Greenhouse Canada

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Using genomics to boost disease resistance

October 23, 2014  By Dave Harrison


Oct. 23, 2014, Vineland Station, Ont. — A Vineland Research and Innovation Centre project is among the first 12 projects selected for funding under Genome Canada’s Genomic Applications Partnership Program (GAPP).

Project Leaders include Drs. Keiko Yoshioka of the University of Toronto, and Daryl J. Somers of Vineland.

Tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers generate more than $1 billion in annual sales for the Canadian greenhouse vegetable industry. These plants are susceptible to a number of diseases, which threaten crops and decrease profits for producers.

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In order to maintain a competitive edge, create growth and ensure future success, Canada’s greenhouse vegetable industry needs plant varieties that are resistant to disease.

To address this challenge, Vineland will partner with Dr. Yoshioka, a leading academic from the University of Toronto, who has discovered a key gene involved in plant disease resistance.

By using proven gene technologies to enhance disease resistance in greenhouse vegetables, this project aims to develop new commercial traits and varieties for Canada’s vegetable industry.

These technologies will benefit Canada’s greenhouse vegetable industry by adding value to Canadian greenhouse vegetables, and fostering economic growth, increased exports, and reducing competition from imports.


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