Farm innovation in Prince Edward Island just got a big boost

March 16, 2018

The Charlottetown Research and Development Centre (RDC), which supports innovative research, development, and technology and knowledge transfer activities relevant to the agriculture sector, has just undergone a $6.8-million transformation and has hired five new researchers.

Upgrades to the RDC include doubling the greenhouse growing space, renovating and building ten new laboratories, plus purchasing a $1.3-million nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometer to allow scientists to study farm soil at the molecular level, which will ultimately help farmers improve soil health and the productivity of their land.

As for the new scientists the RDC will have on hand, they include a microbial ecologist; an agro-ecosystem modeller and data scientist; a weed specialist; an environmental chemist; and a cereals and oilseeds biologist, all of whom will be working with regional industry to improve farming practices in Prince Edward Island and across Canada.

The additional research capability, coupled with new equipment, laboratories and greenhouse space, will help improve sustainability, increase yields, and find better ways to control pests, especially for potatoes, cereals, and grain crops.