UA AlfaGold

Canola

Variety Description

Varieties used for comparison: 'UA BountyGold' and 'Cougar CL'

Summary: The plants of 'UA AlfaGold' flower later than those of 'UA BountyGold' and 'Cougar CL'. The silique of 'UA AlfaGold' is wider than that of 'Cougar CL'. The plants of 'UA AlfaGold' mature later than those of 'UA BountyGold' and 'Cougar CL'.

Description:

PLANT: open pollinated, male fertile inbred line, summer type, mid to late season flowering, short to medium height at flowering, mid to late season maturing, medium height at maturity

COTYLEDON: medium length and width

LEAF: semi-erect attitude, dark green, very few lobes, rounded margin, low density of very shallow to shallow margin indentations, medium length, narrow to medium width, short to medium petiole

FLOWER PETAL: yellow, short to medium length, medium width, spacing ranges from not touching to touching
ANTHER: pollen production present

SILIQUE: semi-erect attitude, medium length and width, medium length beak, short to medium pedicel
SEED COAT: black

AGRONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS: medium resistance to lodging, fair resistance to shattering

Origin & Breeding History: 'UA AlfaGold' (experimental designation A07-29NI) originated from a three-way cross between the variety 'Express', the Clearfield herbicide tolerant line 'CL Line' and the variety 'Cougar CL'. The final cross was conducted in 2004 at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Alberta. In this crossing design, two F2 plants of 'Express × CL Line' showing winter growth habit and tolerance to Clearfield herbicide were crossed to 'Cougar CL' from where four 3-way F2 seed families were produced. In 2004, 947 F2 plants, and in 2005 and 2006, respectively, 74 F3 and 149 F4 families were grown and selections were made based on herbicide tolerance, vigor, flowering characteristics, maturity, yield and seed quality. Based on this, four F5 families were selected and tested in Private Coop trials in 2007 in 7 locations in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba for agronomic and seed quality traits including yield, and disease resistance and herbicide tolerance. These families/lines were also concurrently grown for increase. One of these lines, selected based on Private Coop trials, was designated A07-29NI. In 2008, A07-29NI was evaluated in Public Coop trials and was recommended for registration by Western Canada Canola/Rapeseed Recommending Committee.

Tests & Trials: The comparative trials for 'UA AlfaGold' conducted during the 2017 and 2019 growing seasons at the Ag-Quest Research Station in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan were arranged in a RCB design with 2 replications per variety. The plots consisted of 6 rows that were 6 metres in length with a spacing of 20 cm between rows. The measured characteristics were based on 30 measurements per variety per year. Mean differences were significant at the 2% probability level based on a Student`s t-test.

Comparison tables for 'UA AlfaGold' with reference varieties 'UA BountyGold' and 'Cougar CL'

Days to flower (from planting to when 50% of plants show one or more open flowers)

Silique width (mm)

Days to maturity (from planting to maturity)

Click on image for larger view

Canola: 'UA AlfaGold' (centre) with reference varieties 'Cougar CL' (left) and 'UA BountyGold' (right)