Meet a Researcher Archives - Page 2 of 7

Kelly Turkington, Plant Pathologist, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

Coles Ag on July 17, 2025

Follow Kelly on X (formerly Twitter) @FungusAmungus3.

(Thomas) Kelly Turkington is a research scientist in plant pathology at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s (AAFC) Lacombe Research and Development Centre. He holds a bachelor of science in agriculture (honours), a master’s degree and a PhD from the University of Saskatchewan (U of S). He also spent about eight months taking classes at the University of Guelph as part of his U of S PhD program.

Turkington lives in Lacombe with his wife, Ana. Their children have grown up and moved out, and they are fortunate to have their daughter, son-in-law and granddaughter living close by, while having a son and daughter-in-law in Edmonton.

Where did you work before AAFC?

I worked with Alberta Agriculture for two years in a similar position prior to joining AAFC in 1996. Prior to joining Alberta Agriculture, I had post-doctoral fellow positions from 1991 to 1994 with AAFC Ottawa and AAFC Beaverlodge working on Fusarium head blight (FHB) of wheat and ear rot of corn, and brown girdling root rot of canola, respectively.

What got you interested in plant pathology?

I started my undergraduate program not knowing what I wanted to do. I didn’t fully comprehend the breadth of options for a career in agriculture, so I took a general introduction to crop science. In my third year, I took introductory plant pathology with professor Robin Morrall. His passion really helped shape my career and the direction I headed.

That Christmas I switched into agricultural biology so I could focus on plant pathology. After that, I worked as a pathology summer student at AAFC, which really got me into the field. Later, during my master’s and PhD, I was in close contact with farmers in northeastern and northwestern Saskatchewan. We were chasing moisture, doing petal testing for sclerotinia stem rot. That experience helped shape my interest and a practical approach to research focused on real issues farmers face. That’s been a theme throughout my career.

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

I am the lead on the “Disease resistance to address environmental issues, economics, and sector resiliency” project funded through the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (SCAP) Barley Cluster. As plant pathologists, we see the impact of diseases on crop productivity, quality and even grain grade. James Tucker from AAFC Brandon is the co-lead on the project.

Disease resistance is one of the pillars of integrated disease management. For leaf diseases, high resistance levels can help mitigate the impact and, in some cases, eliminate the need for fungicide applications, especially prior to head emergence.

FHB has been a tough nut to crack. Through years of research, we’ve reduced susceptibility but still don’t have high levels of resistance. We work with Prairie breeding programs to identify resistant breeding lines, which breeders use to make selections and end up with varieties that combine agronomic performance, quality traits and a suite of disease resistance.

This project addresses a range of barley disease issues. We help identify sources of disease resistance and collaborate with breeders and molecular biologists to incorporate that resistance into new lines. We’re also involved in marker-assisted selection, where colleagues send populations from crosses between resistant and susceptible parents, and we help identify markers linked to resistance traits.

This is our third growing season under the SCAP cluster, but it’s a long-term effort. For diseases like rusts, our collaboration with breeders goes back more than 75 years. It’s an ongoing battle, because pathogens evolve and change in terms of their virulence.

Tell us about your involvement in the Prairie Crop Disease Monitoring Network.

Along with colleagues from AAFC Saskatoon, AAFC Beaverlodge and AAFC Swift Current, we facilitated the establishment of the Prairie Crop Disease Monitoring Network (PCDMN), funded under the Integrated Crop Agronomy Cluster from 2018 to 2023. It’s modelled after the Prairie Pest Monitoring Network, a successful initiative related to insect monitoring that started in the mid-1990s.

Now into the second phase of the project, we’re working with a broader range of plant pathologists in Canada, universities and funders such as Western Grains Research Foundation, the Agriculture Development Fund in Saskatchewan and Results Driven Agriculture Research / the Agriculture Funding Consortium in Alberta, SCAP, and key producer groups and agencies in the Prairies, including Manitoba Crop Alliance.

From mid-May to early July, we issue weekly rust risk forecasts for winter wheat and spring cereals. These forecasts give farmers and consultants a heads-up, as we identify regions where rust may be emerging so they can scout in a timely fashion and decide whether a fungicide application is needed. In addition, we also develop information and guidance related to disease identification, risk assessment and key management strategies.

In 2023, we also started including soil moisture maps with a focus on sclerotinia stem rot in canola. These maps focus on soil conditions that could promote sclerotia germination and spore release. Again, it’s about giving farmers and consultants a timely warning. Learn more at prairiecropdisease.com or follow @PCDMN on X (formerly Twitter).

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

It’s key. Without that support, it would be difficult to do the breadth of work we do. One of the most important things for our program is support for summer students working in our nurseries. Summer students play a key role, and that farmer support is what allows us to bring them on board and mentor the next generation of pathologists.

