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Wheat Information Service
Number 86: 1-5 (1998)
Review article

Wheat Production and Research in Canada

D. R. Knott

Department of Crop Science and Plant Ecology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK Canada S7N 5A8


Introduction

The Ninth International Wheat Genetics Symposium will be held in Canada at the University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, August 2-7, 1998. This paper is intended to provide wheat researchers with background information about wheat production and wheat research in Canada.

Wheat Production

The major wheat growing area of Canada is the central prairie or great plains area, primarily the provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. The area is noted for its hot, dry summers, short growing season and very cold winters. Precipitation ranges from about 300 to 450 cm in different regions. Unfortunately, water resources are limited and a relatively small area is irrigated. In this area, most of the wheat produced has a spring growth habit. A small area of winter wheat has been grown in southwestern Alberta for many years. In most of the rest of the area, the winters were considered to be too cold to permit the regular survival of even the hardiest winter wheat cultivars. However, over the last 20 years the development of appropriate production methods has resulted in an increase in the acreage of winter wheat. The key step is the planting of winter wheat early and in stubble to trap snow and protect the young plants.

The other major wheat producing area is Ontario (eastern Canada) where production has been largely soft, white winter wheat, but increasing amounts of soft red winter wheat are being grown. The winters in Ontario are much less harsh and many winter wheat cultivars will survive.

For the past five years, about 11-12 million hectares have been planted to wheat in Canada. Production has been about 25-30 million tonnes per year. Of this, just over 2 million hectares and 3.3 to 4.6 million tonnes have been durum wheat. In Ontario production has been about 1 million tonnes on about 0.3 million hectares.

Wheat Exports

For many years Canada has been noted for its production and export of high protein, hard red spring wheat. It is particularly valuable for mixing with softer, lower protein, wheats for the making of bread. Western Europe, and particularly Great Britain, was the major market. However, the agricultural policies of the European Economic Community resulted in the loss of much of this market. Fortunately, other markets have opened up in Asia (particularly China, Japan and Iran), north Africa and eastern Europe (particularly Russia until recently). Canada is also the world's major exporter of durum wheat, particularly to countries around the Mediterranean.

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