Molecular characterization of low-temperature tolerance in cereals

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About 84% of the arable land in Canada is located in the three Prairie Provinces: Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Spring-seeded crops dominate the Prairie acreage, but winter crops like winter wheat has lately emerged as a complement. Fall-seeded crops have the advantage of an early out-growth in spring which extends the growing season and results in higher yields than spring-seeded crops. For winter wheat, a low production cost in combination with environmental and ecological benefits are additional arguments for increased acreage. However, the winter survival potential in current winter wheat cultivars is inadequate to consistently survive extreme cold winter temperatures. Therefore, development of varieties with improved winter survival will benefit winter wheat production. In addition, the cold-hardiness traits could also be transferred to spring-seeded crops susceptible to early spring or late summer frosts that reduce grain yield and quality.