How does that farmer funding and support directly benefit farmers?

The end goal of our work is to provide farmers with improved tools to manage disease on a consistent basis – tools that are sustainable and provide prolonged management.

We want to develop barley varieties that are resistant to multiple diseases. Disease resistance is a key foundational tool, especially as pathogens continue to adapt. Having a strong network of colleagues and staying connected to farmers is essential to understanding which issues are emerging. I encourage farmers to ask questions, visit research centres, attend field days and learn more about the work we’re doing and how it can benefit their farms.

For the PCDMN, specifically, the goal is to help farmers stay ahead of emerging risks, identify issues early and implement timely, appropriate management strategies. That leads to better crop production and quality, reduced input costs and improved returns.

How do you spend your time outside of work?

I’m our family’s genealogist, so I’m really interested in family history. Grandparents, great-grandparents or great-great-uncles who served in the First and Second World Wars, I like learning about where our family came from and their stories.

I also have a motorcycle. I’m not sure I’d call it a hobby, my wife would say it’s an endless money pit. It’s an older bike, so I’m constantly fiddling with it, but I find it cathartic when things work out.

What is the best part about your job?

The people and the ability to interact with a broad range of individuals. Not only scientific colleagues, but technical and extension staff, producer groups, farmers and industry. That camaraderie and networking is what I enjoy most, especially interacting with farmers and consultants.

Follow Kelly on X (formerly Twitter) @FungusAmungus3

Jitendra Paliwal, Vice President of Research and Innovation, University of Winnipeg

Coles Ag on June 17, 2025

Connect with Jitendra on LinkedIn.

Jitendra Paliwal is vice president of research and innovation at the University of Winnipeg (UWinnipeg) and an adjunct professor at the University of Manitoba (U of M).

Paliwal earned his bachelor’s degree in agricultural engineering in India, followed by a master’s and PhD in biosystems engineering at the U of M. He lives in Winnipeg with his wife. Their two children are following a similar path to their father: one is studying engineering, while the other is studying geology at the U of M.

Where did you work before UWinnipeg?

I arrived at the U of M as a graduate student and never left (until last year). I was there for nearly 30 years, including my time as a student, then a professor in the Department of Biosystems Engineering and eventually associate dean (academic and graduate programs) in the Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences. It has been a rewarding journey, and I’ve met many wonderful people along the way.

Tell us a bit about your research over the years.

My research focuses on the storage and quality monitoring of crops grown in Manitoba. I primarily employ optical techniques, using visible and non-visible light to monitor and enhance the quality of various agricultural commodities.

In one project, “Decontaminating stored flax,” which is funded in part by Manitoba Crop Alliance, we are using what is known as advanced oxidative processing. Through this process, we combine UV light, ozone and hydrogen peroxide to zap microbes, so the crop stays free of any kind of microbial growth.

Flax is a high-lipid crop that must remain dry during storage. The goal of our research is twofold: to maintain dryness and, if microbial growth does occur due to elevated moisture levels, to eliminate it effectively. We are exploring non-thermal methods that avoid heating the crop, using environmentally friendly approaches that involve no hazardous chemicals. Our focus is on solutions that are not only effective but also cost-efficient and commercially viable.

In the last year of this research, we are optimizing a combination of UV light, ozone and hydrogen peroxide without overexposing the crop to any of these three. We are looking for that sweet spot where we can decontaminate the crop while preserving its mechanical and functional properties, which are essential in end-product development.

What got you interested in this area of work?

I was always interested in agriculture. Sure, flax was not originally on my radar, but I was always interested in crops, people having healthy food to eat and farmers getting compensated the best they can.

As the population grows, so does the focus on increasing production, but there is less mention of post-harvest management of crops. Crops can spoil in storage, and if we were to stop some of that spoilage, we wouldn’t have to put as much pressure on the production side. This has been one of the main driving forces of my research program (i.e., to contain spoilage and preserve quality).

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

Funding enables progress, but what’s especially humbling about support from farmers is the trust they place in our research to address the challenges they face. Every time they contribute a check-off dollar to a producer group, they invest in the hope that someone will turn that dollar into meaningful, long-term solutions. This kind of funding keeps us grounded; it reminds us to focus on delivering practical outcomes that ultimately support and benefit the farming community.

How does that farmer funding and support directly benefit farmers?

Much of the work we do has a direct impact on farmers, beginning in the lab and ultimately reaching the field. The techniques and tools we develop are only possible because of the support we receive. Farmers have placed their trust in the system, which means a great deal. They keep asking the tough questions and challenge us to push the boundaries of science. That’s how we continue delivering solutions and innovations that tackle real-world challenges on the farm. Thank you for supporting our research.

How do you spend your time outside of work?

