The Rural Voice, 1978-09, Page 25Research looks at
winter barley varieties
The discovery of a high -yielding variety
of winter barley could open up the future
for this versatile crop in Ontario.
Crop scientists at the Ridgetown College
of Agricultural Technology tested 105
breeders' lines this year as part of an
on-going search for new varieties. This
research is partly funded by the Ontario
Ministry of Agriculture and Food.
Some of. the new lines tested showed
higher yields than Huron, the only variety
now recommended for Ontario, says Arend
Smid, crop scientist at the college.
"Huron yields from 85 to 100 bushels
per acre, while some of the new lines
yielded 112 bushels per acre," he says.
It takes more than higher yields to
satisfy researchers. Resistance to disease
and to lodging are also important.
"We've found that many of the
higher -yielding lines have a greater
tendency to lodge," says Dr. Smid. '
Winterkill is a problem that affects
winter barley to a greater extent than
winter wheat, so resistance to winterkill is
an important requirement in the selection
process.
With the development of a variety that
meets these requirements, there is great
potential for the crop, say Dr. Smid.
"Although winter barley can be grown
successfully in areas with more than 2700
heat units, only 15,000 acres were planted
in 1976-77. There is a potential for 350,000
acres."
Winter barley yields at least 15 per cent
more than spring barley, and Dr. Smid
believes it has promise as a feed
alternative.
There are other advantages. Winter
barley works well in a double cropping
program. Farmers can plant the barley in
the fall and harvest it as silage in late June
or as mature grain in early July. Then the
field can be planted to early -maturing corn
or field beans.
Like all fall -seeded crops, winter barley
reduces the farmer's workload in the
spring and eliminates the wait while fields
dry to workable condition.
Farm woman provides
university fellowships
The generosity of a rural Ontario woman
will benefit agricultural education and
research in Canada through a half million
dollar bequest to the University of Guelph.
Three annual fellowships of $12,000 each
will be awarded for Ph.D. (Doctoral)
studies in agriculture at the Ontario
Agricultural College, Univer sity of Guelph
as the result of a bequest by Edythe P.
Soden, a woman who managed her
360 -acre farm in Durham County, Ontario,
until she was nearly 90.
The first Soden Memorial Fellowships
will be awarded in the fall of 1978, a little
more than a year after Mrs. Soden died at
92 years of age. They will go to graduate
students with high academic proficiency
and a demonstrated ability in independent
study.
At present the number of Ph.D.
graduates in agriculture are insufficient for
positions in government and agricultural
research at universities in Canada. The
situation is expected to get worse, rather
than better, in the near future.
Mrs. Soden continued to operate the
360 -acre farm near Greenwood for almost
30 years after the death of her husband,
John, in 1945. In 1974, the last year she
farmed, she had 60 head of cattle, as well
as chickens, ducks and free flying geese.
Edythe Soden was an active supporter of
the Women's Institute and a member of
the Claremont Co-operative. Earlier in her
life she,was a music teacher at the Toronto
Conservatory of Music. She had no close
living relatives, and chose to benefit
society by giving the bulk of her estate to
endow scholarships in agriculture.
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THE RURAL VOICE/SEPTEMBER 1978 PG.25