Dr. Dilantha FernandoProfessor

3

Introduction to the CIDA project:

The overall goal is to consolidate and extend links between two of the worlds foremost and recognized institutes in canola/rapeseed research – Huazhong Agricultural University in Wuhan, Hubei, China and University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.

4

The cash contribution

More than half a million dollars (Can $ 591,693.92) was allocated over 5 years towards this project to build capacity of the Chinese institution through this linkage with the Canadian institution.

5

Other sources of funding/support

Ministry of Education in China

Ministry of Foreign Economic Relations & Trade China

Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada

Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China

University of Manitoba

Foreign Affairs Office of HAU in China 6

The true facts in collaborations

Mutually beneficial academic exchanges

Training

Quality research

Publications

Product (i.e. Cultivar) and methods development

7

5-year CIDA Project (1995 – 1999)

Canola / Oilseed Rape Improvement Project between Key Laboratory for oilseed rape /Huazhong Agriculture University and Dept. Plant Science /UM

Dr. Roger Rimmer

Dr. Rachael Scarth

Dr. Dilantha Fernando

8

9

Why canola/oilseed rape?

Are we on the right track?

Zero Trans Fats

15

The main Oilseed Crop in Canada

19.5 Billion in revenueTo the Canadian economy

Annually

16

Canola – The Health Facts

Healthy Oil – Healthy Market

Taco Bell switch – to canola oil from partially hydrogenated soybean oil

KFC – Yum Brands – to canola oil

Food industry uses 5 billion pounds of partially hydrogenated soybean oil which is high in Trans fat and higher in saturated fats compared to high-stability canola oil (Nexera by Dow AgroSciences and Bunge Oils)

Canola is a Canadian Success Story!!

Dr. Baldur Stefansson

U of M

Dr. Keith Downey

SRS AAFC

Canola

Liho: low erucic acid genetic source (Stefansson, Hougen

and Downey 1961)

Bronowski: low glucosinolate genetic source (Stefansson and Downey 1967)

Low erucic acid, low glucosinolate rapeseed

“Canola” (Tower 1974, Regent 1977, Stefansson)

20

Canola has a future!

1. Qualified Health Claim for Canola Oil by FDA;

2. Bio diesel from Canola

Canada- China: Common interest in

Global Canola/Rapeseed Production

EU2736%

India11%

China 21%

Australia3%

US1%

Ukraine3%

Canada20%

Other5%

EU27

India

China

Australia

US

Ukraine

Canada

Other

Why target U of M and HAU?

• The reputation of rapeseed research at both institutes is excellent.

• Both have world renowned scientists working in the areas of breeding, pathology and molecular genetics.

• In addition, both have renowned scientists in food science (foods), nutritional science (oil) and animal science (meal) and in functional foods (nutraceuticals)

Main uses of canola/oilseed rape

• Edible Oil – for human consumption as an edible cooking oil and many other products (i.e. margarine)

• Meal – as animal feed

– Poultry diets

– Pig diets

– Dairy and beef cattle diets

– Aquaculture diets

– Other animal diets

Women as Primary Beneficiaries

• Canola is less labor intensive. As most able bodied young men seek work outside of rural areas and travel to major cities, agricultural land care is left mostly to the women. As canola is less labor intensive, it fits the work load

• HAU varieties in 2000: to be about 0.47 million annually. If each women labor force grows 0.5 ha on average, HAU concluded that about 1 million women directly benefit from this project annually.

• Also, HAU’s breeding strategies require seed production annually. The women employed are 80% of the 50 hired.

Hybrid seed production

• This needs to be in isolation.

• The villagers in Anhui, Henan and Hubei are involved in the hybrid seed production to sell the seed to seed companies.

– Increased their income

– Better schools for their children

– 5% increase in income directly attributed to the project.

Key outcomes of the Rapeseed Science Cooperation project

Improvements in rapeseed genetics and breeding

Canola quality (mainly moving to Double Low cultivars)

Canola yield (with the development of hybrid varieties)

Yellow seed coat canola – (increases the oil content greatly)

Improvements in Disease Protection

Finding sources for Disease resistance to Sclerotinia

Breeding for Disease Resistance to Blackleg

Improvements in Processing and meal utilization

Promoting International Cooperation

30

Other outcomes from the project

The partnership enabled Chinese farmers to increase their acreage and price per ha with new and improved canola-quality oilseed rape.

High quality training of young Chinese scientists – many have won prestigious awards, released varieties and some have secured top positions in administration.

The Canadian academics have benefited immensely through the training of HQP from HAU and being able to work in China with HAU academics and farmers beyond the CIDA funded period.

31

Conference: The Grand Finale

32

33

My involvement in the project

Develop Resistance to Diseases

34

35

36

Educating Farmers to Look for Sclerotinia Disease in Sunflower

in Linhe, Inner Mongolia

Teaching Graduate Students to Look for Disease in Sunflower

at Inner Mongolia Academy of Agriculture Sciences, Huhhot

In a molecular biology lab at North West Agriculture

And Forestry University in Yangling, Shanxi China

Dr. Fernando: Other involvement

Also give lectures to undergraduate and graduate students at HAU

Collaborative visits – 14 times in the past 12 years

Train scientists from HAU in my lab

Prof. Wu Jingsheng (one year) - breeder

Dr. Tu Jinxing (one year) - molecular breeder

43

Other collaborations beyond the CIDA

Further collaborations with many other universities and institutes

Yunnan University, Kunming

Inner Mongolia Academy of Ag. Sci.

Oilscrops Research Institute – CAAS

Nanjing Agriculture University

Jiangsu Academy of Agriculture Sci

Northwest Ag and Forestry University

44

Inner Mongolia Academy of Ag. Sci– Dr. Li Ziqin

Sponsored by Inner Mongolia Foreign Expert Bureau, Inner Mongolia Government, the projects: Sclerotinia boicontrol, canola blackleg resistance and potato disease control.

Dr. Li Ziqin did his PhD research in my lab and obtained his PhD in 2008.

45

Jiangsu Academy of Ag. Sci. – Prof. Ma Hongxiang

The project is funded by the Ministry of Science and Technology in China

‘Integrated strategy for Fusarium mycotoxinmanagement in wheat by using a combination of varietal resistance and biological control’.

The total financial support is 1, 000, 000RMB.

Two young scientists trained in my lab on this project since November 2010 – each for 1 year.

I have visited Nanjing for collaborative discussions and research and teaching.

46

47

HAU – College of Life Science – Dr. Yu Cai Liao

The name of the proposal: High throughout immunological and molecular detection of Fusarium mycotoxins, that is supported by The Ministry of Education.

The funding is $10,000.

I spent 1 month teaching/research

48

49

Anhui Academy of Ag Sci: Prof. Hu Baocheng

The name of project is "Protection of Brassicas in China by preventing invasion of Blackleg - Leptosphaeria maculans“

The project granting agency: Anhui Foreign Expert Bureau.

Visited China twice in 2009 and 2010 –research collaboration and teaching

Two scientists visited my lab in 2010 summer

50

51

Blackleg Disease

52

53

AWARDS AND RECOGNITION

54

Receiving an award from the IMAAS, Huhhot, China

56

U of M’s Canola/HEAR Achievements

World’s First Double low canola variety Low erucic acid, low glucosinolate rapeseed

“Canola” (Tower 1974, Regent 1977, Stefansson)

World’s First Roundup Ready HEAR

HYHEAR 1: World’s First HEAR Hybrid - 2013

Acknowledgments

• Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences

• University of Manitoba

• Harminer Dhanjal – for sharing the CIDA File

62

Thank You!