A focus on disease resistance
Introduction
While the Prairies are often referred to as “the world’s granary” due to the amount of wheat grown here, pulse crops – such as peas, lentils, dry beans and chickpeas – are also a significant part of the local agricultural economy, says Sabine Banniza, professor and pulse pathologist at the CDC.
Disease pressure and its impact
A major factor that can affect the environmental and economic performance on farms is disease pressure, notes Dr. Banniza. “Diseases can cause significant yield losses, from an average of about 40 per cent to a complete wipeout of 100 per cent, so that’s a big issue. For some diseases, we do not have chemical solutions, so we have to take a different approach.”
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
One of the “most environmentally friendly methods of managing diseases is resistance breeding,” she says. “Disease resistance, to enhance a plant’s ability to fight off disease, is high on the list of breeding objectives since it can lead to stable farm productivity in the long run.”
Plant breeding and molecular research
Plant breeding includes resistance screening, trying to find strains of a plant species with natural resistance, as well as cross-breeding with wild relatives to transfer resistance into varieties that can be useful for commercial production, she says. “To make the process more efficient and faster, we use molecular research to decipher what genes convey resistance to the plant.”
SDGs, Targets and Indicators
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SDG 2: Zero Hunger
- Target 2.4: By 2030, ensure sustainable food production systems and implement resilient agricultural practices that increase productivity and production, that help maintain ecosystems, that strengthen capacity for adaptation to climate change, extreme weather, drought, flooding and other disasters, and that progressively improve land and soil quality.
- Indicator: None mentioned in the article.
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SDG 15: Life on Land
- Target 15.1: By 2020, ensure the conservation, restoration and sustainable use of terrestrial and inland freshwater ecosystems and their services, in particular forests, wetlands, mountains and drylands, in line with obligations under international agreements.
- Indicator: None mentioned in the article.
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Fuente: news.usask.ca
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