Genome British Columbia is funding two research projects aimed at helping BC growers—including farmers in the Fraser Valley—adapt to climate change by developing new varieties of carrots and cherries better suited to extreme weather and local growing conditions.
The carrot project, led by UBC professor Loren Rieseberg and SeedChange's Aabir Dey, focuses on increasing seed diversity for BC's organic growers. Researchers are identifying genetic markers in wild and traditional carrot varieties that help plants handle stress like water shortages, heat, and low-nutrient soils. Those markers will be used to improve locally developed varieties.
The project works directly with BC farmers through the Canadian Organic Vegetable Project, a network of farmers and seed growers who will test varieties and provide feedback based on what works on their farms. Dey says the goal is to let farmers lead variety development since they know what works best in their fields and what traits make carrots marketable.
"We're making the most of the inherent knowledge that local farmers have and want them to lead in variety development," Dey said. "They know what works best on their farms and the flavour and appearance traits that contribute to marketability."
Using varieties suited to specific regions can reduce the need for fertilizer and pesticides, supporting BC's growing organics industry. Most vegetable seeds used in Canada are bred internationally, so this project aims to increase local breeding capacity and reduce reliance on international suppliers.
The cherry project addresses production declines from extreme weather that have hit BC's cherry industry hard. BC produces 95 per cent of Canada's cherries, but traditional breeding methods take up to 30 years—too slow for today's climate reality.
Dr. Letitia Da Ros from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and Erin Wallich from Summerland Varieties Corp. are using genomics to speed up breeding by inducing early flowering. The goal is new varieties that can handle regional stress during temperature extremes and staggered fruit production to ensure cherries are available throughout the growing season.
Wallich notes that 36 cherry varieties grown worldwide are Canadian intellectual property, generating millions in royalties each year that get reinvested into new variety development.
Dr. Federica Di Palma, Genome BC's chief scientific officer, says pairing genomic tools with grower insights cuts years off the timeline to climate-ready crops. "These projects will strengthen local food security and ensure a more resilient economy for British Columbia," she said.
