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Developing pea and hemp varieties for ingredient processing

Technology
TECHNOLOGY PRIORITY

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PROJECT TIMELINE
June 2021 to March 2023
PROJECT STATUS
Fund I: Complete
TOTAL INVESTMENT
$4,622,982

Consortia Contribution
$3,061,491

Cluster Contribution
$1,561,491

PARTNERS

NRGene

Farmers Business Network (FBN)

Manitoba Harvest

Pulse Genetics

Goal

Identify molecular markers that are associated with taste, texture and other organoleptic qualities of both pea and hemp using accelerated breeding tools and existing germplasm to develop new pea and hemp varieties for use in plant-based food and ingredient processing.

Project Summary

This project will focus on increasing the protein content and improving the starch content and texture of ingredients derived from the new varieties, potentially increasing their use in plant-based foods and beverages across Canada and internationally.

Pulse Genetics will focus on improving Canada’s well-established pea sector, while Farmer’s Business Network Canada, Inc. will focus on the country’s growing hemp sector; both will utilize NRGene’s genomics technology in their efforts to develop new varieties. While commercialization of the new varieties won’t occur until after the project’s completion, Manitoba Harvest will work with existing varieties to develop a pea-hemp flour blend that will become a base formulation they will improve upon once access to the new varieties becomes available.

The development of these new varieties, as well as the pea-hemp flour blend, is expected to create new market opportunities along Canada’s plant-based food and ingredients value chain, including for farmers, ingredient processors and food manufacturers. The utilization and scaling up of NRGene’s genomics technology will also supply researchers and crop breeders with advanced breeding tools that will shorten breeding cycles, particularly for pea and hemp varieties.

Results and Impact

  • Project partners established cutting-edge technology for the reduction of cost for breeding projects and faster development of elite varieties with much shorter time-to-market for pea and hemp and easily transferable to other Canadian crops.
  • NRGene has developed a set of genomic analysis tools to reveal the broad genetic diversity within crops in a cost-effective way. These genomic solutions enable plant breeders to accelerate the development of new crop varieties using artificial intelligence-based molecular breeding technology.
  • Once new high-protein varieties are developed, Manitoba Harvest will help to commercialize new hemp and pea protein blends through its “Seed to Shelf” production model by contracting production with Canadian farms.
  • After commercializing new projects, FBN expects to gain increased knowledge and capacity to conduct research and breeding activities in industrial hemp, especially for grain composition.
  • This project met its goals by developing crop varieties with nutritional content and texture best suited to the plant-based protein industry, including a new pea-hemp flour blend. The new hemp and pea varietals will allow for improved plant-based protein blends intended for high moisture extrusion for domestic and international markets. Production will not require significant changes from current practices but will provide higher quality for the same inputs. The final product developed will deliver value to the entire processing chain from Canadian farmers and manufacturers all the way to end-product consumers.
  • In the next five years, Pulse Genetics anticipates registering and commercializing one to two new pea varieties. It is expected that this will also open up new financial and business opportunities related to new projects, working on additional value-added traits in peas geared towards improving protein extraction efficiency and functionality.
  • Business relationships developed through the project have opened the door to further collaboration, leading towards a sustainable competitive advantage for Pulse Genetics.
  • This project advanced skill and talent development through the hiring of ten full-time employees through the Palette Skills program.

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