I am a bit of a wellness freak, and I like staying active. Tennis keeps my aging body moving, yoga keeps my mind sane and nutritional supplements (like flax!) keep me hopeful, if not youthful. I also dabble a little in cooking, but my kids would argue that my food is more nutritional than tasty.

What gets you most excited about your work?

When you are working in the lab, the “aha” moment clicks when a student or a farmer says, “Well, this helped!” To me, that is a big win. Science is about discovery, but impact is about people. So, bridging the two really excites me.

What is the best piece of advice you have received?

My father telling me to work hard but stay humble.

Humility is one of the most important qualities. You might achieve great success or accumulate wealth, but it’s essential to stay grounded and acknowledge the people who helped you along the way.

Connect with Jitendra on LinkedIn.

Nandika Bandara, Associate Professor and Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in Food Proteins and Bioproducts, University of Manitoba

Coles Ag on May 22, 2025

Connect with Nandika on LinkedIn.

Born and raised in Sri Lanka, Nandika Bandara is an associate professor and Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in Food Proteins and Bioproducts in the Department of Food and Human Nutritional Sciences at the University of Manitoba (UM).

He completed his undergraduate degree in agriculture specializing in food science and technology at the University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka. He then worked in the industry for four years before moving to Canada to do his master’s degree in food science and technology and his PhD at the University of Alberta.

Where did you work before UM?

After completing my PhD, I began a postdoctoral fellowship (PDF) position at the University of Guelph in the Department of Food Science, supported by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada PDF scholarship. I stayed there five months before I got an assistant professor role at Dalhousie University.

What got you interested in this area of work?

When I was in middle school, there was a 50^th anniversary of the Faculty of Agriculture at the University of Peradeniya, the oldest university in my country. A family friend was staying in our home, going to university, and he took me to that celebration exhibition. After seeing all the animals, equipment and different farming systems, I knew agriculture was something I would really like. I selected agriculture as my high school major and went directly to that same university for the agriculture degree program.

Tell us a bit about what you are working on at UM.

My research program focuses on improving the protein and bioproduct industries using biopolymers generated in agriculture and food processing. I have three main research themes:

Sustainable technologies for protein processing and functionality improvement: Developing nonthermal processing, fermentation, and dry and wet protein fractionation technologies to produce functional protein ingredients.
Advancing fundamental knowledge related to protein utilization: Using advanced analytical and material characterization techniques to understand protein functionality.
Advancing circular bioeconomy in the alternative protein industry: Use byproducts and waste material from agriculture (oilseed meal, for example) to produce new food ingredients and develop biopolymers for use in sustainable packaging, wood adhesive and other polymer applications.

In a project funded in part by Manitoba Crop Alliance, we are working with sunflower meal from the commercial oil extraction process. One of the biggest challenges with sunflower meal is that it contains chlorogenic acid, which makes the meal green. This chlorogenic acid will co-extract during traditional protein extraction methods. If you bake something with the sunflower protein, it turns green due to a reaction between chlorogenic acid and amino acid.

In this project we developed two new protein extraction methods where we can get rid of those colour compounds and produce an off-white colour sunflower protein. This work focuses on developing protein ingredients and using the remaining material (cellulose and lignin) for value-added applications.

Then we will look at how sunflower protein can compete with other proteins. Right now, the plant protein market is dominated by soy and pea protein to a certain extent. The oil is still the main component, but if we can get a food commodity from the sunflower meal it will increase the value of the crop for farmers.

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

Farmer based funding is huge. This is the second time I have received farmer-based funding for value-added research. To see that farmers are interested in value-added opportunities is encouraging. You can increase primary production to a certain level, but eventually you will hit a ceiling, right? When you cannot go beyond that, you must generate more income from the existing resources you have. That is how you advance the industry, not just by trying to increase yields, but by generating value for the other components.

How does that farmer funding and support directly benefit farmers?

If we can commercialize sunflower protein, farmers will get additional value for sunflowers, not just for the oil. If everything goes well for this project, we will get the sunflower protein as a protein ingredient. That is one revenue stream. If we can break down the lignin and cellulose and produce the other platform chemicals, that can be another revenue source. It is important to increase yields, and it is important to focus on agronomic practices, but at the same time, the future will be based on value-added opportunities.

How do you spend your time outside of work?

I play cricket. We have both competitive and recreational playing opportunities here in Winnipeg.

What gets you most excited about your work?

Working with trainees and seeing them become successful. I have 23 trainees, and they are extremely successful. For example, they have received national and international awards. American Oil Chemists’ Society, which is involved with the sunflower industry, has two major awards for students: the Thomas Smouse Memorial Fellowship and the Honored Student Award. For two consecutive years, one of my trainees won the Thomas Smouse Memorial Fellowship, and in 2025, another student won the Honored Student Award.

