Vladimir Puskaric, retired Research Senior Scientist with Pioneer Hi-Bred Production, Ltd., has been selected as the 2004 recipient of the Canadian Plant Breeding & Genetics Award. Co-sponsored by the Canadian Seed Trade Association (CSTA) and Germination magazine, this award recognizes the outstanding contribution of a Canadian researcher to the advancement of plant agriculture. The award was presented this week at the CSTA's Semi- annual Meeting in Ottawa, Ontario.

Puskaric's tremendous contribution to corn improvement in Canada makes him a truly deserving recipient of this award. He devoted over 30 years at the Research Center in Woodstock, Ontario to advancing corn's adaptation to the temperate and short-season environments that face Canadian farmers. Hailing from the Institute for Genetics and Plant Breeding in Yugoslavia (Croatia), Puskaric focused on developing corn hybrids that were earlier maturing, better adapted to a short season, and had stable performance to deliver economic returns to farmers. By focusing on traits such as early flowering and fast dry-down, Puskaric created 48 hybrids in Canada and the United States that established the measure of stalk quality and grain density for the last 20 years. Several of these hybrids are still the standards against which many new varieties are compared.

"Vlado's breeding program has made a tremendous impact on early corn genetics," says Bill Leask of the Canadian Seed Trade Association. "His work made corn a viable option for farmers in Manitoba and other northern corn growing regions."

"Innovations in plant breeding are the foundation for Canada's important agricultural sector - one that represents more than 8% of our GDP," says Robynne Anderson, publisher of Germination magazine which co-sponsors the award. "Plant breeders definitely deserve national attention."

This is the fourth Plant Breeder's Award CSTA has given.

The Canadian Seed Trade Association is committed to fostering an environment conducive to researching, developing, distributing, and trading seed and associated technologies; with the goal of bettering the choices and successes of our members and their customers.

Germination is the magazine of the Canadian seed industry. It is the first and only magazine aimed specifically at Canada's seed industry and features the latest technological developments, breeding breakthroughs and more.The Plant Breeder’s Award.

The Canadian Seed Trade Association (CSTA) established the Canadian Plant Breeding & Genetics Award to honour a person who has made exceptional contributions to the development of plant breeding and genetics in the private or public sectors in Canada. According to the criteria put out by the CSTA, the recipient must have demonstrated excellence in one or more of the following areas:
• world-class application of the science of plant breeding and genetics;
• applying creativity and commitment to achieving technical success;
• a signifi cant contribution to the advancement of agricultural productivity
in Canada and/or abroad.
The selection committee is made up of three representatives from each of the CSTA Researchers East and West committees and the Executive Vice-President of the CSTA. The panel makes their recommendation to the CSTA Board for ratification. The Canadian Plant Breeding & Genetics Award is co-sponsored by Germination.