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Reid Lobsinger

November 27, 2018

Heat Resistant Wheat

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Table of Contents:

Introduction--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Page 3

Product Description----------------------------------------------------------------------------------Page 4

Why Does Canada Need This? --------------------------------------------------------------------Page 5

Where and How is the Product Grown? ---------------------------------------------------------Page 6

What Happens During Heat Stress? -------------------------------------------------------------Page 6

How to Develop a Heat Resistant Wheat Variety? --------------------------------------------Page 7

Who is This Product Targeted to? ----------------------------------------------------------------Page 7

Health and Nutritional Information--------------------------------------------------------------Page 8

Market Opportunity----------------------------------------------------------------------------------Page 9

Benefits to Canada----------------------------------------------------------------------------------Page 10

Environmental Sustainability of Growing in Canada----------------------------------------Page 11

Labour and Cost Issues----------------------------------------------------------------------------Page 12

Compare and Contrast Different Products Available from Canada----------------------Page 12

Recommendations for Future Retailers---------------------------------------------------------Page 12

Conclusion--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Page 13

References---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Page 14
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Introduction
Climate change is an ongoing issue that affects many parts of the world including

Canada. When people think of climate change, they think of global warming and certain factors

causing global warming such as carbon emission and methane. The carbon emissions come from

energy use (such as factories), as well as urbanization/loss of land (Karl & Trenberth, 2003).

Both factors are caused by human activity (Hondula, Balling, Vanos, & Georgescu, 2015).

Almost everywhere around the world will suffer from climate change, but, it will be the poorest

countries that suffer the quickest and the most (Stern, 2007). Climate change also has a large

affect on the weather patterns which are becoming more and more unstable with unpredictable

activity as well as more frequent and stronger storms (Hondula et al., 2015). Not only will

stronger storms be a problem, but climate change is also causing the temperatures around the

world to rise (Hondula et al., 2015).

Figure 1: Global temperatures from the year 1880 to the predicted temperatures of 2020
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This will have a huge impact on crop production especially the cereals such as wheat, since the

best growing temperature for wheat is around 15°C (Ni et al., 2018). During the reproductive

development of wheat, one of the major factors that can influence the growth of the plant is heat

stress(Feng et al., 2014). Studies have shown that in the past 100 years, that the global

temperatures have been on the rise due to increasing greenhouse gases (Cleugh, Smith, Battaglia,

Graham, & CSIRO, 2011). Greenhouse gases are made up of different types of gases found in

the atmosphere such as methane, water vapour and carbon dioxide which help to keep the planet

warm enough for human life (Cleugh et al., 2011).

Product Description
Since global temperatures are on the rise, something is going to have to be done to help

the crop production as the warmer temperature will have a negative effect on all crops. One way

to help fight this problem is by breeding a new variety of wheat that can grow and produce

higher yields in hotter temperatures. On the market today, there are no wheat varieties like this

however, there is a lot of research being done to investigate this idea. There is however, a new

variety of Durum wheat that is being tested and grown in parts of Africa that is capable of

growing and reproducing in 40°C temperature (Michail 2017). This variety is still being

researched and is not yet out on the market ready for sale. To create a new variety of wheat that

can grow in hot temperatures is a challenge because of what happens inside the plant when the

plant is encountering heat stress. Heat stress damages metabolic pathways inside the plant. These

pathways provide thermostability, certain starch synthesis and affects the rate of photosynthesis

(Dwivedi et al., 2018).

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Why Does Canada Need This?

There are roughly 7.6 billion people on the earth today (Gerland et al., 2014).

Researchers are expecting that this number could rise to somewhere between 9.6 and 12.3 billion

people by the year 2100 (Gerland et al., 2014).

Figure 2: The world’s population from 1750 to what the population is expected to reach by the

year 2100.

Since the world’s population is constantly increasing, food shortages will become more and more

common. It is estimated that for everyone degree that the global temperature increases, around

6% of the world’s wheat production will fall (Asseng et al., 2014). Certain parts of the world

already experience food shortages today. With an increase in temperature even more parts of the
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world and many more people will experience food shortages which could be reduced with a

product such as heat resistant wheat. If Canada could grow a crop such as heat resistant wheat,

this could be an export product bringing in revenue for the Canadian economy. This is a win-win

for not only Canada but also, the rest of the world as more food can be produced and more

revenue is being brought back to the Canadian economy.

Where and How is the Product Grown?

As of right now, this product is still being studied and researched which means that this

product is not on the market. There is a variety of Durum wheat that is being grown in parts

Africa which can survive and reproduce in temperatures as hot as 40°C. Wheat here in Canada

can be found growing in large parts of the western provinces such as Alberta and Saskatchewan,

as well as in the southern parts of Ontario. Since Canada has four distinct seasons, wheat can

only be planted in early spring as spring wheat or in the fall as winter wheat. This means that

wheat is found growing throughout the spring and summer which means that it can be harvested

usually around mid to late summer. This all depends on where in Canada or other parts of the

world that this product is being grown and what the weather throughout the growing season is

like.

