Find content highlighting recent scientific discoveries, new technologies and successes.
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Yield Enhancement Network continuing to harvest yield growth and “ingrain” competitive spirit for Maritimes cereal farmers
The Yield Enhancement Network marks the end of its fourth growing season with year-over-year yield increases and optimism for the future of the initiative and industry.
The legacy of phosphorus and how it can assist farmers in reducing fertilizer applications
Phosphorus fertilizer can build up in the soil and harm the wider environment when used in excess to what a plant actually needs. Researchers are helping farmers reduce environmental impacts and cut fertilizer costs by tapping into what's already there.
Cow Patty Critters: A new guide on Canada's faecal friends
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada researcher Dr. Kevin Floate has developed the first comprehensive guide to discover and understand the faecal friends that provide big bug benefits.
Living Lab – Atlantic uncovers the green energy of cover crops for the environment and farmer's yields
A collaborative four-year study though Living Lab – Atlantic deems cover crops as a "no-brainer" for farmers and the environment.
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List of scientific achievements in agriculture
Read about AAFC's latest agricultural science achievements by browsing the following table:
| Title | Science Sector | Product Type | Teaser hidden column |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yield Enhancement Network continuing to harvest yield growth and “ingrain” competitive spirit for Maritimes cereal farmers | Increasing agricultural productivity | Article |
The Yield Enhancement Network marks the end of its fourth growing season with year-over-year yield increases and optimism for the future of the initiative and industry. |
| The legacy of phosphorus and how it can assist farmers in reducing fertilizer applications | Agro-ecosystem productivity and health | Article | Phosphorus fertilizer can build up in the soil and harm the wider environment when used in excess to what a plant actually needs. Researchers are helping farmers reduce environmental impacts and cut fertilizer costs by tapping into what's already there. |
| Cow Patty Critters: A new guide on Canada's faecal friends | Agro-ecosystem productivity and health | Article | Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada researcher Dr. Kevin Floate has developed the first comprehensive guide to discover and understand the faecal friends that provide big bug benefits. |
| Living Lab – Atlantic uncovers the green energy of cover crops for the environment and farmer's yields | Agro-ecosystem productivity and health | Article | A collaborative four-year study though Living Lab – Atlantic deems cover crops as a "win-win" for farmers and the environment. |
| Living Lab — Atlantic research solidifies enhanced efficiency fertilizer as a win-win for farmers and the environment | Agro-ecosystem productivity and health | Article | New Living Lab – Atlantic research proves the effectiveness of the latest enhanced efficiency fertilizer technology, with the same potato yields and fewer greenhouse gas emissions. |
| The clubroot of the problem is in the genes | Oilseeds | Article | Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada researchers are studying clubroot genetics to help producers stay ahead of this crop disease. |
| Grass Fed Beef (Video) | Forages and beef | Video | In Nappan, Nova Scotia, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada research scientist Yousef Papadopoulos is developing new grass and legume mixtures for cattle forage to improve the quality of meat and growth results. These beef trials are ongoing. Learn about the initial successes of this project. |
| Riparian strips, a prime habitat for pollinators | Living Lab Initiative | Article | What role do pollinators play in our ecosystems? Is their presence desirable or detrimental? Why opt for riparian strips? Dive into the collaborative research activities of the Living Lab project in Quebec to find out. |
| New standardized tool helps researchers with pest surveys | Agro-ecosystem productivity and health | Article | Agriculture and Agri-Food researcher Michelle Franklin is helping the biovigilance community combat agricultural pest threats with a new standardized tool for pest surveys. |
| Taking a walk on the wild side: How AAFC Scientists are using genetics to help Canada's wood bison | Biodiversity and bioresources | Article | Scientists with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada are taking a walk on the wild side by providing their expertise in genetic research and biodiversity to conserve Canada's wood bison population. This research is not only good for the wild population, but could also lead to discoveries that can be applied in the agricultural industry. |
| Shining a Spotlight on Millet | Cereal and Pulses | Article | The FAO has declared 2023 the "International Year of Millets" and to mark the occasion AAFC is sharing some of the research on millet being done across the country. |