The Institute of Food Technologists, an international society, offers the Feeding Tomorrow Fund, a graduate scholarship program, and presents approximately 90-100 scholarships each year globally. Last year, Canadian students received 10, and my trainees got seven of them. For three consecutive years, my trainees have secured the grand prize in the graduate student competition at the Manitoba Materials Conference. I have also had trainees advance to lead international student societies (American Oil Che), which brings me great satisfaction to see them succeed.

What is your favourite food or meal to cook?

Authentic Sri Lankan food! I really enjoy cooking. I invited my entire research group for dinner recently and they really loved the authentic Sri Lankan foods we have.

Connect with Nandika on LinkedIn.

Follow the Food Protein and Bioproduct Lab on Instagram.

Rebecca Hallett, Interim Associate Vice President Research, University of Guelph

Coles Ag on May 8, 2025

Follow @RHHallett on X.

Rebecca Hallett is the Interim Associate Vice President Research of the Agri-Food Partnership in the Office of Research at the University of Guelph (U of G). She holds a bachelor’s in biogeography from the University of Toronto, as well as a master’s in pest management and a PhD in entomology from Simon Fraser University (SFU). Following her PhD, she spent two years working as a postdoctoral researcher with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada in Saskatoon. She lives in Guelph with her husband and has two adult children.

What was your previous role at the U of G?

I’ve been a professor in the School of Environmental Sciences since 1998. Before my current role, I was Associate Dean of Research and Graduate Studies for the Ontario Agricultural College, which includes six departments that focus on food, agriculture, communities and the environment.

What got you interested in entomology?

I must give some credit to my dad. He has always been very devoted and academic about his hobbies. When I was a tween, he began collecting insects. I went into botany because I always loved plants, but the insect connection was there.

When I got to SFU, there were exciting things happening in entomology and fewer opportunities in integrated pest management on the botanical side. I had done some travelling and volunteering in India and thought I might get into international agricultural development work. When I couldn’t use this experience as part of my master’s, I connected with a Canadian entomologist working on a development project in Indonesia. I went to work with him and my move into entomology happened. I knew I wanted to be a scientist from a young age, but I really wanted to do something that was going to solve problems. So, agriculture and entomology were ways for me to do that.

Tell us a bit about what you’re working on at U of G.

My current position oversees the university side of the Ontario Agri-Food Innovation Alliance, a collaboration between the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness (OMAFA); U of G; and Agricultural Research and Innovation Ontario, whose research stations we operate as part of our research activities.

My training was in chemical ecology using insect pheromones and host plant compounds to manipulate insect behavior for pest management, which has been a theme throughout my work. I work closely with OMAFA, various crop specialists and the provincial entomologists to look at invasive or emerging pest issues that affect Ontario agriculture.

I also collaborate with Jocelyn Smith on the “Mitigation and management of Cry1F resistance in European corn borer in Canada” project, of which Manitoba Crop Alliance is a funding partner. Jocelyn is the scientific lead and we co-advise graduate students.

Two aspects I’ve been most closely involved in are work by master’s students Emily Glasgow and Jenna Straughan. Emily looked at potential links between pheromone races and BT susceptibility, and the heritability and fitness implications of the field-evolved Cry1F resistance trait. Emily graduated a couple of years ago and we’re now co-advising Jenna on related work. Her focus is the phenology of European corn borer and its occurrence in Ontario, number of generations and use of degree-day modelling to predict adult flights. She’s also done work on isotope detection and the relationship between pheromone races and host plant types, testing whether they are as separated on distinct host plants as the literature indicates.

This work is key to understanding the pest’s life history and timing of occurrence, and has implications for integrated resistance management strategies.

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

Support from farmers is extremely important, as they tell us what they need and what challenges they are facing. Today, so much research funding is reliant on leveraging funds provided by industry. I’ve only seen that trend increase through my career as a faculty member. Many of our funding programs are dependent upon showing that what we are doing is important to industry or to the agricultural sector. So, the funding provided by producer organizations is critical to making research – and solutions to the challenges growers are facing – happen.

How does that farmer funding and support directly benefit farmers?

Ideally, through these research projects we can return results to growers. We aim to get that research into practice to help to inform their management practices and decision-making.

Some of the most rewarding things I’ve done have been those that have resulted in changes and improvements for growers in terms of pest management and decision-making. We did one of the first insect-based apps, Aphid Advisor, for example. It considered the natural enemies (mainly lady beetles) that were being seen on soybean plants at the same times as aphids to adjust the decision as to whether an insecticide spray would be needed. In the end, we were able to deliver a service that they could use to improve their decision-making. This is one example of a research idea coming from growers – they saw the lady beetles in their soybean fields and wanted to know what contribution they were making to combatting the soybean aphid.

How do you spend your time outside of work?

