b'of both plants are valuable for flavour and aroma, and alleles that control the bio-synthesis of terpenes and other volatile organic compounds need to be identified. Also this year, NIFA began funding mung bean breeding research at several universities. New higher-protein culti-vars will be produced, along with recom-mended cultivation practices. In addition, geneticists will work for a fuller under-standing of seed quality traits.AttheUniversityofMissouri, researchers are working to accelerate marker-trait association in chestnut. Before the arrival of a deadly fungal pathogen, chestnut provided high-value timber and food products in eastern North America. Genetic improvement programs for over a decade have continued to advance breeding, and now work is turn-ing to discovery of predictive genomic regions and supporting marker-assisted selection. Robotic technology adapted to chestnuts is also being used to accelerate the rate of DNA extraction and library preparation for sequencing, enabling easier marker and gene discovery. Among many other potato breed-ing projects, NIFA is funding investi- Wild genes are being used to improve commercial potato varieties.gation into how wild genes can be used to improve commercial varieties at the$2.6 million. Private industry providesAnother major Canadian funding University of Georgia. Most wild relativesover $625,000 of direct in-kind supportinitiative that supports crop genetics of potatoes cross readily with cultivatedannually, and industry germplasm contri- research is the AgriScience program varieties, and this helps improve thebutions are currently valued at over $3which in turn funds the Diverse Field genetic diversity needed for potato pro- billion. However, demand for maize ger- Crop Cluster (DFCC). Under this initi-duction in stressful environments, includ- mplasm continues to increase. ative, new camelina cultivars are being ing drought and hot conditions.GEMs focus on adapting exotic corncreated. This crop has been grown on To build on germplasm resourcesgermplasm for use in the U.S. has alreadythe Canadian Prairies since 2008. AAFC for a diploid potato breeding approach,resulted in 346 lines being made availablescientists are working with Smart Earth this project involves phenotypicallyto breeders. GEM has to date distributedCamelina Corporation in this work. characterizing of wild germplasm for keymore than 25,000 seed samples.DFCC funding also supports the agronomic traits, along with creation of aNorthern Quinoa Production Corporation chromosome-scale reference genome andSPECIFIC PROJECTS IN CANADA to develop four made for Canada quinoa cataloguing of genetic diversity to under- In March, Agriculture and Agri-Foodvarieties by 2023. DFCC is also support-stand the underlying genetic diversity.Canada announced an investment of uping a flax variety development initiative to $750,000 for SeedChange to supportat the University of Saskatchewans Crop ASTA PRIORITIES increase commercial adoption and useDevelopment Centre. Three new varie-Potatoes is one of the priorities thatof Canadian-grown grain and vegeta- ties (two brown and one yellow coloured AmericanSeedTradeAssociationble seed, enhance the practice of farm- seed) will be released next year. (ASTA) has on its government fundinger-led plant breeding methodologies and wish list. Among other recommenda- increase market trade opportunities inA SPECIAL BREEDING PROJECTtions, ASTA would like increased fund- the value chain. The project involvesAAFC notes that Canadian crop breeders ing for the Germplasm Enhancementdemonstration sites across the country tohave made significant progress, with the of Maize (GEM) project. Costs for theevaluate and showcase farmer-bred and/ identification and development of wheat projects research and operations haveor Canadian-grown varieties.varieties with resistance to fusarium both gone up, and there is also a need toSeedChange is a Canadian organi- head blight and wheat midge.establish consistent winter nurseries forzation that delivers tailored projects thatHowever, if those in the Canadian seed increases and regeneration for thehelp Canadians and other farmers aroundagriculture and seed industries were project.the world (about $35,000 in total). Forasked Canadas biggest accomplishment Funding for GEM, a unique pub- three decades, they have assisted saving,in crop breeding, the vast majority would lic-private partnership between thesharing and breeding new seeds, restorepoint to canola, the only crop made in federal government, universities anddegraded lands and soil through regener- Canada. many companies, is currently aboutative techniques and much more. Since its debut about two decades EUROPEAN-SEED.COMIEUROPEAN SEED I 15'