Heather Mason

Ph.D., University of Alberta

After receiving a diploma in Greenhouse Management from Olds College, Alberta, I decided to explore the world of scientific research. I enrolled at the University of Alberta, where I graduated with a BSc in Agriculture (Crop Science) in December of 2002. As an undergraduate student, I was employed by Dr. Dean Spaner in the wheat breeding program at the University of Alberta, where I was given the opportunity to become acquainted with the ins and outs of field research. I began working toward a PhD in January 2003 under Dean’s supervision, successfully completing my PhD in Plant Science in January of 2007.

My doctoral project was entitled “Aboveground weed competitive ability of spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) in organic and conventional management systems”. Two separate field trials were conducted on conventionally and organically managed land in north central Alberta in 2003 and 2004. The main objectives of these field studies were to evaluate the agronomic performance and competitive ability of spring wheat varieties under organic and conventional management, and to identify traits conferring competitive ability in organically grown wheat. The results of these studies suggest that 1) there may be some wheat varieties better suited to organic than conventional management systems, 2) growing high quality bread wheat under organic management systems in north central Alberta is possible, 3) spring wheat varieties differ in their abilities to maintain grain yield and suppress weeds on organic land, 4) doubling the seeding rate is a suitable strategy for reducing weed biomass and increasing grain yield and economic returns in organically grown wheat, 5) a competitive crop ideotype for organic agriculture would be tall plant with strong early season vigour, and early heading and maturity.

I feel very privileged to have been involved with Canadian agronomic research that has a basis in organic management. I believe that organic farming has the potential to offer many benefits (e.g., environmental, social, economic) to farmers and consumers in Canada and around the world, and I remain optimistic that I will be involved with organic agriculture in the future.

Contact Information
Email: hemason@telus.net

See the following news and research articles about Heather's research:

• Can We Increase The Competitive Ability Of Spring Wheat?
• Competitive ability of wheat in conventional and organic
  management systems: A review of the literature
• Breeding for Organic Production