Unlocking how plants adjust to their environment is central to Sally Mackenzie’s (right) work in epigenetics.

Breeding for plant plasticity

Epigenetics has immense potential for helping crops mitigate the effects of climate change

Genetic manipulations such as RNAi silencing and CRISPR are helping researchers and plant breeders enhance traits and characteristics. The genomic mapping of corn, soybean, wheat and oat creates more opportunities […] Read more

Everett Boots loads a seeding tray of a durum variety while Dayle Meyers drives the tractor at the University of Saskatchewan test plots in Saskatoon in 2020.

Where has all the seed money gone?

Funding for new varieties has slowed to a trickle in Canada, particularly for cereal crops

Glacier FarmMedia – In 2017, people in Canada’s seed industry felt hopeful. Private money was flowing into wheat and pulse crops and investment in variety development was expected to increase […] Read more


Yields are an obvious priority for crop breeders but Kevin Murphy of Washington State University said nutrition can often be overlooked.

Plant breeder focuses on nutritional value

Researcher wins grant to study improving nutritional quality of barley, wheat, peas, lentils, quinoa and buckwheat

Glacier FarmMedia – When plant breeders develop a new variety, the goal is a crop that is “the total package.” They want a high-yielding crop with superior disease resistance, tolerant […] Read more

Claire Cowan's biggest concern right now is the safety of her colleagues in the Ukraine.  Cowan is chief executive officer of North American Plant Genetics, an Ontario company that sells corn seed to Ukrainian farmers.

Ontario company finds place in Ukraine

Independent seed company develops market to supply corn seed

Glacier FarmMedia – Ukraine, a country known for wheat and sunflowers, grows a surprising amount of corn. United States Department of Agriculture data shows Ukraine planted 13 million acres of […] Read more