| Antioxidants, a booster shot for late blight prevention in potatoes | Agro-ecosystem productivity and health | Article | Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada scientists use antioxidants to boost immune response in potatoes and prevent late blight disease. |
| Maritimes wild hops (Video) | Horticulture | Article | Prince Edward Island Research Scientist, Dr. Jason McCallum, is studying wild hops from the Maritimes and developing the best varieties into viable crops for producers and the craft brewing industry in Atlantic Canada. The project is continuing its experimentation but it's already turning heads in the brewing industry. |
| Digitization unlocks millions of data points for biodiversity | Biodiversity and bioresources | Article | A six-year, $30-million digitization project unlocks data from millions of plant and insect specimens. |
| Continuous lighting discovery shines light on new energy-efficient way to grow crops indoors | Horticulture | Article | Crops grown in greenhouses were thought to follow a strict sleep cycle just like the growers that care for them, but a new lighting discovery shows that crops can perform just as well under continuous light, while lowering energy costs for the grower. |
| Instruments to help measure the apple of the market's eye | Horticulture | Article | Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada researcher Dr. Masoumeh Bejaei is looking into ways to measure human perception of apples with the help of instruments. |
| A new take on an old invention could help potato farmers crush the weed competition | Horticulture | Article | Every so often, an invention intended for one use evolves into something different and the resulting impact is far greater than its original purpose. |
| Hot Potato! AAFC research into heat-tolerant potato genes builds on award-winning study | Horticulture | Article | Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada research has identified genetic qualities that make potato varieties more tolerant to heat-stress and determined the biological mechanisms that result in heat-sprouting. |
| Combating the striped and spotted cucumber beetles | Horticulture | Article | Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada researcher Dr. Suzanne Blatt is researching an eco-friendly method to protect cucurbit crops from the striped and spotted cucumber beetle. |
| Open source coding opens the door to robotic invention at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada | Agro-ecosystem productivity and health | Article | Overcoming COVID-related challenges to completing in-person lab work for food safety research brings about robotic invention for team at London Research and Development Centre. |
| Better together: Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) cultivates a collaborative approach to save good crops from bad pests | Agro-ecosystem productivity and health | Article | Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada researchers establish the Prairie Biovigilance Network to cultivate a collaborative approach to protecting good crops from bad pests. |
| Canada's weed hunters set their sights on natural alternatives to herbicides | Agro-ecosystem productivity and health | Article | Scientists are studying abrasive or projectile weed control on several high-value crops, aiming to help farmers reduce use of herbicides. |
| Retro is the new modern for Maritimes-grown malt barley | Cereals and pulses | Article | PEI-based Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada scientist is studying heritage malt barley varieties that farmers can grow in Eastern Canada and the brewing industry is taking notice. |
| Getting a leg up on canola disease: AAFC researchers get an accurate view of Canadian blackleg population | Oilseeds | Article | Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada researchers get a leg up on canola disease, by completing the first large scale resequencing of the blackleg pathogen in the world. |
| Lights, Colour, Nutrients! LEDs play a starring role in improving nutritional quality of plants | Agro-ecosystem productivity and health | Article | Using more amber and blue LED lights and fewer red lights shown to improve nutritional quality of greenhouse-grown microgreens. |
| AAFC green processing technology turns canola oil into richer source of Vitamin E | Agro-ecosystem productivity and health | Article | Environmental friendly processing technologies used to extract Vitamin E from canola seeds for enhanced canola oil and other future health and medical uses. |
| Waste not, want not: Reducing the environmental footprint of dairy farming with innovative manure management systems | Agro-ecosystem productivity and health | Article | Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada researchers find innovative integrated solutions to help dairy producers take advantage of nutrient-rich manure in the field, increase on-farm feed, and reduce their potential impact on the environment. |
| AAFC scientist honoured as one of 2022's Influential Women in Canadian Agriculture | Cereals and pulses | Article | A vast list of accomplishments, a strong voice and tireless collaboration with the agriculture industry has led Dr. Christine Noronha to her latest accolade. |
