Eleven genomics research projects have won Genome Canada’s large-scale applied research project competition.
The agriculture and aquaculture genomics research projects, which were announced July 21 by Genome Canada and the Western Grains Research Foundation, will receive $93 million in funding.
The federal government is funding $30.8 million through Genome Canada with $5 million from the Western Grains Research Foundation. Other partners, including provincial governments, the private sector and non-profit organizations, will contribute $57.2 million.
The projects involve research teams at academic institutions in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Ontario and Quebec.
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Saskatchewan agriculture minister Lyle Stewart said the province and the University of Saskatchewan, have become a hotbed for agriculture research and production.
“This cluster here at the U of S is instrumental to the increases in production we’ve had in this province.”
Stewart said the research projects have the potential to further boost agricultural in the province.
“Over the last number of years we’ve seen, because of research and because of our producers using the latest in technology, we’ve seen dramatic increases in yield. This is where it starts. It starts with research.”
Projects receiving funding include:
- Canadian Triticum Applied Genomics (CTAG2), Genome Prairie (lead genome centre), $8.5 million.
- Application of genomics to innovation in the lentil economy (AGILE), Genome Prairie, $7.9 million.
- Application of genomics to improve disease resilience and sustainability in pork production, Genome Alberta, Genome Prairie, $9.8 million.
- Reverse vaccinology approach for the prevention of mycobacterial disease in cattle, Genome Prairie, Genome British Columbia, $7.4 million.
- Sustaining and securing Canada’s honey bees using genomic tools, Genome British Columbia, $7.2 million.
- SoyaGen, improving yield and disease resistance in short-season soybean, Genome Quebec, $8.3 million.
- Increasing feed efficiency and reducing methane emissions through genomics: A new promising goal for the Canadian dairy industry, Genome Alberta, Ontario Genome Institute, $10.3 million.
- Genomics of abiotic stress resistance in wild and cultivated sunflowers, Genome British Columbia, $7.9 million.
- A Syst-OMICS approach to ensuring food safety and reducing the economic burden of salmonellosis, Genome Quebec, $9.8 million.
- Enhancing production in Coho: culture, community, catch (EPIC4), Genome British Columbia, Genome Quebec, $9.9 million.
- Toward a Sustainable Fishery for Nunavummiut, Ontario Genomics Institute, $5.6 million.
