September 11, 2009 (Saskatoon, SK) - A new four-year, $12-million research project known as Total Utilization Flax GENomics (TUFGEN) will kick off this fall. The project’s objective is to enhance flax’s usefulness, benefits and versatility by developing a strong genomics research base to assist flax breeding and improvement.

Flax is an unusual crop because it produces two distinct products – seeds and fibers – from which value can be extracted, making it a total utilization crop. Canada is the world’s largest producer of flax, which places the onus on us to lead flax research and development. The TUFGEN project will provide seed and straw derivatives of unmatched quality and high value. As part of the project, the flax genome will also be sequenced—the largest-ever single contribution by a Canadian team of 13 research scientists. One team will focus on gene discovery targeted at the improvement of flax properties. A second team will perform data analysis and will develop software to preserve and present the new data.

The project received $5.65 million in funding from Genome Canada with the remaining funding from a consortium of funders including Saskatchewan Flax Development Commission. SaskFlax is pleased to be involved in this major project which will propel flax research forward and create opportunities that were undreamt of only a short while ago.

For more information, contact:

Dr. Chris Barker, Project Manager
Genome Prairie
Saskatoon, SK
Tel. 306-966-2799
Email: cbarker@genomeprairie.ca

or

Linda Braun, Executive Director
Saskatchewan Flax Development Commission
Saskatoon, SK
Tel. 306-664-1901
Email: saskflax@saskflax.com