New Pulse Breeding Program for Farmers
Saskatchewan Pulse Growers (SPG) and J4 Agri-Science (J4) have partnered in a new breeding program aimed at advancing faba bean production in Saskatchewan.
The goal is to develop faba bean varieties with improved yield, early maturity, disease resistance, and low vicine/convicine levels. These improvements will help address farmers’ biggest challenges and offer a viable crop rotation alternative, especially in areas affected by root rot.
This collaboration brings a commercial focus to local pulse breeding and is designed to increase innovation and competition in the province.
The breeding program will be entirely based in Saskatchewan, benefiting local producers. “SPG is excited about this latest new collaboration on faba bean breeding in Saskatchewan. Faba beans are a promising crop for farmers and offer an alternate pulse crop to extend rotations in certain areas experiencing root rot pressures. Additional new eyes to challenges around maturity, yield, and disease will create competitive varieties for growers” said Winston van Staveren, Chair of SPG Board of Directors.
J4’s breeding headquarters is in Saskatoon, with testing in Northeastern Saskatchewan and across the Prairie region. Jodi Souter, J4 Co-Founder, highlighted the company’s commitment to under-developed crops and its close relationship with farmers. Founded by farmers, J4 ensures grower priorities are central to the breeding process.
The partnership includes shared germplasm, funding from SPG, and a royalty model on new varieties. SPG will guide the breeding priorities to ensure farmer needs lead the project from start to finish.
This is SPG’s second major breeding partnership in Saskatchewan. It supports the shift from royalty-free models to grower-funded innovations. It complements SPG’s other initiatives with Limagrain for pea and lentil breeding and the Crop Development Centre’s work on chickpeas and peas under the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (S-CAP).
“Growers have told us that they see significant value in investments in pulse crop variety development. We are pleased to launch another new breeding collaboration to deliver competition and improved varieties for pulse growers in Saskatchewan”, said Carl Potts, Executive Director with Saskatchewan Pulse Growers.