Nutrien Ag is preparing Western Canadian canola farmers for the 2026 growing season with the launch of four new hybrid seeds, designed to address pressing diseases in the region, Jennifer Dale, product manager of canola mustard inoculant, told AgTechNavigator.
Canadian canola farms are threatened by the prevalence of blackleg disease, which leads to shortened growth and lesions on stems, and clubroot disease, which produces swollen roots that reduce nutrient and water absorption.
In 2024, the prevalence of blackleg was 96.5%, 92%, and 76% for Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba, respectively, while Alberta has a 6.8% prevalence of clubroot, according to the Canola Council of Canada.
Blackleg is a disease caused by the fungus Leptosphaeria maculans and was first detected in Saskatchewan in 1975, according to a government website. Clubroot is spread by Plasmodiophora brassicae in the soil that affects Brassica vegetable crops like canola, cabbage, radish, and rutabaga, the Canola Council of Canada shared.
In response to these challenges, Nutrien Ag released three new canola hybrids under its Proven Seed portfolio, including:
- PV 662 LCM is clubroot resistant and suitable for delayed swathing or straight cutting. Straight cutting is the method of harvesting a crop directly from a combine harvester, as opposed to cutting the crop and leaving it in a windrow.
- PV 663 LCN features Nutrien Ag‘s Ntact pod shatter reduction technology and is suitable for straight-cutting. Developed via seed genetics, Ntact prevents canola pods from opening prematurely (i.e., pod shatter), which prevents straight-cutting processes.
- PV 664 LCN contains advanced blackleg and clubroot resistance, optimized for straight-cut systems, and also includes the Ntact pod shatter reduction technology.
Additionally, Nutrien Ag released TruFlex Hybrid that similarly has the Ntact pod shatter technology, blackleg and clubroot resistance, and is straight-cut compatible.
Nutrien Ag leveraged its extensive R&D capabilities, including 19 sites across Western Canada to develop and test these seeds to ensure they can address on-field problems, Dale explained. The seeds also went through Nutrien Ag’s seed advancement program and were evaluated at over 100 experimental and commercial locations in Canada, Dale shared in a press release.
“It usually [takes] anywhere from three to five years with R&D to really make sure that we are testing out that straight-cut ability. ... We are using a lot of manual abilities now to replicate windstorms that our growers are facing to ensure that we are bringing in top-notch genetics,” Dale elaborated.
Growth plan for new hybrids: First Canada, then the US
Nutrien Ag will leverage its retail presence in Canada, including over 160 locations, to support the hybrid’s launch, Dale noted. The seed company also provides soil testing and agronomist advice to farmers grappling with disease and insect problems, she added.
The seed company plans to expand these hybrids into the US — primarily in Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, and Washington — following a year of use in Canada and US field testing, Dale explained. The growing conditions in those US states are very similar to those in Canada, she added.
Looking ahead, Nutrien Ag plans to launch more varietals that address various on-farm challenges, Dale said.
“One of the things I’m looking at is ensuring we have a full pipeline that continues to meet the ever-changing needs of our growers, not only in Western Canada but North America as a whole. And so, as we have new diseases or new concerns, we are making sure that those are the forefront of all of our priorities going forward,” she emphasized.
