Just the flax, ma’am, just the flax…

/ Cami Ryan, PhD

Update on flax issue…

As of November 11, 2009, Quantum Biosciences Inc. (located in Saskatoon) offers a test to detect the precense of CDC Triffid (FP967) in a flax crop. The onus is on producers to get their crops tested. Guidelines for preparing samples are available to producers through the Canadian Grain Commission. Individual sample tests costs 105$ per. Only pre-tested flax will be accepted by grain companies in western Canada in order to allow flax re-entry into the European market.

It will be interesting to see results of the testing… perhaps we will somehow be able to more clearly establish where, within the value chain, Triffid is present.  According to the Crop Development Centre, parental lines are ‘clean’. 

[photo credit: Flax Council of Canada image library]

Flaxflower1

2 thoughts on “Just the flax, ma’am, just the flax…”

  1. Update (January 22, 2010): Parental lines at CDC were Triffid free at 0.1%. However, subsequent tests at 0.01% allegedly show two lines (Normandy and Mons) as positive for the FP967 event. Timing of the development of these varieties, the management of breeder plots, etc through into question these results. Curiouser and curiouser…

  2. Pingback: Ironic. « Cami Ryan