Canada may expand durum wheat acreage with new ergot-resistant variety

A new Canadian durum wheat variety with resistance to ergot is already being multiplied on seed plots, with full commercialization planned for 2027.

Unveiled at the Ag in Motion exhibition, the first Canadian durum wheat variety classified as resistant to ergot could expand cultivation into prairie regions where durum is not typically grown, write Miranda Leybourne and Robert Arnason for the Canadian agri-portal Grainews. According to Anne Kirk, cereal crop specialist with Manitoba Agriculture, stronger ergot resistance may spark increased farmer interest in durum within the province.

Durum production is limited in Manitoba. Statistics Canada reports that last year farmers in the province seeded about 9,800 hectares of durum, harvesting around 35,588 tonnes — a small fraction of total wheat acres. By comparison, in 2024 Saskatchewan planted 2.07 million hectares of spring wheat and harvested 4.48 million tonnes, while Alberta farmers produced 1.29 million tonnes from 475,400 hectares.

Wetter conditions in the eastern prairies, along with disease risk and related quality issues, are key reasons for the gap between durum and spring wheat. Of particular concern are toxin-producing diseases such as fusarium head blight and ergot, leading Manitoba producers to favor less susceptible spring wheat varieties.

The new genetics presented at Ag in Motion in Langham, Saskatchewan, aim to close this gap. AAC Frontier is positioned as Canada’s first durum wheat variety resistant to ergot. It also has intermediate resistance to fusarium head blight, stem rust, and stripe rust. The variety was bred at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s Swift Current Research and Development Centre under lead breeder Yuefeng Ruan and was officially registered last year. Commercial rights are currently held by SeCan.

“When we spoke with durum growers, they told us that after fusarium, ergot is the second most important factor reducing durum quality,” said Todd Hira, SeCan’s sales manager for Western Canada.

The variety is now in the seed multiplication stage for full commercialization. Seed growers in southern Saskatchewan and Alberta are currently producing it, with a commercial launch expected in 2027.

Beyond farmer interest in Manitoba, improving disease resistance could also help Canadian durum gain a stronger foothold in global markets. Moroccan grain processors, who buy Canadian durum for couscous production, place particular emphasis on grain color. Rachid Chamcham of the Federation Nationale De La Minoterie (National Federation of Millers) in Morocco explained during the 2025 Flour Milling Summit in Swift Current: “Moroccan millers are looking for semolina with a bright golden-yellow color — the distinctive sign of high-quality durum. That’s why they prefer Canadian amber durum, especially CWAD No. 1.”

This makes dark fungal sclerotia, a telltale sign of ergot, an increasing concern. Moroccan buyers inspect semolina — flour milled from durum — for the presence of dark specks.

“Such counts are often a mandatory quality-control parameter ensuring that semolina meets consumer specifications. The physical presence of dark sclerotia can negatively affect consumer perception of semolina and finished products,” noted the Canadian Grain Commission’s 2022 report on ergot in Canadian wheat.

While ergot generally does not pose a major threat to durum production in most years, the commission’s report indicates its incidence has been rising since about 2010. From 1995 to 2009, average ergot prevalence (the share of plants showing symptoms) in durum was 2.9%. Between 2010 and 2020, the rate increased to 13.1%. Moreover, Canadian durum is subject to strict grading limits — with ergot tolerance set at just 0.02% of clean weight — raising concerns that growers may face downgrading at elevators.

Tags: Canada, wheat, durum