Grant: Industrial Research Chairs

The NSERC Industrial Research Chair in Genetic Improvement in Lentil is a long-term commitment to genetic research for lentil, an important crop in Canada for both economic and agronomic reasons. Canada has become the world's largest exporter of lentil, with Saskatchewan producing 95% of Canada's lentil and 50% of global production. Through investment in research and innovation, the University of Saskatchewan will become the global centre for lentil genetic research and development. The Research Chair program will focus on improvement in disease resistance, nutritional and seed quality traits, and root health through genetic research in wild relatives of lentils and the development of breeder-friendly marker-assisted selection strategy. Over the next 5 years, the research program will provide training of numerous graduate students and research trainees, and deliver new commercial lentil varieties for the Canadian lentil industry. Expansion of the lentil industry will create additional employment in both rural and urban regions in Canada, and make a positive contributionto sustainability in agricultural production.