Supporting Ontario's Field Crop Growers
Research for a productive field crop industry
The Ontario Agri-Food Innovation Alliance works for Ontario grain, dry bean and oilseed farmers, helping them meet complex challenges with research, innovation, laboratory capacity and world-class expertise. We deliver effective tools for farmers to protect their harvests, grow healthy plants that produce well, and improve soil health for the future.
Partners: Working together for a strong, sustainable sector
The Alliance brings together government, academia and industry for a strong, sustainable field crop sector. Partners include:
- Grain Farmers of Ontario
- Ontario Bean Growers
- Ontario crop committees and organizations
- Agricultural and ag-tech companies
- Agribusinesses, such as seed companies
Making an impact
Research for resilience: Soil health pays off
Alliance-funded soil health research has transformed how we understand, manage and preserve Ontario’s soils. Explore the benefits associated with farming for soil health alongside yield and profit using cover cropping, crop rotation, 4R nutrient management and reduced tillage.
Wollastonite: Improving soil health and capturing carbon
Dr. Rafael Santos
The chemical engineer and researcher found that the mineral wollastonite can trap twice as much carbon dioxide as limestone. With support from the Alliance, Santos is collaborating with UK-based company UNDO carbon, which is working directly with farmers.
Cultivating innovation through academic-private partnerships
Dr. Joshua Nasielski
This research collaboration with Ontario-based Susterre Technologies Inc. provides unbiased, third-party data on a novel planter attachment designed to improve crop establishment in high-residue, no-till farming systems.
Working with industry and government on FHB-resistant wheat
Dr. Helen Booker
U of G’s wheat breeding program was formed as a partnership between U of G, Grain Farmers of Ontario and SeCan. Booker breeds varieties that balance Fusarium head blight resistance with yield, maturity time and strength.
AI solutions for the future of wheat breeding
Connor Belot and Riley McConachie
Dr. Helen Booker’s graduate students have developed a free app that allows farmers to take a photo of their wheat plot using their smartphones and receive a near-instant analysis of wheat head infection levels.
Faster and more precise soybean selection through AI
Dr. Milad Eskandari
Combining artificial intelligence (AI) and remote sensing technologies with traditional breeding methods will develop high-yielding, disease-resistance soybean cultivars for both Ontario and international markets.
Robotics for lima bean farmers
Dr. Medhat Moussa
Working with industry partners, Moussa developed an automated robotic system to help farmers manage weeds, leading to healthier crops, higher quality yields and lower production losses. The technology is a tractor attachment that uses computer vision and artificial intelligence (AI).
Better, faster, stronger soil data can feed the planet
Dr. Asim Biswas
Machine-learning algorithms can generate digital field guides that tell farmers how nutrients are distributed and where to adjust. These techniques, developed by Biswas and already being used in the industry, are building a new era of precision agriculture.
Key findings from the long-term rotation plot research
Dr. Bill Deen
Decades of research at the Ontario Crops Research Centre sites in Ridgetown and Elora have helped farmers determine which rotations yield the healthiest crops and soil. Working with Soils at Guelph, four infographics of key findings summarize these farm-tested solutions.
Ontario Crops Research Centre
Agricultural Research and Innovation Ontario (ARIO) provides the places and spaces where research thrives.
The network of sites provides cutting-edge research that prevents disease and keeps Ontario's food systems safe; spans five soil types (London Loam, Guelph Loam, Holland Marsh, Clay Loam and Norfolk Sand Plain); and hosts events for producers, including weed tours, field and diagnostic days and ag-robotics demo days.
Explore the Ontario Crops Research Centre sites in:
Additional services and resources
Services
Dependable diagnostic and analytical services
The Agriculture & Food Laboratory (AFL) at the U of G offers the latest and most accurate methodologies for testing soil, water, plants, agrochemicals, food and beverages and milk.
AFL delivers accurate results for the agriculture, food and beverage, corporate and research sectors.
Extensive, state-of-the-art growth facilities in two locations.
The Research Innovation Office supports the commercialization of U of G crop varieties that come from the plant breeding programs and related research work.
Resources
Soils at Guelph facilitates collaboration and knowledge exchange among stakeholders, and educates on the importance of soil health.
Northern and Eastern Ontario Agronomy Research Group (NEO-AG) is U of G researchers conducting agronomic research of direct relevance to the farmers of northern and eastern Ontario.
University of Guelph Ridgetown Campus Researcher Profiles
The Dry Bean Breeding & Computational Biology Program at U of G is a cornerstone of agricultural innovation, advancing dry bean varieties since 1977.
It combines combines decades of breeding expertise with modern computational tools to deliver resilient, high-quality beans for Ontario growers and global markets.
The Long-Term Cropping Trial Data Portal houses select data from the Ontario Crops Research Centre as part of our commitment to enhance the sharing and reuse of agricultural research data.
In the news
- RealAgriculture: Edible Bean School: Data and AI driving future variety development (Dec. 2025)
- Ontario Grain Farmer Magazine: Artificial intelligence on the farm (Nov. 2025)
- Kingston News: Carbon removal agreement between Microsoft and UNDO to use local wollastonite (Oct. 2025)
- Northern Ontario Business: Temiskaming research centre sets up crop trials that yield practical results (Oct. 2025)
- Farmtario: Living Lab helps farmers optimize sustainable nitrogen use (Oct. 2025)
- Farms.com: Scouting and Managing Resistant Weeds in Ontario (Sept. 2025)
- RealAgriculture: Edible Bean School: Taking aim at Canada fleabane (July 2025)
- The Rural Voice: Rebooting the Rotation (July 2025)
- RealAgriculture: Is Ontario weather too cool and unpredictable for palmer amaranth? (June 2025)
- Farmtario: Diverse crop rotations bring savings in poor growing conditions (Dec. 2024)
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