My husband and I really enjoy travel. We spend a lot of time talking about where we might go next and what we might do there. We have a little “pandemic trailer” we bought to do some camping and we plan to do the west coast of Newfoundland this summer.

What gets you most excited about your work?

Trying to make a difference. In all the roles I hold as a professor and administrator I try to lead from a place of caring and I want to help solve problems. That motivates me.

Any favourite travel experiences you’d like to share?

I absolutely love Southeast Asia: the people, the food, the climate and the biodiversity is incredible. I learned to scuba dive last year. We went to Raja Ampat in eastern Indonesia, which is one of the most biodiverse marine environments in the world, and it was great. If you’ve been to the Caribbean, there are about 57 species of coral there. Raja Ampat is part of the Coral Triangle and there are over 600 coral species, so all the little ecological niches for all these different organisms to occupy is amazing. We saw such incredible things, from nearly microscopic creatures almost too hard to see to ocean manta rays with 15-foot wingspans floating over top of us. It was just mind blowing.

Follow @RHHallett on X.

Maria Antonia Henriquez, research scientist, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

Coles Ag on March 20, 2025

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, research scientist, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

Coles Ag on February 21, 2025

Follow @HiroshiKubota2 on X.

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.

Follow @HiroshiKubota2 on X.

Steve Robinson, research scientist, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

Coles Ag on February 5, 2025

Working in the world of epigenetics, Steve Robinson is a research Scientist at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC). Robinson was born and raised in Dudley, England, and has studied genetics nearly all his life. He began his post-secondary education studying genetics at the University of Birmingham, earned a PhD in molecular genetics from Newcastle University and studied at the John Innes Centre in Norwich before moving to Canada as a postdoctoral researcher.

He lives in Saskatoon with his wife and daughter.

What got you interested in this area of work?

Well, genetics seemed to be the area where you could be the most experimental in biology. This, combined with advances in molecular biology, I found fascinating. As an undergraduate student I found there were descriptive areas of biology that interested me less, and I was more drawn to experiments involving heritable traits – seeing changes occur over generations. I guess I have always been fascinated by genetics.

When I went to Norwich to begin my graduate research, my PhD supervisor, Derek Lydiate, moved the lab from Norwich to Saskatoon, bringing other Brits along with him. I was able to make many contacts while visiting and that is how we ended up here in sunny Saskatoon.

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

My work in the lab focuses on gene regulation and I’m particularly interested in the challenges resulting from polyploidy. I’m primarily working in canola and wheat, with the goal of improving these crops.

In one ongoing project, we are developing a method to introduce valuable genes from wild relatives into canola, breaking critical hybridization barriers. In another project, “Next Generation Fungicides: Translating dsRNA technology from the lab into the field,” funded partially by Manitoba Crop Alliance (MCA), we are trying to control Fusarium head blight (FHB) in wheat using RNA interference (RNAi). This approach involves trying to silence essential genes in pathogens, so you can spray double-stranded RNA onto the crop and, in this case, it would provide protection against Fusarium graminearum.

This project began in 2017 as a basic research project and has evolved into technology we are now testing in the field. Over the past eight years, we have advanced successes developed in the lab, and following engagement with the Canadian pesticide regulator (PMRA) to obtain research permits, we are now collaborating with other AAFC and external researchers evaluating the potential of RNAi in small, field-scale trials. Our goal is to develop new fungicidal controls that are safe to people and the environment, targeting only the pathogen of interest.

In another project funded partially by MCA, “Breeding hardier crops for SK: Dynamic phenotyping to dissect component of water stress in wheat,” we are screening a collection of wheat diversity using new equipment called a Plant Array Lysimeter. This measures transpiration and allows us to apply precise irrigation treatments to individual plants. We are screening for differential responses to drought stress. Our goal is to identify the genes that allow for greater production under drought conditions.

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

This funding is critical. In fact, almost all my funding comes from farmers and producer groups. Without their support, we could not do the innovative experiments we envision. We are incredibly grateful to this system of funding that is available, as it ensures we focus on goals of importance to the Prairies. It complements the funding opportunities available within AAFC.

How does that farmer funding and support directly benefit farmers?

The work done in my lab takes time to reach the field. Take the RNAi-based fungicide project as an example. Within eight years, we have gone from exploring the potential of the idea all the way to conducting field trials. As these field trials progress, we will be looking for a commercial partner to bring the technology to market. When that happens, it will provide another solution for farmers to use in their arsenal to combat plant diseases and protect their yields.

How do you spend your time outside of work?

I enjoy playing most sports. Being from England, I’ve always played football, although here it is called soccer. I play on a couple of teams regularly; it gets me away from work and is a good distraction. Since moving to Canada, we enjoy skiing, so we try to ski whenever we can. If only Saskatoon was closer to the mountains.

