Development of Hardier Varieties of Flax for Canada
Flax, a source of edible oil and more importantly, biofuels will be developed to better adapt to the northern prairie region of Western Canada. The government of Canada and other public and private partners: Viterra, Alberta Innovates - Technology Futures, the BC Grain Producers Association, the Agriculture Development Fund and the Western Grains Research Foundation will be providing funds to the Saskatchewan Flax Development Commission.
Flax will be developed to enhance its tolerance to seeding in cold soils, resist flowering after autumn rain, and rapid drying to facilitate harvest. "Just as canola went from a relatively unknown crop to an extremely popular product through the development of hardy varieties, so too can flax," said Neil Ketilson, Chair of the Agriculture Council of Saskatchewan (ACS).
For more on the news, see details at http://www.agcouncil.ca/caapJan1011.htm.
This article is part of the Crop Biotech Update, a weekly summary of world developments in agri-biotech for developing countries, produced by the Global Knowledge Center on Crop Biotechnology, International Service for the Aquisition of Agri-Biotech Applications SEAsiaCenter (ISAAA)
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