Call for Expressions of Interest - Canadian Agri-Science Cluster for Horticulture and National Field Vegetable Industry (2018-2023)

Priority Project Areas

Strategic Outcomes

Investment Priority for Research

1. Priority Project Area

2. 1: Optimize Production Practices

1. 1.1. Best practices and the use of automation optimizes the production practices of Canadian growers; and

2. 1.2. A reduced need on farm inputs.

• Conduct research in the automation of production as a means to reduce labour costs;

• Conduct research in order to reduce farm inputs (for instance fertilizer) without impacting yields;

• Develop best practices to mitigate climate change effects and extreme weather events.

1. Priority Project Area

2. 2: Improve Pest and Disease Management Practices

1. 2.1. The sector employs effective integrated pest management methods widely;

2. 2.2. Growers have access to knowledge regarding the emergence and prevalence of pests;

3. 2.3. Growers have effective and cost-effective methods for detecting and monitoring pests;

4. 2.4. Growers have thresholds for action for the control and management of pests as they relate to various crop development stages.

• Develop, understand and disseminate effective and safe integrated pest management methods that conciliate crop protection, economic profitability, environmental protection, public health, quality and safety of vegetables.

• Improve and disseminate knowledge about new and existing pests

• Develop and transfer tools and methods for detecting and monitoring crop pests

• Determining genetic basis of disease resistance in breeding program germplasm, and understand the relationship of resistance/susceptibility between growth stages (i.e. spear and fern in asparagus);

• Develop or modify action thresholds for pests as relating to crop development stage (i.e. number of scouted cabbage maggots per broccoli plant);

• Priority pests including: wireworm, swedge midge, cabbage maggot, seedcorn maggot, bacterial diseases, sclerotinia white mold, carrot forking and neck rot in onion.

1. Priority Project Area

2. 3: Optimize Post-Harvest and Storage Practices

1. 3.1. Growers use optimized storage methods and technologies that minimize losses and maximize produce quality;

2. 3.2. Growers employ strategies and approaches that minimizes water usage.

• Conduct research in storage techniques to minimize losses and improve efficiency;

• Research conditions required to improve storability of produce;

• Research on wash water use on vegetable farms.

1. Priority Project Area

2. 4: Plant Breeding, Variety Development and Evaluation

1. 4.1. Ongoing variety research is carried out that improves post-harvest shelf life and quality, adapt to new climatic conditions and increase resistance to bacteria and diseases;

2. 4.2. Growers benefit from national coordination of variety evaluation.

• Conduct work on genetic breeding and selection to improve post-harvest shelf life and quality, to adapt to new climatic conditions, to increase resistance to bacteria and diseases (including physiological disorders) and to develop early and late varieties;

• Conduct variety evaluation on vegetable crops;

• Develop high yielding, high quality, disease and replant resistant asparagus cultivars; identify the physiological basis of longevity in asparagus and assess genetic architecture for the trait; and conduct field testing of potential new asparagus varieties.

1. Priority Project Area

2. 5: Research on the Health Benefits of Vegetables

1. 5.1. Ongoing research is conducted on the benefit of vegetable consumption.

2. 5.2. Growers benefit from national coordination of variety evaluation.

• Recruitment of new researchers, supporting students and universities

• Support and validate peer review for health research proposals

1. Enabling Strategy:

2. Knowledge Collection, Translation and Transfer

1. National collaboration with growers, universities and government researchers has resulted in

• Coordination of research;

• Translation of results;

• Transfer of knowledge and technologies for grower use; and

• High adoption rates by industry.

• Training programs

• KT Coordinator

• Communications and dissemination strategies