What is the best part about your job?

The freedom to develop new ideas and design experiments to test them. There is great reward when you get to see the excitement of experiments working! At AAFC I work in a department that possesses resources to combine basic and applied research. That means we can take positive developments from the lab and bring them to the field within the same department, which has great value.

Who or what inspires you?

The people I work with. Their dedication and ability to turn ideas I have sketched out on paper into reality is incredible. It is important to recognize and retain these talents. Seeing the experiments succeed together is inspiring.

Malcolm Morrison, crop physiologist, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

Coles Ag on December 9, 2024

Malcolm Morrison is a crop physiologist at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s (AAFC) Ottawa Research and Development Centre. He holds a bachelor’s degree in agronomy from Macdonald College (part of McGill University), a master’s in plant breeding from the University of Saskatchewan and a PhD in canola physiology from the University of Manitoba (U of M). His career has focused on finding traits for resistance to abiotic stresses such as cold, heat and moisture stress.

Morrison lives in Ottawa, ON, with his wife and their Australian Shepard. Their two adult children live nearby and visit weekly.

Where did you work before AAFC?

Before joining AAFC, I had different summer jobs, including working in southern Ontario for King Grain. After completing my master’s, I applied for a position with AAFC and was hired as a biologist. I did a PhD at U of M in canola physiology with Peter McVetty and began working as a research scientist in Ottawa in 1988.

What got you interested in this area of work?

I have always been interested in how crops grow, become efficient and handle stress – factors that affect the transition from one seed to many. In my first-year botany class, the professor described a seed as “a baby plant carrying its lunch,” and that idea stuck with me.

My work has been focused on increasing the number of “baby plants” and analyzing or improving their “lunch,” whether oil, protein or nutritional and antinutritional compounds. We studied soybean protein across Western Canada, for example, examining how efficiently crops take up nitrogen and store it in their seeds. Understanding and improving the way a crop collects, utilizes and stores things such as solar radiation, moisture and nutrients has been a major focus throughout my career.

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

Currently, I work with two great technicians, Claire and Tom, and we start each day with a brief meeting to plan out the day or week. I work on emails and focus on reports and analyzing data from projects. We have experiments on the go year-round at various stages from start to finish, either in fields or growth cabinets.

One example is the “Getting the jump on spring corn growth” project, funded partially by Manitoba Crop Alliance. This project began in 2023 and builds on years of work we’ve done since 2014 on improving early growth cold tolerance in corn. There are three main objectives of this research: to validate our previous results with a new set of hybrids, to broaden our understanding of plant performance beyond initial emergence and to conduct field tests in Manitoba and Ontario to determine whether early germination leads to faster seedling and plant growth.

Initial findings demonstrate a connection between faster emergence and enhanced root development in colder temperatures. Some hybrid corn lines emerged up to five days earlier than the checks, with improved root growth at lower temperatures, too. In warm temperatures, differences between hybrids disappeared. Initial field trials in Ottawa in 2024 indicate that hybrids seeded early on May 6 reached maturity by Sept. 18.

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

I’m a big proponent of check-off funds going towards research objectives established by farmers. These funds enable researchers to address specific challenges identified by grower organizations. Farmer-driven priorities ensure our research solves real-world problems.

How does farmer funding and support directly benefit farmers?

I hope farmers use our research findings to spark questions or give them the information they need to make decisions on their operations. Our soybean research in moisture stress has led to at least six registered varieties over the past 10 years, and corn inbred lines with improved cold tolerance are on the horizon. This is how our work is getting into the hands of farmers.

How do you spend your time outside of work?

I enjoy building things in my workshop, and I’m a moderately OK woodworker. I have kept tropical fish for most of my life, knit toques (which I make everybody wear), and stay active with our dog. I also enjoy riding my bike to work.

What is the best part of your job?

My job has two key aspects. First, the concrete science: selecting for better cold tolerance in soybean and corn, as well as looking at moisture stress tolerance in soybean, to help plant breeders and farmers. Then there is the abstract side, where I explore how plants grow and how environmental factors influence crop development.

A fun experiment we do is the 50 Years of Soybeans, which I’ve been a part of since 1992. It involves growing a collection of soybean varieties – two per decade, starting as far back as the 1930s – to study how plant breeding has improved yields (genetic gain) and how it was accomplished. For example, we discovered that breeders have developed varieties with smaller leaf area, but that leaf area was more efficient with improved photosynthesis per area and better water-use efficiency.

This ongoing experiment, which I grow every year with all the inputs and methods being held constant, is now nearly 30 years old. This allows us to study the impact changes in the environment on crop yield. For example, when we started the experiment in 1992 the atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration was ~360 ppm and today it is over 415 ppm.

What gets you most excited about your work?

