Driven by demand primarily from farmers, the Ontario Fresh Grape Growers’ Marketing Board and Vineland teamed up four years ago to find new table grape varieties for the Ontario market.

More greenhouse growers are buying into biocontrol thanks largely to the work of a team of Vineland researchers.

Ready for commercial release in 2019 is Radiance, Vineland’s new sweet potato variety developed in Canada to suit the country’s growing season and conditions. The variety is currently being trialed from coast-to-coast, and should be appearing in Canadian grocery stores next year.

Travis Banks who oversees Vineland’s program to enhance flavour and production traits in greenhouse tomatoes is feeling the pressure of a deadline as the target date nears to bring a new, tastier hybrid tomato-on-the-vine (TOV) to market by 2022.

The produce industry relies on exceptional people to advance the processes of growing food, improving it and getting it to consumers’ plates. In this month’s cover story, meet Vineland’s Dr. Amy Bowen one of seven leading People in Produce.

Specially bred hardy roses for the Canadian climate, Vineland’s 49th Parallel collection features Chinook (above), which will be released next year, and Canadian Shield (right), which is already available.

According to Whole Foods Market, edible flowers are the No. 1 consumer food trend for 2018. Researcher Alexandra Grygorczyk, at Vineland is studying the consumer preferences behind this trend.

Four years ago, Vineland’s researchers started to look at bioinoculants. “We’re only just beginning to understand how to reduce the susceptibility of plants to pests and disease,” says Vineland’s Dr. Michael Brownbridge. “That requires a total change of thinking in terms of how to integrate these biological materials into IPM systems.”

Federal Minister of Science and Sport Kirsty Duncan announces $6.7 million in federal funding for seven genomic research studies including a joint project between Vineland Research and Innovation Centre and the University of Toronto.

Marc Zienkiewicz reports live at Vineland Research and Innovation Centre during the National Association of Plant Breeders Annual Meeting.

The annual ‘What’s Growing On?’ open house showcased two Vineland innovations that will be hitting the market in 2019: Radiance, a made-for-Canada sweet potato variety, and Chinook Sunrise, a new rose that will be part of the 49th Parallel Canadian rose collection.

Vineland Research and Innovation Centre opened the doors to its award-winning greenhouse technology centre in May, sharing a glimpse of their research on tomatoes. This comprehensive research program aims to develop a high-yielding, yet flavourful tomato for Ontario.