., has a commitment to apply new andLimagrains strategic vision, we look forward to the CFIA appropriate tools in breeding, with a strong emphasis onissuing its guidance on animal feed consultations and genomic selection. This approach has allowed our teamclarifying the regulatory landscape when it comes to to develop improved wheat cultivars that can help solvepre-market assessments on plant derived ingredients in real-world challenges and meet the evolving needs ofanimal feed. our farmers. There are unique advantages to doing business in The integration of new tools and technologies hasCanada, including the positive aspects of our regulatory been a game-changer, enhancing both quality and yieldsystem and market dynamics. Canada is an ideal place targets. for LCRCs innovative products, which is why Limagrain Our two wheat varieties already on the market formed its partnership with Canterra Seeds to create CS Daybreak and CS Acceleratehave already madeLCRC in the first place.waves in the wheat world, exhibiting excellent diseaseAs we delve into the specifics of breeding objectives packages and setting the standard for what privateand the challenges posed by climate change, Shaoming sector wheat breeding can accomplish.Huang, our assistant breeder, is applying his experience Weve had the privilege of collaborating within heat stress tolerance to create a strategy to develop Warburtons in making CS Accelerate, a Canadian Prairieclimate-smart wheat. The acknowledgment of changing Spring Red, part of their program. Since then, weveneeds in wheat varieties due to climate change and the engaged in extensive testing, and the products wereemphasis on traits like drought tolerance underscores bringing forward for registration have garnered sig- LCRCs commitment to staying ahead of industry shifts.nificant attention from them. It is rewarding to developStay tuned for exciting things.JANUARY 2024GERMINATION.CA 11'