Ontario Crops Research Centre to Host U of G Research to Develop More Sustainable Wheat

Dr. Kari Dunfield, professor in the School of Environmental Sciences, Ontario Agricultural College (OAC) has received $3,920,000 from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) Alliance Advantage program. The governments of Canada and Ontario, as well as industry partners contributed an additional $1,960,000 in funding and $143,695 of in-kind support.

This research will take place at the Ridgetown and Elora sites of the Ontario Crops Research Centre as well as farm sites, maximizing the value of existing trials and ensuring findings are relevant to real-world farming conditions.

Building on previous research by Dunfield and Hooker at Ridgetown Campus, this project will also use learnings from long-term trials supported by the Ontario Agri-Food Innovation Alliance, and the applied research project on the soil microbiome funded under the Ontario Agri-food Research Initiative through the federal-provincial Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership, to conduct a coordinated, multi-dimensional study of nitrogen management in wheat.

“The work of Dr. Dunfield and her research team will deliver solutions to farmers that increase efficiency and drive sustainable growth in Ontario’s wheat sector,” said Trevor Jones, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness. “Our government is proud to invest in made-in-Ontario research that supports farmers and protects our food independence.”

Dunfield says, “Our partners, from farmers to the food industry and its consumers, care about different aspects of wheat production. By working across the supply chain, we can develop solutions that are both scientifically sound and realistic for farmers to implement while ensuring food companies can continue producing high-quality baking products that people know and love,” she says.  

Read the full release: U of G Researcher to Develop More Sustainable Wheat - U of G News