BMBRI Announces Researches Grants for 2011-12

A new round of research funding from the Brewing and Malting Barley Research Institute (BMBRI) aims to build a more compelling economic and agronomic case for farmers to maintain and expand barley acres.

“We recognize that barley acreage has fallen over the past several years, and our members want to contribute to research what will make the crop a better choice for Prairie grain growers, while at the same time improving malting and brewing quality,” said BMBRI president and CEO Michael Brophy. “Our board of directors has approved research grants to a total of $92,000 in the current year for projects ultimately related to the improvement of malting barley varieties, barley production and processing quality.”

BMBRI represents brewing and malting companies from Canada and across North America who buy and use Canadian malting barley or malt, and related industry stakeholders. The group focuses on pre-competitive issues that affect all companies such as ensuring adequate crop supplies through better varieties and production practices, and gives the industry members a way to fund this work jointly.

The following five malting barley related research projects were approved for funding in 2011-12 to be undertaken by the specified scientists and institution:

Saturation of Barley Chromosomes with Transposons to Target Malting Quality Traits
(3rd year of BMBRI funding)
Department of Plant Science, McGill University, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec.
Project lead – Dr. Jaswinder Singh

Characterization and quantification of arabinoxylans in Canadian malting barley
(2nd year of BMBRI funding)
GRL – Canadian Grain Commission (CGC), Winnipeg, Manitoba
Project lead – Dr. Marta Izydorczyk

Improvement of malting barley quality characteristics through production of more homogeneous seed that results in better endosperm modification
(2nd year of BMBRI funding)
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC), Lacombe, Alberta
Project lead – Dr. J.T. O’Donovan

Detection of partial resistance in barley to Fusarium Head Blight using multiple assays
Alberta Agriculture Field Crop Development Centre, Lacombe, Alberta
Project lead – Dr. Pat Juskiw

Characterization of beta glucanase activity in Canadian two-row malting barley and identification of molecular markers linked to higher beta glucanase activity
University of Saskatchewan Crop Development Centre
Project lead – Dr. Aaron Beattie

This grant funding is made possible by contributions from the following BMBRI members: Brewing Company Members: Anheuser-Busch InBev, Big Rock Brewery, MolsonCoors Canada, New Belgium Brewing Company Inc., Sleeman Breweries, Sierra Nevada Brewing, Great Western 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

“These grants support research that focus on important industry needs at the grower production, breeding and at the processing quality levels,” says Brophy. “This funding will assist the individual researchers to leverage further significant funding from other federal and provincial funding agencies.”

Over the past six years, BMBRI has provided nearly half-a-million dollars in grants to research and development projects related to malting barley breeding, production and innovations in the science of malting and brewing. This BMBRI funding has leveraged about $1.8 million from other agencies and sources over the same period.

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 it was founded 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 any of the principle investigators:

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