Gene technology may help Canadian canola withstand extreme weather

Canadian researchers are testing gene technology that could help canola cope better with heat, drought, and other climaterelated stress as extreme weather becomes more common. At Performance Plants in Kingston, scientists are developing canola varieties that may tolerate difficult growing conditions while also helping increase carbon stored in soil. The work is one of nine projects chosen for HARVEST, a new agritech accelerator funded by Agriculture and AgriFood Canada and run by Ontario Genomics. The program gives participating companies funding of up to $750,000, along with business guidance, as they work toward commercial use. Researchers said the technology still needs more testing, but they hope it could eventually give Canadian farmers additional tools for increasingly unpredictable seasons.