| The cereal breeding program is establishing new legacies in Atlantic Canada | Cereals and pulses | Article | Stepping out of the potato's shadow, the cereal breeding program is paying dividends for farmers in Atlantic Canada with a new barley variety and a unique honour bestowed upon it. |
| How to transform livestock waste into products of economic and ecological value | Dairy, pork, poultry and other livestock | Article | Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada scientists are using a new biomethanation facility to degrade organic matter through fermentation. This unique process converts manure, slurry and other livestock waste into bioenergy and bioproducts with economic and ecological value for livestock farms. |
| Going with the flow: AAFC's newest PEI scientist researching natural solutions for sustainable water | Agro-ecosystem productivity and health | Article | Dr. Audrey Murray has her sights set on protecting one of the Island's and world's most precious resources – water. |
| Improve food conservation in Canada's distribution chain | Agri-Food | Article | AAFC scientists have developed predictive tools to help reduce food waste in Canada. Their modelling will identify food refrigeration and distribution weaknesses in order to improve food management systems across the country. |
| Finding a new pulse: scientists and farmers studying how to grow sweet white lupin in Canada | Cereals and pulses | Article | Is a market for sweet white lupin ripe for the taking? AAFC scientists are collaborating with a Calgary-based agri-business and farmers to take the pulse on growing this potentially valuable crop across Canada. |
| Biochar can turn plant waste into healthy soils and improve the environment | Agro-ecosystem productivity and health | Article | Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada scientists study a unique charcoal-like material called "biochar" as a soil amendment and discover its positive effect on soil health and the environment. |
| Building a better bean: discovery of amino acid behaviour poised to enhance protein composition of the common bean. | Agro-ecosystem productivity and health | Article | Understanding the protein-building behaviour inside the common bean reveals pathways to future functional food and cultivar development for protein-enhanced beans. |
| Antibody discovery aims to treat E. coli in pigs for improved livestock health and human | Dairy, pork, poultry and other livestock | Article | An Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada researcher has identified an antibody aimed at treating E. coli in pigs for improved livestock health and human safety. |
| Benefitting cattle producers and the environment: The value of native forages | Forages and beef | Article | Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada scientists are studying how native Prairie forages – the kind bison used to rely on – might benefit both the ecosystem and cattle producers of today. |
| Identifying a common enemy to blueberries, canola and many other crops – the sooner the better | Agro-ecosystem productivity and health | Article | |
| The Three Sisters: Optimizing the value and food potential of an ancestral indigenous crop system | Agro-ecosystem productivity and health | Article | |
| Fat-free stirred yogurts: How to get the right recipe? | Agri-food | Article | |
| Living Lab - Quebec, an inspiring example of winning collaboration | Agri-food | Article | |
| New tool takes the guesswork out of crop yields | Agro-ecosystem productivity and health | Article | |
| The SpectrAAC-2: A fast and effective device for validating food quality and authenticity (Video) | Agri-food | Video | |
| UV-C Light Increases Vitamin D in Mushrooms | Agri-food | Article | |
| Drought outlook the first of its kind in Canada to provide 30-day glimpse into future drought conditions | Agro-ecosystem productivity and health | Article | |
| Worth the wheat: new durum wheat line shows intermediate resistance to fusarium head blight, a first for Canada and the world | Cereals and pulses | Article | |
| Diverse crop rotations shown to increase yields, improve soil health and lower GHGs | Biodiversity and bioresources | Article | Diverse crop rotations including corn are a sustainable management practice that can improve crop response to changing climate conditions and restore soil health. |
| 'Participatory modelling' is a direct collaboration between researchers and agricultural producers that is bearing fruit | Agri-ecosystem productivity and health | Article | Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada scientists are working with field crop producers to help them choose better rotation systems that include cover crops. |
| Wetlands and Farmlands: Celebrating Canadian Environment Week (May 30 – June 5, 2021) | Agri-ecosystem productivity and health | Article | Living Lab – Atlantic collaborators are constructing new wetlands on Prince Edward Island farms and conservationists, including Ducks Unlimited Canada, are taking notice of this important effort to preserve the environment. |
| Yield Enhancement Network grows to new heights in second year | Cereals and pulses | Article | In 2020, the innovative Yield Enhancement Network expanded its reach across the Maritimes to more than 55 grain producers working together alongside researchers to achieve higher yields. |
