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Eighteen听wide-ranging听University of Saskatchewan crop research projects have been awarded听a total of听almost听$5.8听million through Saskatchewan鈥檚 Agriculture Development Fund, a program jointly supported by the federal and provincial governments and supplemented by industry partners.听

Innovative research into听disease resistant听and nutritious crops, human health applications听of听cannabis, biodegradable plastics made of plants,听and tracing the carbon footprint of an agricultural operation are听among听the听USask听projects听supported by听the program, which also attracted almost $1.9 million in听total听industry funding听for the teams.听

鈥淭his major investment in USask research is indicative of the key role the university plays in growing Saskatchewan鈥檚 capacity as a world leader in the agricultural sector,鈥� said USask Vice-President Research Karen Chad.

鈥淭he adoption of new agricultural technologies and creation of competitive, value-added products has the potential for real-life benefits, including new jobs and increased economic prosperity for the province.鈥澨�

The ADF program is supported through the Canadian Agricultural听Partnership, a five-year $388-million investment by the federal and provincial governments in initiatives for听the sector in听Saskatchewan.听A total of $9.8 million was announced Jan. 12 for听39听agricultural research听projects in听the province听and across the country. More than half were awarded to USask.听

Major听USask听projects听awarded funding听include:听

Strengthening pulse crops in the field and beyond:More than $1.4 million听has been听awarded听from the听ADF听program听to USask researcher Kirstin Bett for two projects:听听

Improving lentil quality and nutritional value by borrowing traits from wild lentils and developing new computerized imaging technology to target desirable seed characteristics. The results will lead to higher value lentils, and access to new, specialty markets for producers.听

Developing听high-yielding, disease-tolerant dry bean听varieties. The results听will provide new, high-value听pulse crop听options听that are听well-suited to irrigation.听听

Developing high-yielding chickpeas:听Plant researcher Bunyamin Tar鈥檃n will use $730,000 from ADF to develop high-yielding, large seed kabuli chickpea varieties suited to Western Canada. The results will lead to new chickpea varieties, benefitting Saskatchewan鈥檚 producers and broader economy.听

Tar鈥檃n will also receive $236,000 from ADF to study how using genetic diversity from wild chickpeas could help combat Ascochyta blight, a major disease threatening chickpea production across Western Canada.听

Breeding healthy peas for Western Canada:Tom Warkentin, Saskatchewan agriculture ministry鈥檚 strategic research program chair in Pulse Crop Breeding and Genetics, was awarded the largest single-study award from ADF this year 鈥� more than $981,000 鈥� to develop high-yielding, root-rot-resistant pea varieties. Root rot, a disease widespread across Western Canada caused by a combination of fungus and other pathogens, can destroy as much as 70 per cent of a farmer鈥檚 crop during a wet year.听

Other听innovative crop-related projects with potential economic impact include:听

Finding plant-based听climate-friendly听alternatives to plastics听($360,000):听Plant听scientist听Martin听Reaney鈥檚 research听aims to create听carbon-neutral,听biodegradable听plastics听from canola and pulse products听to听ease pressures on oceans and landfills.听Reaney is听Saskatchewan听agriculture听ministry鈥檚听strategic research program chair in Lipid Quality and Utilization.听

Measuring听the carbon footprint of crops听($230,000):听Plant scientist听Kate听Congreves鈥櫶齬esearch team听will听establish Saskatchewan鈥檚 first Greenhouse Gas Monitoring Station using micrometeorological techniques听to听measure greenhouse gases year-round and determine听the听net听carbon footprint听of听a听canola-cereal听rotation. This type of field-scale听data听is needed to help the industry move forward in a carbon-based marketplace.听听

Solidifying听cannabis听as a Saskatchewan product听($188,000):听Plant听researcher听Tim Sharbel听will听study听the genetics of听a听cannabis听seed material听collection听owned by Konetics,听a company with听ties to听the Saskatchewan听market.听The goal is to strengthen the听cannabis industry in the province through vigorous quality control of agronomic traits, in addition to connecting this material to the Cannabinoid Research Initiative of Saskatchewan for scientifically听based studies on applications to human health.听

Heading off disease in wheat ($410,000): In two projects,听wheat breeder听Curtis Pozniak will take aim at protecting wheat crops听from fungal pathogens by听identifying novel disease resistance听in wheat strains from around the world, and by听pinpointing the mechanisms used听by Fusarium head blight鈥攖he most serious disease affecting wheat production in Canada鈥攖o overcome wheat鈥檚 defences.听

Removing听arsenic with agricultural waste听($70,000):听Engineering researcher听Jafar Soltan听is testing the use of听low-value agriculture residue 鈥� such听as听straw and meal from canola, barley, wheat,听and mustard 鈥� to听transform听it听into听high-value听adsorbents that听remove arsenic from听mining wastewater.听Soltan and his team听of experts听will engage in听research听using the听Canadian Light Source听synchrotron听and a pilot project that听simultaneously works in听two听vital economic sectors: mining听and agriculture.听

The听18听USask听projects attracted听a total of听almost听$1.9听million听from听a wide range of organizations and agencies including听Saskatchewan Pulse Growers ($634,000),听Western Grains Research Foundation听($588,000),听Saskatchewan Wheat Development Commission ($340,000), Saskatchewan Canola Development Commission听($186,000), Alberta Wheat Commission听($72,000),听the Manitoba Crop Alliance听($66,000), and the听Saskatchewan Oat Development Commission ($3,000).听

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