I am a frustrated engineer at heart. What gets me excited is making a new instrument or tools for fieldwork and seeing them in action. For example, working with one of our mechanical technologists we built a drip tape application device that hooks behind my seeder, so we could seed and put the drip tape into the ground at the same time. When it left trenches in the soil, we developed a device to cover up the trenches and roll the soil. I really enjoy turning ideas into functional tools with our workshop team.

Over my career I have had over 120 students, some of whom have gone on to careers in science – that is rewarding.

I have spent a year (spread out over three visits) living and working in Australia, which was a childhood dream of mine ever since watching Skippy the Bush Kangaroo. Australia is a hot and dry Canada – the people enjoyable and the scenery ancient, vast and spectacular.

What is the best piece of advice you have received?

My father, who inspired me, said, “Listen to everyone. Don’t get so wed to one idea that you can’t be convinced that you’re wrong and somebody else is right.” Taking input from everybody allows you to develop a more rounded approach to your research and your life.

Curtis Cavers, agronomist, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

Coles Ag on November 26, 2024

Born and raised in southern Manitoba, Curtis Cavers is an agronomist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) based in Portage la Prairie. He earned his bachelor of science in agriculture, majoring in soil science, and later completed his master’s degree at the University of Manitoba (U of M). Curtis lives on an acreage near Elm Creek with his wife’s family.

Where did you work before AAFC?

I started working with AAFC in 2007. Before that, I worked for Manitoba Agriculture for just over 10 years and have been a Certified Crop Advisor (CCA) for many years. It is a great program to be part of, providing ongoing training and practical knowledge sharing for industry agronomists and participants.

What got you interested in this area of work?

Who might be a better question! One person in particular, Dr. Tee Boon Goh, sparked my interest. I met him in my intro to soils class, and he was just a ball of energy. If you ask anyone else in agriculture about Dr. Goh, they’ll say the same thing. He is an enthusiastic, fantastic lecturer and the reason that I switched majors to soil science. Afterward, I met many other great people in the soil science department at the U of M, many of whom I still connect with today.

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

I focus mainly on soil science from an agronomic perspective. In the past, we’ve had projects on tillage and pertaining to soil compaction, salinity and, more recently, soil erosion. These are the three areas we are investigating in terms of soil health research.

One project, Genetic selection-assessment of genetic resilience and excess moisture from a subset of MCVET crop varieties, was part of the extremes of moisture initiative and was conducted from 2019-22. This initiative came together in 2016 after a prolonged wet spell, when farmers were having issues dealing with excess moisture.

Several projects came out of that, including this one, where we tested various crop varieties for differences in tolerance to either excess moisture or drought-like conditions. We wanted to push these limits without breaking the system, stressing crops beyond normal expectations.

The takeaway was that resilience to extreme moisture wasn’t as variable as we expected. Most high-yielding crop varieties maintained their performance under both average and extreme conditions. For example, if variety X has consistently performed well in variety trials, it’s likely to perform best in times of both excess moisture and drought.

This work led to our current research looking at variable landscapes and extremes of moisture. Eroded hilltops are often dry, while lower areas like wetlands or potholes are persistently wet. As we get into precision farming or managing on a landscape basis, we are examining how farmers can manage this variability to increase their productivity and efficiency. I am focusing on these landscape extremes to see if adjustments can make them more productive or, at the very least, more consistent over time.

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

Farmers know what challenges they are facing every day on the farm. It is encouraging to work with farmers who are curious, inquisitive and open-minded to new ideas and asking questions. Sketching out back-of-the-envelope ideas together is exciting. Farmers bring invaluable insights to the table that, combined with our research, can create powerful solutions.

I think of it as a roundtable – everyone shares what they see, which gives us a fuller picture. Working with farmers to tackle practical issues and potentially find solutions is what makes this work so rewarding, even if it’s not always simple or quick.

How does that farmer funding and support directly benefit farmers?

It helps direct us to the issues that are most pressing for farmers. If farmers identify specific areas of focus, that helps us prioritize research where it is needed most. I always make sure to ask, “Is this something that would benefit farmers?” and then check if it resonates with them.

How do you spend your time outside of work?

I’m doing extra studies right now, so I don’t have a lot of free time. There’s always work to do on the acreage, which keeps our family busy.

What’s the best part about your job?

Working with farmers and producer groups. I’ve been fortunate to collaborate with Manitoba Crop Alliance and others over the last few years. It’s rewarding to brainstorm ideas that have a clear purpose and a real potential to benefit farmers. Identifying problems and working on solutions for farmers is the meat and potatoes of what we do, and that is what I am here for.

How do you celebrate agriculture?

I try to share positive aspects of agriculture any chance I get, by participating in events, supporting Agriculture in the Classroom and sharing information about the CCA program. These activities not only celebrate agriculture but also offer training opportunities to learn about other aspects of agriculture. They are great ways to both share knowledge and learn.