| A race against climate change spurs discovery of enzyme that transforms toxin threatening corn | Agri-ecosystem productivity and health | Article | Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada scientists discover enzyme that promises to remedy toxin-contaminated food and feed, helping corn producers, animals and the biofuel industry. |
| The first Canadian reference barley genome: a gift beer drinkers can toast | Cereals and pulses | Article | Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada has led the first project to sequence a Canadian variety of malting barley, which down the road will improve the breeding process for new varieties. |
| Can buckwheat be the new top crop on the rotation block? | Agro-ecosystem productivity and health | Article | Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada researchers have discovered a rare chemical in buckwheat that affects wireworms while buckwheat can also be used as a soil amendment to suppress soil and root diseases. |
| Vegetables in the North: AAFC, Government of Yukon and farmers in northern Canada are researching food production together | Horticulture | Article | Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada researchers collaborate with Government of Yukon researchers and a Labrador farmer to find ways to increase crop production in northern Canadian communities. |
| Facing a spud slump? | Agro-ecosystem productivity and health | Article | Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada researchers discover substitute for red clover in potato crop rotation. Using soybean will increase potato yield and reduce environmental impact, by reducing nitrogen leaching in soil and water. |
| Perfecting the formula: AAFC scientists help to develop new weapon in the war against wireworms | Agro-ecosystem productivity and health | Article | Testing by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada researchers leads to the development of new highly-anticipated insecticide that effectively kills wireworm in potato, corn, and cereal crops. |
| Darkening pinto bean problem solved by gene discovery | Cereals and pulses | Article | Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada team discovers a gene in pinto bean that causes postharvest seed coat darkening as the beans age. This finding will save farmers/processors money and please consumers with faster cooking times. |
| Future-Friendly Crops: A National Goal | Agro-ecosystem productivity and health | Article | By looking at how plants respond to environmental stresses, plant physiologists across Canada are working to help ensure Canadian farmers can grow successful crops year after year. |
| Passion for Science Recognized | Biodiversity and bioresources | Article | Two AAFC scientists (Ben Ellert and Katelyn Lutes) have achieved international recognition in what might seem like an unexpected category: a children's book contest. |
| Winter cover crop research yields positive results for environment | Agro-ecosystem productivity and health | Article | Sustainable farming: AAFC researcher identifies cover crops that improve soil health and combat erosion, protecting potato fields in winter. |
| Finding the right genes to flatten potato common scab disease | Agri-food | Article | Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada researchers discover genes that likely differentiate Green Mountain and Hindenburg potato varieties and that might be responsible for common scab resistance in some varieties of potatoes. |
| "Hop"ping into the express lane: AAFC scientists discover ultra-fast research method with potential applications in agriculture, nutri-science and pharmaceuticals | Agri-food | Article | Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada researchers developed a new chemical separation method that reduces the time and expense necessary to separate out chemical components from plant extracts to create new natural products. This method can be used for quicker development of new bio-pesticides, antibiotics and more. |
| A fast and effective device for validating food quality and authenticity | Agri-food | Article | Researchers at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada have invented a very promising device to make food quality and authenticity control more affordable, faster and easier to perform. |
| 50 years of preserving crop genetic diversity in Canada | Agro-ecosystem productivity and health | Article | The Plant Gene Resources of Canada (PGRC), Canada's national genebank for plant genetic resources for food and agriculture, is celebrating its 50th year of preserving crop genetic diversity. This important work contributes to national and global food security. |
| Lingonberries: Good for Your Heart, Good for Your Kidneys and Good for Agriculture | Agri-food | Article | Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada scientists are working in partnership to prove the health benefits of lingonberries and make it easier for producers to grow it. |
