Research

Research Topic: Nutrition/Product Creation

• Project Status: Completed
• Abstract/Summary: The goal of the project was to promote oats as a healthy food choice, to support nutrition programs in high needs schools and increase awareness of agriculture education programming. A total of 2001 students, 114 staff members and 53 community members participated in the Oats for Breakfast events. View the PDF below for final report.

Research Topic: Variety/Trials

• Project Status: Completed
• Principal Investigators: Dr. Chris Willenborg, Dr. Nancy Ames, Eric Johnson, Moria Kurtenbach, Sid Darras
• Project Dates: May 1, 2016 to December 1, 2019
• Abstract/Summary: Applying glyphosate or swathing at or above 50% SMC has negative effects on seed quality and therefore end use capabilities. When treatments were swathed at or above 60%, there is a risk that beta-glucan levels can drop below 3%, the percentage groat will decline, which ultimately impacts milling yield and increases the amount of wastage during the milling process. Compared to direct combining without glyphosate, there appears to be no effect on oat quality when glyphosate is applied ≤40% SMC. Across all site years, oat cultivar did not have as much of an impact as the other two factors (i.e. seeding rate and harvest method) did. Increasing seeding rates resulted in a reduction in SMC at harvest, lower TKWs, and softer groats. Overall Pinnacle was less affected by changes in harvest method in regards to percent plump and thin kernels. CDC Dancer had an increase in thin kernels and a decrease in plump kernels when plots were swathed. Using glyphosate as a harvest method has no more of a negative impact than swathing on oat yield or seed quality, regardless of seeding rate or cultivar used. It is plausible that pre-harvest glyphosate had a greater impact on perennial weed control than in-season herbicides used. Dandelion populations were generally higher when a post-emergent herbicide was used alone. View the PDF below for final report.

Research Topic: Variety/Trials

• Project Status: In Progress
• Principal Investigators: Government of Alberta
• Project Dates: 2018 - ongoing
• Abstract/Summary: This on-going project is managed by Alberta Wheat and Barley Commission. This variety trial information is published annually in the Alberta Seed Guide (https://www.seed.ab.ca/) to provide growers up-to-date information on varieties and yields in one easy to use location.

Research Topic: Variety/Trials

• Project Status: Completed
• Principal Investigators: Xiao Qiu
• Abstract/Summary: Avenanthramides are a group of N-cinnamolyanthranilic acids comprising anthranilic acid and cinnamic acid connected by an amide linkage with health-promoting properties mainly found in oat (Avena sativa L.). In this research, avenanthramide A, B and C (Avn-A, B and C), the three most abundant avenanthramides (Avns) in oat, were identified and quantified from oat varieties. Subsequently, in vitro antioxidant activities of oat extracts and Avn-A, B and C were evaluated, and Avn-C had the highest in vitro antioxidant activity among the three avenanthramides. To investigate the cytoprotective activity of Avns, normal human skin fibroblasts (2DD) were treated with Avn C followed by exposure to extracellular stress and its ability to reduce cellular damage was determined. Pre-treatment of cells with Avn-C reduced hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-induced oxidative stress significantly as demonstrated by decreased intracellular free radical levels and antioxidant gene transcripts. Avn-C pre-treatment also resulted in decreased levels of gene transcripts encoding pro-inflammatory cytokines in response to H2O2 or tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) stimulation. This reduction in cytokine gene transcription occurred concomitantly with reduced phosphorylated nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) p65, indicating reduced pro-inflammatory response. To better understand the mechanisms of actions, the impact of Avn-C on cellular signaling pathways was investigated on Avn C-treated 2DD cells without exposure to stress. Avn-C was found to induce heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) expression through increased DNA-Nrf2 binding activity. Also, it reduced basal levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines through decreased DNA-NF-κB binding activity. Moreover, anti-proliferative effect of Avn C on 2DD cells was observed via mechanisms independent of autophagy activation. Collectively, our findings suggest that Avn-C protects normal human skin fibroblasts against oxidative stress and inflammatory response through Nrf2/HO-1 activation and NF-κB inhibition.

Research Topic: Insect/Disease/Weeds

• Project Status: Completed
• Abstract/Summary: Over the four years (2014-2017) that field surveys were conducted in commercial oat fields to evaluate the prevalence of oat leaf blotch pathogens P. avenae was the most often identified, being present in 59% of the 160 fields surveyed. Cochliobolus sativus was present in 23% of surveyed fields while S. avenae was only identified in 3% of fields. The ranking prevalence of these pathogens was consistent across all four years and differs from prior surveys conducted where S. avenae was observed in all years and with greater prevalence than C. sativus in most years (2011-2013).

Research Topic: Nutrition/Product Creation

• Project Status: Completed
• Abstract/Summary: Oats is the logical choice to development of a non-dairy creamer. Oats have functional/nutrition proteins, they have high levels of beta glucan, and they can be utilized fairly well in beverage applications. Compared to faba bean, canola, and an oat/faba bean protein blend, oat proteins were shown to be the most suitable choice to replace dairy and soy proteins within a coffee creamer.

Research Topic: Insect/Disease/Weeds

• Project Status: Completed
• Abstract/Summary: The study takes a look at the occurrence of toxigenic Fusarium and Penicillium fungi and their associated mycotoxins, and an investigation of the fate of Fusarium and Penicillium species and their associated mycotoxins during processing of oats.

Research Topic: Insect/Disease/Weeds

• Project Status: Completed
• Abstract/Summary: This study is led by Food and Consumer Products of Canada and a summary of the results will be posted when available. Please read the PDF (below) to learn more about mycotoxin prevention, based on the results of this study.

Research Topic: Insect/Disease/Weeds

• Project Status: In Progress
• Principal Investigators: Dr. Aaron Beattie Crop Development Centre (CDC) - Saskatoon, SK
• Project Dates: April 2019 - March 2023
• Abstract/Summary: To build on Western Canada’s position as a supplier of premium quality oats to the current US markets, and developing markets like Mexico and China, requires developing varieties with a strong disease resistance package (of which crown rust resistance is a critical component). This will provide value to growers, through improved yield and reduced input costs (i.e. reduced fungicide use) which will help oat remain a viable crop within a grower’s rotation, and to millers/food processors, through higher selectability (i.e. good plumpness and test weight).

Research Topic: Variety/Trials

• Project Status: Completed
• Abstract/Summary: The objective of this project was to generate data showing levels of key nutrient components in oats from a variety of international sources, particularly to see how Canadian oats compare.

Research Topic: Intercropping/Other

• Project Status: Completed
• Abstract/Summary: POGA is a proud sponsor of the Canadian Agricultural Association's BeGrainSafe program, which aims to increase grain safety awareness and training. Click here to read about the program's activities and results for 2018.

Research Topic: Fertility/Climate/Environment

• Project Status: Completed
• Principal Investigators: Jessica Pratchler, Northeast Agriculture Research Foundation (NARF)
• Project Dates: April 2018 - February 2019
• Abstract/Summary: This ADOPT project aimed to demonstrate the relative contributions of the basic management decisions for oat yield and quality: seeding date, seeding rate, and nitrogen rate.