b'RETAIL STRATEGYMEET 3 YOUNG PLANT SCIENCE VISIONARIESThe 2025 Canadian Plant Breeding Innovation Scholars are doing exciting things in plant science. Marc ZienkiewiczWERE AT A PIVOTAL moment, where cutting-edge technolo- can be applied to a wide range of crops, from corn to soybeans, gies are redefi ning how new varieties are developed. The 2025allowing breeders to make better selections faster.Canadian Plant Breeding Innovation Scholarship recipients areA key advantage of genomic selection is its ability to increase at the forefront of this transformation.selection intensity and accuracy while maintainingor even Jared Bento, Isabella Chiaravallotti and Quinn Sturby arereducingthe time required for breeding cycles. By integrat-doing exciting work to change the face of Canadian seed anding genetic and environmental data into predictive models, our latest webinar put the spotlight on them and why theirbreeders can identify high-performing genotypes much earlier work matters. in the process, optimizing resource allocation and reducing Joining us was SeCan Western Business Manager Toddcarbon emissions associated with traditional breeding.Hyra, who gave his take on why these three young stars of plantFor seed growers and retailers, these advancements present science are set to change the game in plant science research. a signifi cant opportunity. Breeding programs that incorporate AI and genomic selection could cut development timelines by several years, ensuring that new, high-performing varieties reach the market faster.Jared Bento Even reducing a breeding program by just one year can lead University of Manitoba to substantial savings. Cutting a year from the breeding cycle means fewer resources spent on trials and faster access to new Bentos work leverages DNA data and artifi cial intelligence (AI)cultivars that address emerging challenges, Bento says. For to accelerate the breeding process, reducing reliance on tradi- example, if we can release a disease-resistant variety one year tional fi eld trials and improving selection accuracy. earlier, that could mean an extra season of protection against Traditional breeding methods rely heavily on fi eld trials,threats like Verticillium stripe, which is already impacting requiring years of meticulous evaluation before a new varietycanola yields across Canada.reaches the market. However, Bentos research explores predic- While genomic selection and AI-driven breeding are still tive computer models that can assess crucial traits like oil con- evolving, the early results are promising. Programs using these tent and fatty acid composition without the need for extensivetools have already demonstrated time savings of up to three fi eld testing. By integrating genomic selection into breedingyears, with measurable improvements in breeding efficiency.programs, this approach has the potential to streamline variety development and signifi cantly reduce both costs and environ-mental impact.I was drawn to this research because Ive been on the ground, collecting fi eld data fi rsthand, Bento explains. ITodds Takeknow how much work goes into these trials, and if we can fi nd ways to enhance selection accuracy while reducing the time andFor retailers, the implications are clear: better varieties, faster resources needed, thats a huge win for breeders and farmersmarket entry, and a more sustainable production pipeline. As alike. Jareds research progresses, the industry will be watching Genomic selection is a game-changing approach that com- closely to see how these innovations shape the future of plant bines genetic data with fi eld performance data to train machinebreeding. Innovation is about making our processes more e-learning models. These models can then predict the perfor- cient while maintaining the gold standard ofeld trials. Genomic mance of new hybrids without requiring them to be grown inselection isnt replacing traditional breedingits enhancing it. multiple environments over many years. The more tools we have, the better we can serve farmers and This methodology isnt limited to canola, Bento notes. Itthe industry as a whole.34 SEEDWORLD.COM/CANADA MARCH 2025'