USask receives millions for innovative crop research projects
The University of Saskatchewan (USask) is leading the way in agricultural research, bolstered by a large funding commitment to crop research at the university.
By MATT OLSON, RESEARCH PROFILE AND IMPACTMore than $4.5 million is going to 24 USask-led, crop-focused research projects through the Agriculture Development Fund (ADF), a joint federal and provincial government program for supporting crucial agricultural research projects.
Federal Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Heath MacDonald and Saskatchewan’s Minister of Agriculture David Marit made the announcement at the Saskatchewan Crops Forum on Tuesday.
Overall, 39 new crop research projects received funding through the ADF. Of those projects, more than half of them are spearheaded by USask researchers.
“The incredible agricultural research and researchers at USask are unquestionably among the best in the world,” said USask Vice-President Research Baljit Singh. “This level of support is a testament to the strength and innovation of USask’s unique agricultural research ecosystem that supports Saskatchewan agrifood producers and enables us to continue to be what the world needs in this ever-important sector.”
In addition to the ADF funding, multiple USask experts are part of a research team led by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada that received $2.5 million through the Strategic Research Initiative (SRI) for a project studying the management of herbicide-resistant kochia and wild oat plants.
The ADF and SRI programs are supported by the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership, a 5-year (April 1, 2023, to March 31, 2028), $3.5-billion investment by federal, provincial and territorial governments to strengthen competitiveness, innovation and resiliency of Canada’s agriculture, agri‐food, and agri‐based products sector. This includes $1 billion in federal programs and activities, and a $2.5-billion commitment that is cost-shared 60 per cent federally and 40 per cent provincially/territorially for programs that are designed and delivered by provinces and territories.
Along with government funding, an additional $3.2 million was contributed across all 39 crop ADF projects this year by 13 industry partners critical to the agriculture research and production sector.
“Agriculture in Saskatchewan and the research done at USask to support this industry are critically important. They have real implications for the people of Saskatchewan, Canada and around the world,” said Dr. Trever Crowe (PhD), acting dean of the College of Agriculture and Bioresources. “Funding from the Agriculture Development Fund provides support for the research that drives growth and innovation.”
USask’s ADF funding recipients in crop research:
Dr. Chantel Chizen (PhD), College of Agriculture and Bioresources – Evaluating the soil carbon storage and economic outcomes of agricultural wetland management – $331,920 – Co-funded by Saskatchewan Wheat Development Commission
Dr. Chantel Chizen (PhD), College of Agriculture and Bioresources – Saskatchewan Soil Data Hub and interpretation guide – $101,700 – Co-funded by Saskatchewan Wheat Development Commission
Dr. Anze Svara (PhD), College of Agriculture and Bioresources – Apoboost: Enabling crossbreeding for elevated saskatoon berry production – $262,775
Dr. Randy Kutcher (PhD), College of Agriculture and Bioresources – Harnessing genetic resistance and cold plasma for sustainable management of bacterial leaf streak in wheat and barley – $243,058 – Co-funded by Alberta Grains, Saskatchewan Barley Development Commission, Saskatchewan Wheat Development Commission
Dr. Randy Kutcher (PhD), College of Agriculture and Bioresources – Tan spot of bread and durum wheat: identifying new sources of resistance and dissection of resistance by GWAS – $143,814
Dr. Bunyamin Tar’an (PhD), College of Agriculture and Bioresources – Expanding chickpea growing areas in Saskatchewan – $97,135 – Co-funded by Saskatchewan Pulse Growers, Western Grains Research Foundation
Dr. Bunyamin Tar’an (PhD), College of Agriculture and Bioresources – Multi-traits mapping in chickpea using nested associated mapping (NAM) population – $195,848 – Co-funded by Saskatchewan Pulse Growers, Western Grains Research Foundation
Dr. Tim Sharbel (PhD), College of Agriculture and Bioresources – Preserving tradition: Innovative approaches to curb riceworm infestation in Northern Saskatchewan wild rice – $336,210
Dr. Michael Nickerson (PhD), College of Agriculture and Bioresources – Development of high protein extruded snacks from pea/faba bean concentrates with low glycemic index – $113,860
Dr. Jim Fang (PhD), College of Pharmacy and Nutrition – Effect of saskatoon berries on fecal microbiota profile following a 12-week, placebo-controlled human study – $35,298
Dr. Lifang Zhang (PhD), College of Engineering – Development of a novel dry separation method for protein enrichment via electrostatic travelling waves – $88,000
Dr. Martin Reaney (PhD), College of Agriculture and Bioresources – Integrated processing of pulses and oil crops for sustainable oil-rich protein production – $207,000 – Co-funded by Saskatchewan Pulse Growers
Dr. Martin Reaney (PhD), College of Agriculture and Bioresources – Advancing green chemistry: Bis compounds as building blocks for industrial applications – $258,000
Dr. Sean Prager (PhD), College of Agriculture and Bioresources – Quantification and genetic basis of pyrethroid insecticide resistance in pea aphids – $211,550 – Co-funded by Saskatchewan Pulse Growers, Western Grains Research Foundation
Dr. Adam Carter (PhD), College of Agriculture and Bioresources – Stability of solid-stemmed CWRS wheat and resistance to wheat stem sawfly (WSS) in high pressure environments – $232,597 – Co-funded by Saskatchewan Wheat Development Commission
Dr. Adam Carter (PhD), College of Agriculture and Bioresources – Stable preharvest sprouting resistance in CWRS wheat via improved low temperature seed dormancy – $151,160 – Co-funded by Alberta Grains, Manitoba Crop Alliance, Saskatchewan Wheat Development Commission
Dr. Adam Carter (PhD), College of Agriculture and Bioresources – Optimizing wheat breeding trial design with remote sensing and spatial analysis – $186,117
Dr. Adam Carter (PhD), College of Agriculture and Bioresources – Genetic mapping of the glabrous trait and seed colour in canary seed – $102,347 – Co-funded by Western Grains Research Foundation
Dr. Derek Peak (PhD), College of Agriculture and Bioresources – The nature of soil carbon in SK soils: Bridging the gap between laboratory and spectroscopic methods – $432,413 – Co-funded by Saskatchewan Oilseeds Development Commission
Dr. Yongfang Ai (PhD), College of Agriculture and Bioresources – From pulses to pints: Brewing beer with air-classified starch-rich flours from Canadian pulses – $111,450 – Co-funded by Alberta Pulse Growers, Saskatchewan Pulse Growers
Dr. Ana Vargas (PhD), College of Agriculture and Bioresources – Building the grounds for developing climate-smart lentil cultivars – $221,069 – Co-funded by Saskatchewan Pulse Growers
Dr. Lee Wilson (PhD), College of Arts and Science – Valorization of biomass for wastewater biofiltration applications for Saskatchewan’s agri-food industry and beyond – $206,000
Dr. Bishnu Acharya (PhD), College of Engineering – Piloting innovative formulation and field testing of bioplastics – $139,000
Dr. Bishnu Acharya (PhD), College of Engineering – Sustainable absorbent material production using pelletized agricultural waste for application in cat litter – $140,000