Maria Antonia Henriquez is a research scientist in wheat pathology at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s (AAFC) Morden Research and Development Centre (RDC).

Born and raised in Colombia, she completed her bachelor’s degree in agronomy and master’s degree in plant breeding at the National University of Colombia. She moved to Canada and received her PhD in plant pathology at the University of Manitoba (U of M), which was followed by postdoctoral research at the Brandon RDC.

Henriquez is the president-elect of the Canadian Phytopathological Society. She lives in Morden with her husband Oscar Molina, who is also a research scientist at the Morden RDC, leading the Integrated Crop Production Systems Agronomy program.

Where did you work before AAFC?

Before moving to Canada, I worked as a research assistant at the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) for five years. CIAT is part of CGIAR, formerly the Consultative Group for International Agricultural Research, a global research partnership that unites international organizations engaged in research about food security.

What got you interested in this area of work?

My father had a big impact on my decision to get into agriculture research. At home, he had a large library with books and encyclopedias covering a wide range of topics, including science, philosophy, medicine and history. When I was nine or 10 years old, he challenged me to find different topics to discuss with him. During my childhood and adolescence, reading those books became my hobby. I spent hours in the library every day, and science and genetics got my attention. I also got inspired to do research with plants. During my bachelor courses and when I did my thesis, I became passionate about plant pathology and plant-microbial interactions at the molecular level. That was my starting point – I will always remember those years.

Tell us a bit about what you’re working on at the Morden RDC.

In my research program, we are using cutting-edge technologies and bioinformatic tools to find innovative and sustainable technologies to enhance genetic resistance and management strategies for Fusarium head blight (FHB) and leaf spot diseases in wheat. I work closely with breeders, plant pathologists, geneticists and agronomists to incorporate disease resistance into Canadian wheat cultivars and conduct applied plant pathology work in terms of crop rotations, development of biopesticides, digital agriculture and disease surveillance.

Many of these projects are funded partially by Manitoba Crop Alliance (MCA). I am leading the project “TEN-TG: A tilling and genome resource for FHB improvement” along with Curtis Pozniak from the Crop Development Centre at the University of Saskatchewan. In this project, we are working with AAC Tenacious, the only FHB-resistant wheat cultivar registered in Canada. We have identified AAC Tenacious mutants that are susceptible to FHB. As we are sequencing the genome of AAC Tenacious, we are going to compare the DNA sequence of those susceptible mutants with the genome of AAC Tenacious to pinpoint the exact mutations resulting in the susceptible phenotype. This comparison will tell us with a reasonable degree of confidence that those genes are in fact involved in resistance. We anticipate this research and the genetic resources we are developing will have an impact in the future with variety development in Canada.

In a digital agriculture project, I am collaborating with Chris Henry from the U of M and Chris Bidinosti from the University of Winnipeg in developing automated systems for detecting and assessing FHB in wheat using machine learning and imaging technologies. By creating both indoor and outdoor automatic systems, the project seeks to expedite the breeding of FHB-resistant wheat cultivars, a model that could be easily adapted to other cereal crops.

I am also leading a project with Steve Robinson where we are evaluating RNA-based fungicides for controlling FHB in field trials. We are currently testing the best combination of RNA-based solutions in yield plots and comparing those biopesticides with traditional fungicides.

What can you say about the value of farmers providing funding and support to your organization?

Funding and support from farmers are essential to fostering innovation, supporting research and development, and leads to the creation of more efficient farming techniques, crop varieties and pest management solutions. This funding is very important. It allows us to explore sustainable agriculture practices that can reduce chemical inputs, enhance soil health and preserve biodiversity. I am grateful for the support from farmers to my research.

How does that farmer funding and support directly benefit farmers?

The funding and support we receive from growers is a step closer to finding solutions to problems that affect the sustainability of the farms. The economic and social impacts extend beyond the individual grower, affecting the entire agricultural sector. By backing different research initiatives, farmers help us ensure their voices are heard and their challenges are addressed.

How do you spend your time outside of work?

Cycling, reading, gardening and listening to music.

What is the best part of your job?

There are so many things, but I would say the opportunity to work towards solutions for problems affecting Canadian agriculture. Particularly, working with important cereal diseases, such as FHB, but the most important is working in collaboration with a diverse group of people from AAFC, government partners, the private sector and universities.

Who or what inspired you?