What Happens During Heat Stress?

First, to develop a heat resistant variety of wheat, one must understand what happens to

the plant as it is encountering heat stress. Heat stress causes proteins to lose their shape and also

causes and increase in unsaturated fatty acid levels (Ni et al., 2018). This in turn inhibits certain

cellular functions within the plant. When a plant is encountering heat stress, water is being used

up rapidly which affects many photosynthetic pathways inside the plant (Ni et al., 2018). For

example, certain structures inside the plant like the thylakoid membranes and the light harvesting
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complexes can being to swell (Ni et al., 2018). This means that these complexes will not

function as they are supposed to. Wheat plants are thin and fragile plants which means that

extreme heat can have very large affects on the plants, especially during important growth and

reproductive stages on the plant. The reproductive stages before the plants flower are much more

sensitive to high temperatures then the stages after the plant has finished flowering (Ni et al.,

2018). If a plant, such as wheat, encounters heat stress before the flowering stage, it reduces the

number of seeds that the plant produces which reduced the yield of the plant or crop.

How to Develop a Heat Resistant Wheat Variety?

Most wheat varieties are self pollinating which means they can be pollinated by the wind

or other animals and do not have to be hand pollinated by humans (Wilson & Ross 1962). Some

varieties of wheat can be crossbred so that they do not produce pollen which means they can be a

receptor plant which can be pollinated from the wind or by other plants (Wilson & Ross 1962).

This is one way that a heat resistant variety could be bred. First, one could crossbreed a certain

variety to not produce any pollen and then plant a different variety with selected traits beside the

crossbred plants so that they could reproduce and make seeds to be used as a heat resistant seed.

Another way is to hand pollinate the wheat. This would be mean, collecting pollen from one

variety in a lab and hand pollinating another variety with the selected pollen and growing that

plant in a lab to collect the seeds that it produces.

Who is This Product Targeted to?

This new variety would be targeted towards farmers specifically those who farm in

southern Ontario as well as those who farm in the prairies where these temperatures are usually

hotter. Seed companies are another target as they are the ones who produce and sell the seed to

the famers in need. This product would be essential not only for Canada but also the rest of the
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world as there are many other places around the world where their normal temperatures are

around 20°C or 30°C. Places such as Africa, India and certain parts of the United States such as

California and Arizona would also benefit from a product such as heat resistant wheat. Places

such as Africa already have food shortage problems, which means a product such as heat

resistant wheat will help tremendously. However, more food is not only needed in Africa but, all

around the world to feed the ever-rising world population.

Health and Nutritional Information

Wheat is a crop that can be made into products for human consumption or can be mixed

with other grains and crops as animal feed. There are many foods that each person consumes

everyday that is made with wheat. Some examples include, flour, bread, cereal, pasta and pizza.

Wheat contains many important nutrients such as fibre, many vitamins, selenium and magnesium

(Zijlstra, Lange, & Patience, 2011). Not only is wheat used for human consumption, it is also fed

to all types of livestock like, chickens, pig and beef cattle. A study was done to find what

nutritional components were found in wheat inside pigs. The study found that wheat contained

amino acids, high amounts of crude protein, high amounts of fibre, starch, and digestible sources

of energy (Zijlstra et al., 2011). Wheat is an important plant as it can be used in two different

ways. It can be made into food products to be consumed by humans and can be mixed with other

grains and crops to be fed to livestock to help them grow which then provides the world with

other food sources.

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Market Opportunity
The wheat market is always changing depending on the production in each country.

Certain years some countries may have poor weather meaning that their wheat production won’t

be as high which means that for that country they may have to import more wheat.

Figure 3: World wheat production from year 2008-2011

This year the global wheat production is up because of China which had more successful yields

and production (USDA, 2018). So far this year the wheat prices have been fairly consistent with

the Soft White Winter variety, the Hard Red Spring variety, the Soft Red Winter variety and the

Hard Red Winter variety all falling within the price range of $213/ton to $257/ton (USDA,

2018). The new variety of heat resistant wheat which is being tested in parts of Africa is a durum

variety. This is good for Canada since Canada’s top exported variety is also a durum variety

(USDA, 2018). This means that if the new variety could be produced on large scale, Canada
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could grow this variety which could produce higher yields which means more product to export

which will bring back more money for the Canadian economy.

Benefits to Canada
This product has multiple benefits for Canada. Firstly, this variety of wheat will be able

to produce the same yield if not higher yields in hotter temperatures meaning that there will be

more food for Canadians and other parts of the world. Food insecurity is becoming more and

more of a problem everywhere around the world due to greater populations. In Canada, this is

becoming a problem for poor rural communities such as the Indigenous Peoples communities.

