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Accelerating crop development by linking specific genes to desired traits
P2IRC was founded in 2015 with $37.2 million awarded to USask by the Canada First Research Excellence Fund (CFREF). The CFREF helps Canadian universities gain global competitive advantage and implement large-scale, transformational, and forward-thinking institutional strategies.
Why P 2IRC?
A growing population and different resource challenges have made food security a major issue facing the world today. Sustainable agricultural technology is key to feeding the world more resourcefully and will help breed more climate resilient crops faster, with reduced environmental impact.
A digital agricultural research centre, P 2IRC is developing innovative tools to revolutionize crop improvement by accelerating the process of plant breeding and transforming food production capacity. The P 2IRC program is generating a range of data-rich technologies, products, and services that can fundamentally transform seed and plant breeding of large-area crops essential to global food security, including wheat, canola, and lentils.
As a leading agricultural hub tackling global food security challenges, by 2022, P 2IRC will be the unique resource for plant breeders around the world.
Research Programs
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Yield stability
Combining the power of genomic and physiological selection for yield stability in a changing climate.
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Mobilizing Root-Soil-Microbiome Interactions
Developing methods to investigate the role of root traits in controlling yield, yield stability and quality traits.
![](https://p2irc.usask.ca/images/theme-3/flagship_3.png)
Deep Learning for Phenomics
Developing deep learning methods for the automated estimation of phenotypes, to better capture genotype x environment interactions.
![](https://p2irc.usask.ca/images/theme-4/flagship_4.png)
Field Imaging for Phenotyping
Developing automated workflows to phenotype field-grown crops throughout the growing season using multiple imaging methods.
This research is underway thanks in part to funding from the
Canada First Research Excellence Fund.