Creating science-based building blocks for a thriving,
sustainable industry
The canola industry contributes more to the Canadian economy
than any other grain or oilseed crop. Research is building on this
potential by investing in a long-term science strategy. This work
supports innovation across the value chain, from production to
finished product.
Funding for canola research is provided by the industry through
the Canola Council, provincial grower organizations and
government-backed research partnerships.
7 priorities for canola research:
Human nutrition
Functionality
Biodiesel and industrial
uses
Oil content
Meal quality
Crop production
Sustainability
Human
Nutrition
Canola is the healthiest vegetable oil available today.
The Canola Council recently asked leading scientists from across
Canada and the U.S. how we could build on this advantage through
canola oil research. Here are the priorities they identified:
Heart Health
Canola's low saturated fat content has long been accepted as
beneficial for heart health, and it has an established positive
effect on blood lipids.
However, interest in blood lipids as a risk factor is falling
rapidly. There is increasing interest in markers of inflammation,
oxidation and endothelial function. The effect of canola oil on
these emerging risk factors is most likely favourable, but is not
well documented.
Preliminary clinical trials are underway, but further research
is needed - particularly regarding canola oil's positive effects on
inflammation and vascular function.
Diabetes
Inflammation was recently implicated as a significant cofactor
in development of type 2 diabetes. Canola oil may improve patients'
ability to manage the disease through diet because of its effects
on inflammation, glycemic index and insulin resistance. Proof of
concept work is underway, but detailed clinical studies are
required. Also of interest would be studies in an animal model to
identify canola oil components that have a positive effect on these
factors.
Conversion and direct benefits of ALA
Although fish is considered the main source of essential omega-3
fatty acids, canola oil is also an excellent source. There are
questions about the ability of human metabolism to absorb and
elongate plant-based ALA into DHA, which is thought to be the more
important form.
Preliminary investigations suggest this conversion is not very
efficient, but it is not known whether this means ALA is not
important in the human diet. Epidemiological evidence shows ALA has
dramatic heart health benefits, and preliminary research suggests
ALA has unique postprandial vascular benefits, independent of its
conversion to DHA. More research is needed in this area, as well as
in the methodologies used to measure conversion and accumulation of
ALA, and the role of ALA in reducing inflammation.
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Functionality
We can build on the growing public demand for healthy products
by helping the food industry use canola oil to reformulate
products. Research in this area helps to diversify food markets for
canola oil and potentially creates opportunities for more
"designer" oils. These are the research priorities related to food
uses:
Oxidative stability
This factor affects both shelf life and fry life. One major area
requiring investigation is the impact of processing techniques and
conditions on oil quality, especially oxidative stability.
High value components
Research has already identified several high value components in
canola oil, including anti-oxidants and phytosterols. More study is
needed to identify other high value fractions, develop methods for
extracting these products, and understand their impact on human
health.
Altered fatty acid profiles
New oil profiles can add a new dimension to the demand for
healthy canola products. The market's response to new high-stability
canola oil shows that modifying the fatty acid profile can
significantly improve functionality and demand for canola in
certain markets. Further development of altered fatty acid profiles
could add significant value through enhanced human health and
nutrition, development of nutraceuticals and expanded
functionality.
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Biodiesel and Industrial Uses
One promising market trend for canola is the growing consumer
demand for products made from renewable sources. Work in Europe has
shown that canola's fatty acid profile is well-suited to biodiesel
production, and there is plenty of potential to use canola in
plastics.
However, Canada has a unique set of challenges in terms of
climate and geography. Two areas of research that are important as
we advance the industrial use of canola oil in Canada are lifecycle
analysis and sustainability.
Lifecycle analysis
The industry needs a complete lifecycle analysis on the use of
canola as a feedstock for biodiesel in Canada. Many studies rely on
work done in other geographies, which clearly do not apply in the
Canadian context. For example, nitrous oxide emissions have been
identified as a problem in Brassica cultivation in warmer climates,
but these emissions are unlikely to be anywhere near as high in
Canadian conditions. Lifecycle analysis should specifically examine
the carbon and energy balance of biodiesel produced from canola
grown under Canadian conditions, using Canadian production
practices.
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Oil Content
Most of the value in canola seed is derived from its oil.
Increasing oil content by 1% adds about $90 million of value to the
canola industry. Higher oil content also gives Canadian canola a
competitive edge over oilseeds from other geographies.
Higher oil content varieties
A number of private and public research programs are already
addressing this priority. Advanced breeding techniques are being
used to identify and enhance germplasm for higher oil content
varieties.
Meal Quality
On a per-tonne basis, up to 60% of canola seed becomes meal.
