Once again in 2023, the Canadian Plant Breeding Innovation (CPBI) Awards program recognized the best of the best of our plant breeding community.
It was a big year for the University of Guelph as the Canadian Plant Breeding Innovation (CPBI) Awards are handed out to plant breeding legend Istvan Rajcan and the game-changing Dynasty Dark Red Kidney Bean.
Rajcan, professor of soybean genetics and breeding in the Department of Plant Agriculture at the University of Guelph, is the recipient of the Plant Breeding and Genetics Award. Sponsored by Seeds Canada and Germination, the award is presented annually to a public or private sector researcher who has made a significant contribution to the advancement of Canadian plant agriculture through research in plant breeding and genetics.
The Dynasty bean, which was bred at the University of Guelph by Peter Pauls and Tom Smith, receives the prestigious Seed of the Year Award, which recognizes breeders for their research accomplishments in developing a new variety of field crops, forages, fruits, vegetables and herbs.
In addition to the Plant Breeding & Genetics and Seed of the Year Award, the Canadian Plant Breeding Innovation Awards have handed out five CPBI Scholarships this year to up-and-coming young plant scientists destined to make waves in their field. The CPBI Scholarships enjoy the support of a dozen sponsors who believe in providing the next generation of breeders with new opportunities to advance their careers and the industry in general.
