Swift Current Research and Development Centre

  • Cereal

 

The Swift Current Research and Development Centre (Swift Current RDC) was established in 1920 in Swift Current, Saskatchewan. It is one of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada's (AAFC) network of 20 research and development centres.

The Centre is associated with two satellite locations:

  • Indian Head Research Farm (IHRF), Indian Head, SK; and

  • Prairie Directorate Regina Office, Regina, SK

Areas of Research

Swift Current RDC focuses on developing varieties of spring wheat and durum; agronomic research into pulses and specialty crops; environmentally-sustainable production practices; and improved nutrition for pasture-fed beef. It also leads initiatives on bio-products, environmental stewardship and sustainable development, including mitigating the impact of climate change and maximizing producer returns, while reducing agricultural impacts on the environment.

Search Research projects from the Swift Current Research and Development Centre to learn more about what we do.

Sector Needs

The Swift Current RDC carries out innovative research, development, technology and knowledge transfer activities in support of the AAFC's Strategic Plan for Science, which include:

Research on spring and durum wheat includes genomics-assisted breeding, incorporating resistance to pre-harvest sprouting and weather-related damage, mitigating weather- and disease-induced loss of market value and food quality, and reducing losses from pests and disease, with special emphasis on Fusarium Head Blight and abiotic stresses.

Swift Current RDC is a Centre of Excellence for Rangeland Management of Beef. Research includes native forage breeding, production and management; riparian ecology and biodiversity; and ecologically based approaches and solutions that support sustainable agricultural systems. The Centre is home to the only facility in Canada that tests the salinity tolerance of plants.

Integrated cropping systems and best management practices for cereals, pulses, forages and woody species are enhancing environmental performance and sustainability, improving agriculture water inputs and sustainable water use practices, developing irrigation and drainage technologies, and integrating trees with crops and livestock.

Meet our Scientists

Find out more about the scientists at Swift Current Research and Development Centre through their profiles below.

You can also visit the Fields of Science campaign featuring 11 Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada scientists from coast to coast. Discover why they chose to pursue a career in agriculture and learn more about their research.

1 Airport Road
Swift Current, SK S9H 3X2
Canada
(306) 770-4400

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Scientists and researchers

Image Aklilu Alemu
Research Scientist
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

 

Image Bill Houston
Senior Range and Forage Biologist
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

 

Image Barbara Cade-Menun
Research Scientist
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

 

Image Fardausi (Shathi) Akhter
Research Scientist
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

 

Image Jillian Bainard
Research Scientist
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

 

Image Chao (Tony) Yang
Research Biologist
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

 

Chemist
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

 

Image François Philippe Teste
Research Scientist - Soil Ecology
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

 

Image Jatinder Singh Sangha
Research Scientist
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

 

Research Scientist
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

 

Research Scientist
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

 

Image Michelle Hubbard
Research Scientist - Pulse Pathology
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

 

Research Scientist
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

 

Image Shanna Quilichini
Salinity Laboratory Lead Biologist
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

 

Research Biologist
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

 

Publications

  1. https://agbio.usask.ca/soilsncrops/

    2024 - View publication details

  2. K.D. Singh, S.D. Noble, P. Ravichandran, K. Halcro, R. Soolanayakanahally, J. Sangha, E. Brauer, K.T. Nilsen, O. Molina, H.S. Randhawa, R. Ortega Polo, C. Workman, S. Pahari, “Unmanned Ground Vehicle for High-throughput Phenotyping to Quantify Field Crops Characteristics”, NAPPN Annual Conference, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA, February, 2024 (Hybrid); https://doi.org/10.22541/essoar.170008912.21420303/v1

    2024 - View publication details

  3. S.R. Asselin, S.M. Quilichini, B. Biligetu and D.J. Cattani. (2024). Evaluation of Salinity Tolerance in Global Accessions of Intermediate Wheatgrass (Thinopyrum intermedium (Host) Barkworth & D.R. Dewey) Germplasm. 31st Annual Plant and Animal Genome Conference, San Diego, CA., USA. January 11th-17th, 2024.

    2024 - View publication details

  4. Bertrand, A., Claessens, A., Baron, V., Thériault, M., Rocher, S., Asselin. S. 2023. Evaluation of alfalfa populations selected for reduced fall dormancy in a frequent cutting trial. 35th EUCARPIA FCAG Section Conference, September 10-14 2023, Brno, Czech Republic.

    2023 - View publication details

  5. Liu, K., and B.L. Ma. 2023. Towards a sustainable food production system: The role of pulse in sustainable food supply chain. Invited oral presentation at the 2023 Canada-Taiwan Bilateral Conference on ESG and Sustainable Development in the Food Industry Supply Chain. National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan. September 22

    2023 - View publication details

  6. Eranthodi A, Overy D, Harris LJ, Hubbard M, Schwinghamer T, *Chatterton S, *Foroud NA. Effect of cereal-pulse rotations on Fusarium avenaceum pathogenicity. 12th International Congress of Plant Pathology. Paris, FRANCE. August 20-25, 2023.

    2023 - View publication details

  7. Machado, P. V. F., Lemke, R. L., Alemu, A. W., Baron, V. S., Farrell, R. E., Iwaasa, A. D., Liang, B. C., Schoenau, J. Nitrous Oxide Emissions from Grazing Animal Excreta in Pastures under Dry Climate. In: CSSS 2023 – Soils go Digital! June 25 – 30. Truro, Nova Scotia, Canada.

    2023 - View publication details

  8. Sangha, J. S. Randhawa, H. Cuthbert, R. D. Dhaliwal, R. Wang W. (2023). Selection of heat and drought stress tolerance in a diverse bread wheat panel. The Canadian Tri-Society meeting CPS-CSA-CSHS), June 17 to 21 2023, Ottawa, ON.

    2023 - View publication details

  9. Asselin., S.R., Breeding native plants for forage and reclamation: challenges and prospects. The 13th Prairie Conservation and Endangered Species Conference. Calgary, Alberta, Canada, Feb. 21st-23rd 2023.

    2023 - View publication details

  10. Khakbazan, M., Liu, K., Strydhorst, S. 2023. A systems approach to more sustainable crop production in Western Canada. Resilient Rotations: Net Revenue, Northern Prairies Rotation Factsheets, Western Grain Research Foundations. Available at: wgrf.ca/resilient-rotations- factsheet/

    2023 - View publication details