My father. He is the most intelligent person I have met in my life, and his deep knowledge and understanding across various subjects was exceptional. Endless conversations about the power of the mind, critical thinking and personal values, like integrity, compassion, forgiveness, resilience and strong work ethic, shape who I am as a person. He was always challenging me and telling me to look at things from a different perspective or look for the answer in a different way. That has really stuck with me.

Hiroshi Kubota is a research scientist in sustainable cropping systems at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s (AAFC) Lacombe Research and Development Centre (RDC). Originally from Japan, he earned his bachelor of science in agriculture at the Tokyo University of Agriculture, focusing on tropical agriculture.

Kubota lives in Lacombe, AB, with his wife and two young daughters.

Where did you work before AAFC?

After I graduated from my undergraduate degree, I travelled for a couple of years. I went to Papua New Guinea and Australia before returning to Japan to save money for my graduate studies in Canada. I came to Canada in 2009 and did my master’s degree in plant science at the University of Alberta. After I completed my master’s, I continued my PhD there before starting my current position with AAFC.

What got you interested in this area of work?

My uncle’s volunteer work as a science teacher in Africa influenced my interest in agriculture. Growing up without the internet, I was fascinated by his stories and the photos he shared – both the positive and challenging aspects of life in Africa.

One story about children suffering from poverty and malnutrition made me want to help. The first thing that came to mind was medicine, but I quickly realized I did not like the sight of blood.

That is when I started to think about agriculture as a career and chose to study in Japan. I was not from a farm family. Everything I learned about agriculture at university fascinated me, and I enjoyed my time there. After graduation, I was ready to volunteer in Africa when the program was cancelled. I was still interested in agriculture and decided to come to Canada to learn more about crop production here.

Tell us a bit about what you’re working on at AAFC.

In my daily work at AAFC, I spend time developing new research ideas that resonate with current and future challenges that farmers face. I make it a priority to connect with colleagues and stakeholders through various channels. I feel fortunate to work with a dedicated and experienced technical team, which enables me to focus on the broader aspects of our research instead of needing to check the plots every day. Together, we are trying to address the issues.

Now I’m the lead of the GROW Barley framework for the next seven years. My focus is on improving barley agronomy in Western Canada. Good agronomy is critical to improving competitiveness with other crops. Significant investments by industry and government are made in variety development, but the adoption of those new varieties is slow compared to other crops due to the complexity of the barley industry.

There are several barley agronomy studies underway in Western Canada. Through the GROW Barley framework, I intend to address gaps in existing or ongoing barley agronomy research activities. The first GROW Barley project was supported for funding, and I am excited about starting the project this spring.

Outside of GROW Barley, I am leading three barley-related projects this year and am grateful for the industry’s support for this research. The first project focuses on determining optimal seeding rates of five new feed barley varieties from different genetic backgrounds, including varieties from Western Crop Innovation, the University of Saskatchewan, AAFC Brandon and Nutrien. The other two projects are malting barley studies evaluating agronomic practices to achieve uniform maturity.

What can you say about the value of farmers providing funding and support to your organization?

Support and funding from farmers are invaluable to me as a research scientist. I’m fortunate to be in Western Canada, where both industry partners and farmers actively contribute to advancing research. This funding makes it possible for me to conduct work that directly benefits farmers, and I am deeply grateful for the trust and support I have received. It motivates me to ensure the research I conduct delivers practical, meaningful outcomes for the agricultural community.

How does that farmer funding and support directly benefit farmers?

When considering research projects, I review research priorities from crop commissions and, when possible, speak directly with farmers. Since the crop commissions represent farmers, I trust that I’m hearing their key challenges. My focus is on developing research ideas that are practical and beneficial, ensuring the outcomes have a direct impact on the farm.

How do you spend your time outside of work?

Outside of work I like to do physical activities, although with two little kids it can be hard to find time for hobbies! I love skiing and swimming. I used to be on a competitive swimming team from Grade 6 to 12 in Japan.

What is the best part about your job?

Connecting with stakeholders in the industry. As a relatively new research scientist, and a non-Canadian-born one, it is important for me to understand Canadian agricultural systems as much as I can. Farmers, industry stakeholders, commodity organizations and colleagues are always welcome to share their thoughts, experiences and challenges. This collaboration helps me to provide the best scientific information possible.

How do you celebrate agriculture?

I love eating and cooking, and I try to eat locally grown crops as much as I can. My kids are two and five, and we try to let them experience any agriculture-related activities as much as we can.

What’s your favourite movie?

I am a huge fan of Star Wars.

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