A Brandon University researcher has been awarded funding to further his work on soybean disease diagnostics.
In a Feb. 24 press release, the university announced Bryan Cassone, who has been working with researchers Chris LeMoine and Baljeet Singh, received a Research Manitoba Innovation Proof-of-Concept Grant for the development of a molecular-based tool that quickly and accurately detects soybean crops suffering from root and stem diseases.
WHY IT MATTERS: Crop diseases like root rots can take a bite out of soybean yields, but early detection could help Canadian farmers make better decisions and protect their profits.
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While soybeans are a key economic crop in Manitoba, with 1.3 million acres seeded in 2024, conventional disease detection methods can still be unreliable and impractical for large-scale use. Cassone has been focused on developing a diagnostic tool to accurately, affordably, and quickly detect common and economically significant root and stem pathogens in soybeans. His goal is to refine the tool for commercial use in Manitoba and other major soybean-producing regions.
Funding from Research Manitoba will spur the research on to create a molecular-based diagnostic tool that is commercially ready, Cassone said.
“This technology will assist in disease surveillance programs and allow producers to make informed management decisions on a yearly basis.”
Cassone’s research team has identified three key objectives to support the commercialization of the diagnostic tool. First, they aim to validate its effectiveness across multiple growing seasons to ensure consistent performance. After that, they will assess its ability to detect diseases early in the growing season before symptoms appear, allowing for timely intervention. Finally, they will evaluate the tool’s capability to identify pathogens in soybean seeds, further enhancing its potential impact on crop health and yield.
Upon achieving these objectives, the tool will be ready for commercialization, helping to minimize the use of costly and unnecessary pesticides while enhancing crop yield and quality, the university says.
Cassone and his team’s efforts and collaborations have been invaluable to the university, said Singh.
“Research grants are highly competitive, and securing this funding is a testament to the significance of our work. I am grateful to Research Manitoba for granting this opportunity, and I look forward to making meaningful research contributions to this project.”
This research, and the tool it creates, will have a positive, real-world impact on the agricultural sector, LeMoine said.
“This funding will enable us to catalyze the development of an accurate and economical diagnostic tool for common soybean diseases in the region. By taking our research out of the lab and into the field, we hope that this tool can be broadly used for disease surveillance and to inform pathogen mitigation strategies.”
The team’s research highlights the importance of local partnerships between universities, colleges and industries to strengthen Manitoba’s agricultural research sector, said Bernadette Ardelli, vice president of research and graduate studies at Brandon University.
“The support from Research Manitoba highlights the importance of fostering homegrown innovation, and I am thrilled to see this collaborative effort drive real solutions for producers in our region,” she said.
