b'CPBI SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS 2021Paving the Innovation Pathway Helping to Keep us No. 1 in PulsesStanley Adobor Jennifer LinUniversity of Saskatchewan McGill UniversityStanley Adobor has literallyFor Toronto-born Jennifer made a long journey to getLin, 24, an interest in plant where he is as a PhD student atbreeding began when she the University of Saskatchewan. was a little girl and made a Originally from Ghana, he grew up in a farmingtrip to the local grocery store.community, where his love of agriculture began. AfterWe bought some pumpkin seeds that day. So, I graduating from the University of Ghana with a major inplanted some seeds, waited to see them grow, watered crop science, he left West Africa for the United Kingdom,them, and eventually they managed to actually grow in where he worked on his masters degree. He now findsthis little space that we had. I think thats sort of where himself on yet another continenthis coldest yet my interest really was sparked, says the student of McGill working on a PhD and researching stemphylium blight inUniversity working on her masters degree in plant sci-lentil. ence. She currently specializes in dry bean as part of This fungal disease is a threat to most of the majorValerio Hoyos-Villegas dry bean breeding program.lentil-growing regions like Bangladesh, India andWhen Valerio reached out to me, I was immediately Canada. intrigued. I did some research on my own. I looked into Breeding for improved resistance is one of thewhat it meant to be a plant breeder. And I think I was major breeding objectives for lentil at the University ofjust really motivated by how practical it was. As one of Saskatchewan. Adobors research involves developing anmy professors put it, in plant breeding youre essentially understanding of resistance mechanisms in wild lentilcreating product, Lin says.and developing molecular markers that plant breedersAt the moment, shes working on two projects, can use to select potential resistant lines, in order tothe first using computer simulations to look at differ-create varieties with resistance to the disease. ent breeding strategies and breeding populations. The The coats of seeds of lentil plants that have beensecond project is phenotyping white mould resistance in infected with stemphylium blight are much more diffi- dry bean. cult to dehull during the milling process, leading to bothThis project is particularly impactful in that it will physical and economic losses. One of Stanleys researchallow breeders and pathologists to address white mold hypotheses involves a completely new approach that usesresistance by providing them with a tool that will dissect metabolomics, a mass spectrometry technique to identifythe sources and extent of resistance in breeding lines of compounds that are associated with stemphylium infec- common bean, says Hoyos-Villegas.tion, says Albert Vandenberg, Adobors supervisor. Seeing as Canada is No. 1 in the world for pulse The future path to successful innovation in plantexports, Lin hopes her work can serve to further breeding will be driven by those plant breeders whostrengthen the countrys performance in the global pulse engage in multiple disciplinary approaches for develop- race. As a former downhill ski instructor, the Toronto-ing and applying new tools and techniques to geneticborn Lin isnt afraid to put herself to the test in pursuit of improvementStanley will be a successful contributorher goals.to the innovation pathway. Over 300 million people around the world depend Adobor, 37, says he hopes to potentially stay inon beans as a source of nutrients and energy, so I think Canada after he completes his PhD. that its a really important crop to work on and has a lot When I first told people back home that I wasof potential for improving peoples lives, she adds.moving to Saskatchewan they said, What? Its so cold there! Why would you want to live in Saskatchewan? he says with a laugh. Canada has welcomed me, and I have met so many wonderful people here. I would love to give back after what Canada has offered me all these years. To live in such a wonderful place and do this kind of work is a dream come true.6GERMINATION.CAMARCH 2021'