The Manitoba Sunflower Committee (MSC) was organized under the authority of the
Minister of Agriculture for Manitoba to provide a vehicle for testing sunflower hybrids in
Manitoba. The Committee has conducted performance cooperative trials since 1979. The
data generated through these trials is used to support registration of sunflower hybrids in
Canada. A minimum of two years performance data is required in order to determine the
acceptability of hybrids for registration. However, hybrids can be recommended for
registration based on one-year cooperative data supported by another year of private data.
The Committee conducted trials at four locations in 2009; Rosenfeld, Morden, Rathwell, and
Minto. However, due to the heavy hail damage on July 27 (growth stages 2 and 4) that was
very severe especially on the confection trial in comparison to the oilseed trial, and the
high CV >20% in Rosenfeld, the data from the three locations (Morden, Rathwell and Minto)
was used by the MSC for recommending confection and oilseed hybrids in 2009.
Growing conditions in 2009 were normal in terms of rainfall accumulation but was below normal for temperatures throughout the summer. The above normal temperatures and humidity in September were favourable for the fast development of sclerotinia head rot in most areas in Manitoba. The growing season for sunflower was exceptionally long and no severe frosts were reported until early October in 2009, and overall good yield and seed quality are expected. Local epidemics of sclerotinia head rot and rust have been reported in southern Manitoba. Total seeded sunflower acres in 2009 as reported by MASC were ~150,000 acres with ~80% confections and ~20% oils.
Due to the recent changes in the guidelines for sunflower registration by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and the removal of the pre-registration merits for sunflower, the Manitoba Sunflower Committee has no mandate to conduct sunflower Cooperative trials and Recommend for registration of sunflower hybrids. The National Sunflower Association of Canada (NSAC) has taken over most of the MSC activities related to promoting the sunflower industry and conducting the MCVET trials for provincial recommendations. Therefore, MSC will end its activities by the end of 2009, and a propsal to dissolve the MSC will be introduced.