b'Over the years, DNA marker technologies have evolved fromyields more resilient and reducing the impact of diseases and low-throughput to high-throughput platforms, enabling morepests. [AAFC Swift Current wheat breeder] Richard Cuthberts comprehensive genome-wide analyses. discussion about the difficulty of achieving both CWRS qual-The advent of next-generation sequencing has furtherity and the solid stem trait really hit home with me, she adds.revolutionized our understanding of crop genomes. By sequenc- Its a demanding breeding objective. Hes managed to ing thousands of genomes, we can pinpoint genes associateddevelop a promising line, but its taken significant effort to main-with key agronomic traits, facilitating marker development andtain that quality level. Tools like gene editing offer the potential genomic selection, he added. to streamline this process and alleviate some of the yield drag Moving beyond individual genes, whole-genome approachesassociated with integrating various traits into the material.like genomic selection have gained traction.By training predictive models with genotype-phenotype data, we can estimate breeding values for complex traits, opti-mizing selection efficiency.That means faster breeding, and varieties likely coming to market faster in the future. That will bring change for an organization like PGDC.Ch-ch-ch-changesSheri Strydhorst, outgoing chair of PGDC, said emerging breeding tools and regulatory initiatives like Seed Regulatory Modernization are going to significantly alter the breeding landscape within which PGDC operates.This group will have to remain adaptable and flexible, as it has done throughout history. Weve continually evolved and refined our methods to better serve the needs of the industry, she said.Dana Maxwell, chair of the Prairie Recommending Committee for Wheat, Rye and Triticale (PRCWRT), notes that such adaptation has already resulted in the efficient form PGDC is taking in current incarnation.What Im particularly proud of this year is the progress weve made in modernizing our processes and implementingAAFC Swift Currents Richard Cuthbert put forward a new line of solid initiatives that we began as far back as 2020 with the commonstem wheat with CWRS-type quality that stands up to wheat stem sawfly.Hard Red Spring wheat checks. This allows for easier sorting for end use classes and support transparency and clarity, she said.This builds upon the groundwork laid by initiatives such as the removal of kernel visual distinguishability as a selection cri- NBTs: Curb Your Enthusiasm?terion, a change that was implemented well before I joined theSuch innovative lines are forging a brave new future for cereals committee. Its rewarding to see how these efforts are comingand pulses. Limagrain Cereals Research Canada (LCRC) put together to shape a more efficient and effective system. forth numerous wheat lines this year for consideration. Wheat This year, the PRCWRT approved 20 lines for recommen- breeder Andy Chen notes that LCRC is one of the very few dation: 12 CWRS, two CPSR, two durum, two fall rye, oneprivate breeding programs still active in Canada, and he says it spring triticale and one forage wheat. Maxwell is excited abouthas some unique advantages.the opportunity that lies ahead for these crops. Being part of a larger international entity like Limagrain It ultimately falls on individual developers and organiza- also grants us access to resources on a global scale. With breed-tions to determine which traits are worth pursuing, but I seeing programs in Spain and South America, we can tap into numerous complex challenges that we face, challenges that genediverse germplasm from various regions, which is crucial for editing, under the right regulatory environment and support,enhancing genetic diversity in our breeding efforts. This enables could potentially address. With the right strategy in place tous to bring in superior germplasm suited to Canadian growing gain market support, I think gene editing could be instrumen- conditions, he said.tal, she said. Being part of a larger company also provides us with When I put on my producer hat and consider the possibili- the capacity for advanced genotyping. Genomic selection, a ties, I see opportunities to enhance sustainability by makingground-breaking tool in modern breeding, allows us to predict MARCH 2024 SEEDWORLD.COM/CANADA 27'