Dr. Fred Townley-Smith, Research Scientist Emeritus with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, has been selected as the 2005 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 Calgary, Alberta.

Townley-Smith’s enthusiasm for developing improved wheat varieties for Canadian farmers makes him a truly deserving recipient of this award. His breeding career started with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada in Swift Current in 1968 and he went on to release more than 25 cereal varieties. These included wheat varieties that have benefited farmers through drought, sprouting, rust, and midge resistance, along with early maturity and a new class of wheat in Canada – hard white wheat. Considered his greatest achievement, Townley-Smith released two hard white wheat varieties with bread and noodle making qualities similar to red spring wheat and excellent sprouting resistance – something not considered possible in white wheat. Snowbird was released in 2000, followed by Kanata a year later – allowing Canada to compete with the U.S. and Australia in the hard white wheat market. Quality Assured Seeds won the rights to market this wheat under an identity-preserved program, and just this spring they achieved one million acres planted.

In terms of durum wheat, Townley-Smith’s biggest breakthrough was the variety Kyle, which has dominated Canadian durum production since 1988. While working at AAFC’s Cereal Research Centre in Winnipeg he focused his efforts on rust resistance, releasing several varieties and developing a wealth of material that can be used as germplasm for future work on the disease. He also developed wheat varieties with resistance to sprouting, including AC Domain, AC Majestic, Harvest, and Superb.

“Townley-Smith’s wheat breeding accomplishments have had a tremendous effect on Canadian agriculture,” says Bill Leask of the Canadian Seed Trade Association. “The superior cultivars he developed expanded options for farmers, diversified our wheat markets, and enhanced our nation’s reputation for supplying high quality wheat.”

“Innovations in plant breeding deserve national attention,” says Robynne Anderson, publisher of Germination magazine which co-sponsors the award. “It is the foundation for Canada’s important agricultural sector – which represents more than 8% of our GDP.”

This is the fifth 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 its 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.