BMBRI Announces Research Grants for 2013-14

New research grants for 2013-14 to a total value of $115,000 have been approved BMBRI’s Board of Directors and Technical Committee.  “BMBRI is very pleased that the major portion of our approved research grants for 2013-14 are for malting barley breeding and research projects that will be part of the new five-year Canadian Barley Research Cluster being funded under the government of Canada’s Agri-Innovation Program (AIP).  AAFC has announced a commitment of close to $8 million federal funding for a range of projects in this barley research cluster to match about $3 million  commitments from grower and industry funding partners (including BMBRI).  This provides excellent leverage for BMBRI members’ investment.  Under this AIP barley research cluster, there is potential for BMBRI funding to continue for specific BMBRI priority projects over the next five years.  However BMBRI’s funding is subject to annual recommendation by BMBRI’s Technical Committee and annual budget approval by BMBRI’s Board of Directors, “ said BMBRI President and CEO Michael Brophy

“BMBRI’s members want to support research that will, in the long term, make barley a competitive choice for Prairie grain growers in their crop rotation, while at the same time maintain or improve malting and brewing quality,” added Mr. Brophy.  The following projects being supported through BMBRI grants for 2013-14 support this desire.

AIP Barley Cluster Projects in which BMBRI will be a funding partner:

Breeding Two-row Malting Barley Cultivars for Western Canada
Dr. Bill Legge, AAFC Brandon

Barley Germplasm with Improved FHB Resistance
Dr. Bill Legge, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Brandon

Breeding Two-Row Feed and Malting Barley Varieties
Dr. Aaron Beattie, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon

Association Mapping for Agronomic Traits in Two-Row Barley (malting)
Dr. Aaron Beattie, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon

Scald Resistance Gene Mapping and Breeding
Dr. Aaron Beattie, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon

Enhancing selection for malting quality in two-rowed and hulless barley
Dr. Pat Juskiw, Alberta Agriculture Field Crop Development Centre, Lacombe

Feed and Malting barley: Linking Enzymes to Disease Resistance
Feed and Malting barley: Linking Enzymes to Disease Resistance

Effect of rate and timing of a pre-harvest glyphosate application on seed germination, yield and quality of malting barley
Dr. John O’Donovan, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Lacombe

Effect of plant growth regulator (PGR) application on yield and quality of malting barley
Dr. John O’Donovan, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Lacombe

Dr. John O’Donovan, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Lacombe
Dr. John O’Donovan, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Lacombe

Development of improved cultural practices for malting barley production in Eastern
Dr. Aaron Mills, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Charlettetown

Other projects which will be funded by BMBRI in 2013-14 (outside of the AIP Barley Cluster)

Assess the impacts of low temperatures on seed germination and seedling performance of spring barley and identify molecular markers for cold hardiness toward the breeding of high and stable yielding varieties and malting quality of spring barley in Canada
Dr. Ludovic Capo-Chichi, Bioresource Technologies Business Unit, Alberta Innovates – Technology Futures, Vegreville

BMBRI represents national, regional and local craft brewing companies, malting companies and related value chain stakeholders from Canada and across North America that help produce and use Canadian malting barley or malt.  The organization focuses on pre-competitive breeding, research and development needs that affect all members such as ensuring raw material supplies through better varieties and production practices.   In addition to grants for research BMBRI also undertakes and invests member funds towards important collaborative malting evaluation of elite malting barley breeder lines and reports on these tests to the official variety registration process in Canada.

This grant funding is made possible from financial contributions from the following current BMBRI members:
Brewing Company Members: Anheuser-Busch InBev, Big Rock Brewery,  New Belgium Brewing Company Inc., Sleeman Breweries, Sierra Nevada Brewing, Great Western Brewing Company
Northhampton Brewing Company, PEI Brewing Company, Jasper Brewing Company, Phillips Brewing Company
Malting Company Members: Malteurop North America Inc., Rahr Malting Canada Ltd, Canada Malting Co., Prairie Malt Limited
Associate Members: Alberta Barley Commission, Canterra Seeds, FP Genetics, Viterra, SeCan, Syngenta Seeds Canada

BMBRI’s commitment to supporting vibrant, innovative, industry-focused researchers and institutions working in malting barley breeding and related science within Canada has been a priority since its foundation in 1948.  For additional information regarding the projects that have been previously funded, please visit www.bmbri.ca and click on ‘Research Funding.’

 

For further information on this year’s projects, please contact Michael Brophy at 204-927-1401 or the principle investigators the projects listed above:

 

Michael Brophy , President and CEO
Brewing and Malting Barley Research Institute
P.O. Box 1497, Station Main
Winnipeg , Manitoba R3C 2Z4
Ph: 204-927-1401
Email: mbrophy@bmbri.ca
www.bmbri.ca