The Rural Voice, 2003-02, Page 259i
Richard Ross
heard back from dairy farmers
who've said the protein content in
their milk has risen anywhere from
10 to 25 per cent.
Kucyk welcomes anyone willing
to sponsor studies to evaluate his
open -pollinated lines both in the field
and as a feed. He's provided seed to
Agriculture Canada related to early
varieties and researchers at three U.S.
universities are working with it.
Kucyk and Ross view on-farm
breeding primarily from a standpoint
of practicality. Dr. Neil Stoskopf and
Dr. Raoul Robinson express a
broader view as they talk about the
democratization of the seed industry.
"Plant breeding can be self -
organized and democratic," says
Robinson, an internationally -
recognized plant breeder now retired
to Fergus.
Stoskopf and Robinson feel
farmers can successfully develop
crop varieties on their own by
emphasizing traits that major seed
industry players may be Tess
interested in. For example, varieties
can be developed that are region -
specific or even farm -specific
relating to a specific combination of
soil and microclimate.
Varieties might also be developed
that better accommodate non -
conventional practices such as
organic or ecological management.
For example, Robinson sees much
value in developing horizontal
resistance in food crops.
Robinson explains that the
development of horizontal resistance
in a crop is a time-consuming
undertaking and probably has more
benefit to farmers than to the
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FEBRUARY 2003 21