Alberta Pulse Growers committed $2.4 million to Pulse Science Cluster projects announced Sept. 11 by Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister Lawrence MacAulay.
“This is the largest commitment Alberta Pulse Growers has ever made into Science Clusters in the history of the federal program,” said Chair D’Arcy Hilgartner of Alberta Pulse Growers. “This investment demonstrates the commitment of APG and the Government of Canada to research programs that benefit pulse growers. We really appreciate Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s continued investment into pulse research. Participation in Cluster projects helps APG research dollars go further.”
The Pulse Science Cluster brings together researchers from across Canada to work on pulse specific issues that were prioritized through a collaborative effort between Alberta Pulse Growers, Manitoba Pulse & Soybean Growers, Saskatchewan Pulse Growers and Ontario Bean Growers, as well as Pulse Canada.
APG is involved in the following Pulse Science Cluster projects: Selection for disease resistance in early maturing bean lines for Alberta; Identification of dry bean lines in Ontario and the Prairies with improved canning and cooking quality; Optimizing disease management strategies for white mould and bacterial blights of dry bean; Development of genetically improved field pea varieties and germplasm for the Canadian pulse industry and the evaluation of flavour, physiochemical and functional characteristics in high protein pea breeding lines; Breeding, physiology and agronomy to mitigate yield loss caused by root rots of pea; Vigilance towards plant nematodes to sustain pulse production on the Canadian Prairies; and Integrated pest management of pea leaf weevil using biological control and low insecticide-input alternatives.
The funding for these projects is in addition to APG’s investment of $111,000 for three projects as part of the Integrated Crop Agronomy Cluster, which was announced in July. Those projects are: Coordination of a crop disease monitoring network for Western Canada; Spray drift management under changing operational requirements; and Optimizing systems productivity, resilience and sustainability in the major Canadian ecozones.
The Alberta Pulse Growers Commission represents 6,000 growers of field pea, dry bean, lentil, chickpea, faba bean and soybean in Alberta. Our vision is to have Alberta pulses recognized by consumers as environmentally friendly, healthy, nutritious, and recognized by all producers as being an essential element in a sustainable cropping system.
Source: Alberta Pulse Growers
