Calgary, Alta. (Rural Roots Canada) – Alberta Grains is in the second year of a three-year project looking at how different wheat and barley varieties respond to in-season fungicide applications.

The Advanced Management Trials involve six wheat and four barley varieties, with trials focused on high-yield scenarios, including an irrigated site near Taber, Alberta.

Autumn Barnes is an agronomist and contractor for Alberta Grains, working on the project.

“We think that different varieties of cereals may respond to fungicide applications in season in different ways,” says Barnes. “Our current regional variety trials only look at crops that have not been sprayed with fungicide, so they’re really looking at yield in this unsprayed fungicide condition.”

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The goal is to determine whether certain varieties respond differently when fungicide is applied at key stages.

Barnes says the research could help farmers make more informed decisions about an application that isn’t cheap.

“They want to be relevant. The seed companies want to understand their products better. And so the fact that they jumped on it and were willing to bring their varieties in and come and participate is really important.”

Data from this year’s trials is expected to be released this winter, with final findings from the three-year project expected in 2027.