Canola meal is mostly used as animal feed, particularly for dairy
cows.
Protein markets will be under pressure because of large supplies
of distiller's dry grains (DDGs) and soy meal. To compete, it will
be important to increase inclusion rates of canola meal and build
on the nutritional value of the product.
Metabolized energy content
Three main areas are priorities for research:
- Breeding new varieties with reduced fibre content and/or
increased digestible carbohydrate content
- Alternate processing technology - such as vacuum-assisted
desolventization or reduced processing temperature - to reduce
damage to meal, particularly in the toasting phase
- Enzyme additives, either after processing or in feed
processing, to break down fibre components and yield a higher
metabolized energy
Impact of high inclusion rates
New research is needed to understand the impact of high canola
meal inclusion rates on feed efficiency and carcass quality, and
the accumulated effects of anti-nutrient components like
glucosinolates, sinapines, tannins and phytate.
Some research has been done in this area but it is 15-20 years
old. Current data is important to help maintain market demand as
cheap protein sources become available to feed manufacturers.
Aquaculture
Research is needed to understand the potential role for canola
oil and meal in this growing, high-value market. Preliminary
studies suggest canola meal is a promising feed component and that
the fibre content does not pose a problem in fish diets.
Extracting high value components from canola
meal
There are exciting opportunities to significantly improve the
value of canola meal while providing ingredient sources for food,
feed and pharmaceutical manufacturers. Research is already underway
to identify potential commercial products - like bioactive peptides
and protein isolates - and extract them from canola meal. More
research is needed to identify further high-value components,
develop extraction protocols and confirm their utility in human,
animal or processing systems.
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Production
More acres and higher yields will be needed to meet the canola
industry's production target of 15 million tonnes by the year 2015.
The industry has identified these priorities for production
research.
Improve yields
There is significant private and some public investment in
development of high-performance genetics. Public investment is
important to sustain yield improvements for the industry overall
and to provide important germplasm and trait development pipelines
that are used by private breeding companies.
There is also a serious need for research into agronomic
practices that will help growers make the best use of these new
canola characteristics. Research is required to identify the
correct and most profitable production practices in a wide range of
environments.
Protect yield potential through abiotic stress
tolerance
Drought, frost, heat and other stress factors continue to be the
number one cause of reduced yields. Stress-tolerant traits need to
be developed so that the crop is more productive in areas prone to
these conditions.
Expand range of adaptation
Research is needed into cultivars that allow canola to be grown
over a wider area - for example:
- Varieties with improved maturity for the early season zone
- More drought and heat tolerance through products like Brassica
juncea for the brown and dark brown soil zones
- More cold-tolerant winter canola varieties for several
regions
Improve disease and insect resistance
The industry needs new cultivars, products and practices to
reduce these pest pressures:
- Clubroot: This is a top priority for the industry because there
are currently no clubroot-resistant canola products in Canada.
Growers and industry are funding research into the disease and the
development of resistant germplasm, but more needs to be done in
this area.
- Blackleg: This disease continues to be a major factor in canola
crop management. Rotations and resistant genes have resulted in
pathogenicity changes that need to be better understood. New
resistant genes must be identified and deployed in future
cultivars.
- Sclerotinia: This is perhaps the most economically significant
canola disease in Canada. New chemistries are being introduced for
control, but the industry needs more consistent, longer-term
solutions such as genetic resistance or avoidance in future
cultivars.
- Beneficial insects: Research can help the industry identify
beneficial insects and the management practices that favour their
development. We also need to understand how they affect economic
thresholds for control. Some public sector and grower-funded
research into beneficial insects is underway.
Improve sustainability
New traits such as nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) or water use
efficiency (WUE) are already in development. Many approaches
require more investigation to ensure successful products get into
growers' hands.
Introduce shatter tolerance
Improved tolerance to shattering would reduce yield losses,
enable straight cutting of canola, increase oil content and
decrease chlorophyll content. Development of shatter-tolerant
cultivars is already underway in both private and public research
programs. However, a variety with improved shatter tolerance is not
yet available to growers.
Reduce chlorophyll content
Green seed reduces grades and profits for growers and increases
the cost of processing oil. Significant cost savings could result
from varieties that are able to clear chlorophyll faster or
otherwise reduce the amount of chlorophyll in the crop. The
industry needs a better understanding of the pathways involved in
reducing chlorophyll content so that lower chlorophyll varieties
can be developed.
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Sustainability
The industry needs to better understand canola's place in
cropping systems so we can ensure our practices align with consumer
expectations for sustainable production. One priority is a
comprehensive study examining canola's role in water usage and
watershed management, nutrient management, carbon sequestration and
other practices related to sustainable production.
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