| Taking the heat: AAFC research identifies genetic variation of potato varieties to heat tolerance | Agri-food | Article | In a recently published study of heat stress, Dr. Xiu-Qing Li's team at the Fredericton Research and Development Centre of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) raised the temperature on 55 of Canada's most popular potato varieties and found that some varieties can take the heat better than others. |
| Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and Microsoft Research join to win International Greenhouse Challenge | Agro-ecosystem productivity and health | Article | AAFC teams up with Microsoft Research to create winning team in International Greenhouse Challenge using Artificial Intelligence. |
| Antibiotic resistant gene discovered but berries may be a solution | Agro-ecosystem productivity and health | Article | Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada researchers discovered a new antibiotic resistant gene that is making a common antibiotic less powerful, but berries may hold the solution. |
| Fate of antibiotics on the farm | Agro-ecosystem productivity and health | Article | Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada researchers team up to identify ways manage waste that contain antibiotics and antimicrobial resistant genes. |
| Ground Hemlock At Home on the Forest Floor | Horticulture | Research note | Ground hemlock (Taxus canadensis), also known as Canada yew or eastern yew, is a native evergreen shrub that can be found in forests throughout eastern Canada. Ground hemlock is a low-spreading and relatively slow-growing shrub. Interest in commercial production of ground hemlock is due to its paclitaxel (Taxol®) content, which is used as a chemotherapy drug to treat several types of cancer. |
| Herbicide resistance – Genetic tools for zero tolerance | Agro-ecosystem productivity and health | Article | An Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada research scientist has developed a genetic method that could slow the spread of herbicide-resistant weeds which affect vegetable production in Canada. |
| Intercropping – a new planting method for large-scale Prairie agriculture? | Agro-ecosystem productivity and health | Article | Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada researchers look into the benefits of intercropping chickpea and flax. |
| The Canola Flower Midge : a newly discovered species | Agro-ecosystem productivity and health | Article | Introducing Contarinia brassicola : a newly discovered midge that could be damaging canola in Saskatchewan |
| Research is helping farmers seize Quinoa fever | Agro-ecosystem productivity and health | Article | Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada scientists are discovering new ways to improve the productivity of quinoa crops for farmers. |
| Space: Agriculture from a new stellar vantage point | Agro-ecosystem productivity and health | Article | Canadian Space Agency launches RADARSAT-Constellation Mission satellites. Find out what's in it for agriculture. |
| Strange brew : Maritimes wild hops could provide unique flavours to brewing industry | Horticulture | Article | Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada researchers discover characteristics in the chemistry of Maritimes wild hops that could be attractive to the brewing industry. |
| Sustainable Biocontrol Agents : A Standing Army at the Ready | Horticulture | Article | AAFC researchers have investigated a way to improve the sustainability of biocontrol agents. |
| Using genomics to understand antimicrobial resistance | Agro-ecosystem productivity and health | Article | Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada researchers lead a collaboration aimed at detecting antimicrobial resistance. |
| What is hydroponics? | Agri-food | Research note | |
| Reducing methane emissions from livestock | Agro-ecosystem productivity and health | Research note | Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) scientists at the Lethbridge Research Centre in Alberta are developing methane mitigation strategies for the beef and dairy industries. |
| A raw apple juice that doesn't turn brown! | Horticulture | Research note | Opalescent apple juice has lots of pulp, which enhances its sensory properties. However, just like cut apples, this juice turns brown with time. This browning reaction is caused by an enzyme, polyphenol oxidase or "PPO." The natural organic acids present in apple juice give it its characteristic slightly acidic taste. PPO functions very well at this level of acidity. However, by slightly increasing the acidity of the juice, it can be inactivated. |
| Innovative biobed design prevents up to 70% of water contamination by pesticides on farms | Agro-ecosystem productivity and health | Article | Researchers from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada offer a robust biobed design that provides a safe and effective solution for managing pesticide waste disposal on Canadian farms. |
| Polycultures : A cocktail mix for the semiarid prairies | Agro-ecosystem productivity and health | Article | |
| Learning From Nature : Wild Wheat Responds to Climate Change | Biodiversity and bioresources | Article | |
| Potato Gold Rush : Canada 150 spud new gold standard for fresh market | Horticulture | Article | |
| Maple syrup flavour research | Agro-ecosystem productivity and health | Article |