Guelph team advances sustainable wheat farming with microbiome and fertilizer strategies
A University of Guelph research team is pioneering new ways to grow wheat more sustainably by improving nitrogen efficiency and supporting soil health.
Dr. Kari Dunfield, professor in the School of Environmental Sciences at the Ontario Agricultural College, received $3.92 million from the NSERC Alliance Advantage program, with additional contributions of $1.96 million from government and industry partners, plus $143,695 in in-kind support.
The research focuses on soft red winter wheat, a key ingredient. Nitrogen fertilizers are essential for growth, but overuse can harm the environment and increase costs. Dunfield’s team combines agronomy, precision technology, and microbiome science to test sustainable nitrogen management strategies.
Multi-year field trials will explore nitrogen rates, timing, sources, and microbial approaches to naturally improve nitrogen cycling and crop resilience.
Research will take place at the Ridgetown and Elora Ontario Crops Research Centre sites, along with farm locations, ensuring results are practical for real-world farming. The project builds prior research, integrating yield, soil microbes, and greenhouse gas measurements on the same plots to better understand sustainable wheat production.
Dunfield emphasizes collaboration with farmers, the food industry, and consumers to turn insights into practical improvements.
“Many trials measure yield, greenhouse gases or soil microbes separately. What’s unique here is that we’re collecting all these measurements on the same plots at the same time at multiple field sites,” said Dunfield.
“This allows us to analyze interactions scientifically rather than just observing trends. It’s a much more rigorous and efficient way to understand what really drives sustainable wheat production,” said Dunfield.
Partners such as Mondelēz Canada and Grain Farmers of Ontario support the research. “Mondelēz Canada is a long-standing and trusted partner within Canada’s agri-food sector, and as a top ten Canadian food company, we are committed to sustainable baking,” said Lindsay Moore, head of research & development, Mondelēz Canada.
“Grain Farmers of Ontario is proud to invest in research that delivers meaningful results for our farmer-members. This project will advance the environmental sustainability of soft red winter wheat production while ensuring farmers continue to deliver the high-quality grain customers depend on,” said Paul Hoekstra, vice-president, strategic development, Grain Farmers of Ontario.
“By supporting collaboration between researchers and industry partners, we’re ensuring innovation is grounded in real on-farm challenges and focused on practical outcomes that matter to our members. This work will help ensure Ontario’s wheat sector remains strong and well-positioned for the future,” said Hoekstra.
“Collaboration between academia, industry and government is critical for developing innovative, sustainable solutions to complex agricultural challenges,” said Dr. Shayan Sharif, interim vice-president, research and innovation.
“We thank the federal government for supporting this collaboration through NSERC, along with government and industry partners, which will help Dr. Dunfield and her research team advance new approaches to improving nitrogen efficiency and environmental sustainability in Canada’s wheat sector,” said Dr. Shayan.
“The work of Dr. Dunfield and her research team will deliver solutions to farmers that increase efficiency and drive sustainable growth in Ontario’s wheat sector,” said Trevor Jones, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness. “Our government is proud to invest in made-in-Ontario research that supports farmers and protects our food independence.”
Through this collaborative approach, Dr. Dunfield and her team aim to make wheat farming more sustainable, efficient, and resilient for the future.
Photo Credit: University of Guelph