What is a good piece of advice that has stuck with you?

A former boss once said, “Go do your job, Curtis. It’s like driving a car – just put your foot to the floor and go. I’ve got your back.” That supportive management style has meant a lot to me. Dr. Scott Wright, that was good advice!

Jeff Schoenau, professor, University of Saskatchewan

Coles Ag on November 6, 2024

WEB_Schoenau-head-and-shoulders-field-pic---Credit-Lynne-Schoenau

Jeff Schoenau is a professor of soil science and the Ministry of Agriculture Strategic Research Program Chair in Soil Nutrient Management at the University of Saskatchewan (U of S). He earned his bachelor of science in agriculture at the U of S, where he also completed his PhD in soil science in 1988. In addition to his work at the university, Schoenau and his wife Lynn own and operate a grain farm near Central Butte, SK.

The grain farm has provided him with extensive practical experience. Over the years, it has served as a valuable research site for many of his students and colleagues, supporting field research and providing soil samples for various experiments. He has brought graduate students to the farm to demonstrate soil conservation management techniques and facilitates hands-on learning by having students collect soil samples to study organic matter content and its changes across different land management practices.

Where did you work before the U of S?

I have been with the U of S for a long time. I stared as an undergraduate student in 1980, followed by graduate studies, and have been employed here since 1989. My role has been a mix of teaching, research and extension.

What got you interested in this area of work?

Our family farm in Central Butte has been in operation since it was homesteaded. I live in the original Eaton house built in 1913, where four generations of my family have lived. My wife Lynn and I continue to run the farm, and our two children Michael and Brianna live in Saskatoon. The farm is 1,600 acres, and without any hired help it keeps my wife and I very busy.

Tell us a bit about what you are working on at the university.

I manage around 25 research projects at any given time, handling aspects from proposals to implementation, reports and extension work through webinars, podcasts and presentations. I have a great research team. I lead a team of eight technicians and associates, plus eight graduate students, and sit on a number of advisory committees.

In addition to research, I teach an undergraduate course on soil fertility and fertilizers, supervise fourth-year thesis projects, and contribute to graduate-level courses on field research and soil analytical techniques. My days are spent balancing these responsibilities across teaching, research and student mentorship.

One of my current projects, supported by Manitoba Crop Alliance (MCA), focuses on straw harvesting strategies to provide feedstock while maintaining soil and environmental quality. We are looking at the impacts of removing straw, which has growing demand from livestock producers and other industries.

The main site for this research is on my farm, where we are looking at precision straw harvesting. We want to understand how straw harvesting affects soil properties and productivity across different landscape positions, particularly comparing upslope regions with low slopes.

We are collaborating with farmers across Saskatchewan, examining the long-term effects of straw removal on soil fertility, organic matter, moisture and temperature, while also conducting an economic analysis. This fall, we completed our first harvest as part of this project, and we are already uncovering some interesting findings. Our research is designed to help growers make informed decisions about sustainable straw management.

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

The support from farmers is incredibly valuable to my research. Organizations like MCA have provided crucial funding. This farmer-driven support is often matched by provincial funds from Saskatchewan’s Agriculture Development Fund, as well as contributions from industry partners and the government. Federal funding and the cluster program have also been essential in diversifying my research.

These partnerships not only provide financial backing but also offer opportunities to engage with farmers at conferences and field days where I can share my findings and learn from growers directly.

How does that farmer funding and support directly benefit farmers?

Farmer funding and support directly benefit growers by providing them with access to the latest knowledge and practices in nutrient management that are crucial for optimizing agronomic, economic and environmental outcomes. In today’s landscape, where environmental impacts are a significant concern, understanding the processes behind soil and nutrient management is essential. My research focuses not just on documenting impacts but on understanding the underlying mechanisms that can be applied across various regions.

Extension work is a passion of mine, inspired by my mentor, the late professor Les Henry, who taught me a lot about extension and the value of getting your message to growers.

How do you spend your time outside of work?

Outside of work I spend a lot of time enjoying the outdoors. I like being in the field, snowmobiling and hunting. I am also a bit of an automotive historian. I like old cars, trucks and tractors, and piddling around with machinery.

What is the best part about your job?

I really enjoy the opportunity to work with students, both undergraduate and graduate. Some students may spend two to five years working with me, and the constant influx of new students is truly rewarding. I take great pleasure in seeing them evolve and grow throughout their time in the program. Also, collaborating with growers, academics and industry professionals is always exciting.

What is the best piece of advice you have received?

One of the best pieces of advice I received relates to extension work, and it was “Know your audience.” Think about your audience, if it is a group of farmers, researchers or the public – what would they be interested in? What do they really want to know? That really resonated with me.