Heat resistant wheat would cut back on food insecurity by providing the same if not higher yields

in the rising temperatures. This means that more food could become available from growing this

variety of wheat which then, the food could be supplied to these poor communities and other

places around the world. Better crop yields give more money back to the farmer which is another

benefit for Canadians. Farmers who plant this variety would make the same amount of money if

not more for their harvest. Since the temperatures are rising, less and less wheat yields are being

harvested due to the wheat dying before it is time for harvest. This means that the farmers are

losing money. With this heat resistant wheat, farmers would be able to harvest the same amount

of wheat yields if not more, meaning they won’t be losing any money and may be able to make

more money by planting this new variety. There is one catch, this new variety may cost more

than a non-heat resistant variety. This means that for some communities and farmers this product

may not be affordable for them. However, since this variety may be able to produce the same if

not higher yields in the hotter temperatures, the farmer may make more money by planting this

crop. As previously stated, wheat can provide both humans and livestock with food. Wheat can

be put into many different products for human consumption and it can also be mixed with a
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variety of crops to be used as animal feed. There is another purpose that wheat serves and that is

that after the wheat is harvested, the combine leaves the stem of the plants in the field which can

be gathered and put into bales to be used as bedding for all types of livestock such as cattle,

horses, chickens, pigs, goats and sheep. This means that each wheat plant could serve for three

purposes; human consumption, animal feed and animal bedding.

Environmental Sustainability of Growing in Canada

Wheat is a great crop to put in a rotation with soybeans and corn. Since wheat is

relatively less expensive than corn or soybeans, it makes it a great crop to plant in between the

corn and soybeans. By having more crops to use as a rotation, the better and healthier it will

make the soil. This is because each crop needs certain minerals and fertilizers to help make it

grow. By adding more crops into a crop rotation, the same mineral or minerals won’t be needed

each year meaning there will be more of that mineral for the following year for a new type of

crop. This won’t just help the yields of the crops, but, it will also improve the quality of the soil

since the same minerals won’t become depleted from them being needed each year. Another

benefit of adding wheat into a crop rotation is that it helps to fight weeds. Some farmers plant

soybeans and corn year after year. The longer these two crops are planted together, not only will

it produce lower yields, but, more weeds will start to grow. This is because corn and soybeans

have relatively the same planting time as well as harvesting time. This makes it easy for weeds to

recognize when they should grow or not. By introducing a different crop such as wheat into the

rotation which has a different planting and/or harvesting time, the weeds will not know when

they should grow or not which may mean they will die before the harvest or will just be starting

to grow when it is time to harvest the crops.

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Labour and Cost Issues

Since this new product is a new variety of wheat that could help to produce more yields,

it is likely that this new variety would cost more than any ordinary variety of wheat. Since there

is no heat resistant wheat variety on the market ready to be planted by normal farmers, it is

difficult to know and predict how much this variety will cost. When this variety is able to be

purchased, there are other costs that one must take into consideration as well. Firstly, one must

purchase the seed form a seed plant or seed distributor. This means that the farmer may have to

drive a certain distance to pick up this product. Another cost that must be taken into

consideration is the cost of fuel that it will take to run the tractors to plant this seed. On top of

fuel cost, there is labour and time that must be considered. Some farmers may plant this crop by

themselves which can be time consuming or they may hire someone to plant the wheat for them.

This is less time consuming for the farmer however, it is more expensive since they must pay

someone to do it for them.

Compare and Contrast Different Products Available from Canada

Since there are no heat resistant varieties on the market ready for sale today, it is difficult

to know how this variety would compare to other wheat varieties already being grown not only

in Canada, but also, the rest of the world. It is difficult to know if a variety like this would grow

shorter or taller or produce more or less yield. It is also hard to tell how much a new variety like

this would cost. It is assumed however, that a new variety such as this product would cost more

than a normal durum wheat variety or a normal spring or winter wheat variety since it will be

able to grow better in warmer temperatures.

Recommendations for Future Retailers

Since this product is not available to purchase as of right now, it is difficult to give some

recommendations. However, one suggestion that I could give to someone who may be a retailer
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for this product is to get farmer’s opinions about a product such as heat resistant wheat. This may

mean sending an email to farmers or sending a survey in the mail asking if they would be

interested in a heat resistant wheat variety. By doing this, one would be able to know if this is a

product that many people will like or not . This way, one can know if this is a product worth

investing in and selling or not.

Conclusion
Wheat is a multi purpose crop which can be used in human food products, can be mixed

with other crops to be used as animal feed and the stems of the plants can be used for bedding for

livestock as well. This makes it an important crop not only for Canada but, many parts of the

world as well. Since climate change is causing the global temperatures to increase, the wheat

production will begin to fall since wheat cannot survive in hot temperatures. By having a new

variety like a heat resistant variety, this will help to maintain the same if not more wheat

production while the temperatures continue to increase.

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