Western Canadian farmers could benefit from new experimental canola lines that feature a hairy leaf surface to ward off flea beetles.

Scientists at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada in Saskatoon will work over the next three years to develop canola germplasm with this characteristic and additional protection against drought. The research is supported by a grant from the Endowment Fund, administered by Western Grains Research Foundation (WGRF).

"Flea beetle resistant canola will provide western Canadian farmers with a means to secure and increase the safe supply of one of their most important crops," says Dr. Margaret Gruber, lead researcher on the project. "Resistant varieties are expected to lead to an expansion of canola acreage and a greater share of national and international oilseed and oil crush markets."

Plant breeders and entomologists have struggled for years to develop canola germplasm with effective resistance to flea beetles, which feed voraciously on seedling tissues and ultimately destroy the crop. "Canola germplasm with deterence to flea beetle feeding will provide durable resistance that could be easily combined with other sources," says Gruber.

In previous work by Gruber and colleagues, also supported by the Endowment Fund, the scientists introduced into canola lines two Arabidopsis genes that stimulate trichome development. One gene was shown to produce a good density of trichomes, but reduced the plant's growth potential. The researchers then reintroduced this gene into canola under the control of a promoter, which may help reduce these growth problems. The dense trichomes may also help with drought resistance.

Despite this and other progress, the highest trichome density in the experimental lines has not yet been high enough to provide strong resistance to flea beetles, says Gruber. In the new extended project, researchers plan to further improve the density and coverage of the canola seedling trichome mat.

Approximately $150M damage occurs annually to the Canadian canola crop from flea beetles, despite $40M spent annually on chemical control of these pests. "At present, there is no useful canola germplasm available to breed flea beetle resistant canola, and deregulation has restricted the use of two major chemicals used to control flea beetles," says Gruber. Canola varieties with a built-in flea beetle defense can save farmers millions annually by providing an effective and cost-efficient alternative.

Improving drought resistance is also key, she says. "Drought resistance would reduce the uncertainty of weather on the growth of canola, and extend the crop's growing area into the southern parts of the Prairie."

The Endowment Fund, the original core fund of WGRF, has supported a wealth of crop knowledge, technology and innovation to benefit the western grain industry since 1983. Reports on the approximately 200 projects the Fund has supported since that time are available on the WGRF Web site.