Research Priorities

The MCGA Research Committee is interested in supporting researchers’ ability to conduct research that meets growers’ needs.

Thanks to shared funding with our provincial counterparts, MCGA is able to support multiple projects in our Ongoing Areas of Interest, including agronomy research on key issues like clubroot and precision farming, as well as market development, variety assessment, and other research. Research supported by MCGA is ongoing in most of the Ongoing Areas of Interest outlined below.

In order to provide more clarity on the additional research that MCGA is interested to fund, the Research Committee developed a list of Key Priorities for 2021 that would address the most pressing needs identified by Manitoba canola growers. Research proposals are also welcome that address topics in the Ongoing Areas of Interest.

Key Priorities for 2021

1. Flea Beetles
2. Sclerotinia control
3. Storage
4. Fertilizer Use Efficiency
5. Varietal differences for:
   • extreme moisture resilience (drought and flood)
   • pod shatter resistance and consistent rating system
   • wind tolerance

Ongoing Areas of Interest

1. Agronomy Research
   1. Diseases (priorities: clubroot, sclerotinia, blackleg, and verticillium)
      • 1.a.i – Varietal resistance
      • 1.a.ii – Surveillance and Forecasting
      • 1.a.iii – Improved management
      • 1.a.iv – emerging or potential threats
      • 1.a.v – Disease implications
   2. Insects (priorities: flea beetles, swede midge, bertha armyworm, cutworms, diamondback moth)
      • 1.b.i – Surveillance and Forecasting
      • 1.b.ii – Economic thresholds and management
      • 1.b.iii – Beneficial Insects
      • 1.b.iv – emerging or potential threats
   3. Weeds
      • 1.c.i – Emerging or potential threats
      • 1.c.ii – Management Practices
      • 1.c.iii – Surveillance
   4. Agronomic Practices (priorities include practices that cut costs or increase productivity)
      • 1.d.i – Harvest management
      • 1.d.ii – Fertilizer efficiency and optimization
      • 1.d.iii – Seed survivability and establishment
      • 1.d.iv – Precision farming
      • 1.d.v – Soil Health
      • 1.d.vi – Storage Management
      • 1.d.vii – Sustainable Production
      • 1.d.viii – Extreme moisture management
      • 1.d.ix – New product evaluation
2. Market Development
   • 2.a – Canola oil
   • 2.b – Canola meal for livestock
   • 2.c – Canola meal for protein
   • 2.d – Canola-based biodiesel
   • 2.e – Other canola products
3. Variety Assessment
   • 3.a – Flood tolerant canola
   • 3.b – Post commercial variety evaluation
   • 3.c – NEW: Pre Commercial Variety Assessment

4. Other Research
   • 4.a – Human health benefits
   • 4.b – Animal health benefits
   • 4.c – NEW: Research Communications and Extension