{"id":3664,"date":"2026-04-22T05:00:58","date_gmt":"2026-04-22T05:00:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/climatesmartagrifood.ca\/?p=3664"},"modified":"2026-03-06T21:40:17","modified_gmt":"2026-03-06T21:40:17","slug":"strong-canola-pods-by-peace","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/climatesmartagrifood.ca\/fr\/strong-canola-pods-by-peace\/","title":{"rendered":"[Research Roundup] Balancing Lignin to Build Strong, Stable Canola Pods by PeaCE"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"3664\" class=\"elementor elementor-3664\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t<div data-particle_enable=\"false\" data-particle-mobile-disabled=\"false\" class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1ec773df e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"1ec773df\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0402793 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"0402793\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span class=\"TextRun SCXW126605275 BCX0\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"auto\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW126605275 BCX0\">Pod shattering happens when seed pods open too early, causing seeds to spill before\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun ContextualSpellingAndGrammarErrorV2Themed SCXW126605275 BCX0\">harvest<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW126605275 BCX0\">. In Canada\u2019s canola industry, this results in an estimated $1.31\u202fbillion in losses each year. In this study, researchers, including a member of the\u00a0<\/span><strong><span class=\"NormalTextRun SpellingErrorV2Themed SCXW126605275 BCX0\">PeaCE<\/span><\/strong><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW126605275 BCX0\">\u00a0team, found a way to control lignin, the woody material in plant cell walls, to help increase canola yields in Canada.<\/span><\/span><span class=\"EOP SCXW126605275 BCX0\" data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335551550&quot;:0,&quot;335551620&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:240,&quot;335559739&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><h3>Keywords<\/h3><ul><li>ABI3 (Abelson interactor family member 3)<\/li><li>Canola<\/li><li>Lignin<\/li><li>Pod shattering<span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li><\/ul>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-117f0be elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"117f0be\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"wp-caption\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/drive.google.com\/file\/d\/1qkh4Y5vXm1c8kUZuuaLYrVs8XqP0DCDu\/view?usp=sharing\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/climatesmartagrifood.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/peaCE-Nichol-et-al-2025-1024x576.png\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-3668\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/climatesmartagrifood.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/peaCE-Nichol-et-al-2025-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/climatesmartagrifood.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/peaCE-Nichol-et-al-2025-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/climatesmartagrifood.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/peaCE-Nichol-et-al-2025-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/climatesmartagrifood.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/peaCE-Nichol-et-al-2025-1536x864.png 1536w, https:\/\/climatesmartagrifood.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/peaCE-Nichol-et-al-2025-18x10.png 18w, https:\/\/climatesmartagrifood.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/peaCE-Nichol-et-al-2025.png 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figcaption class=\"widget-image-caption wp-caption-text\">Click to view this visual abstract as a PDF<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-54498620 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"54498620\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3>Research Highlights<\/h3><ul><li>Pod shattering in canola causes about 3% annual seed loss, and up to 50% in extreme weather conditions<\/li><li>Controlling lignin levels in canola pod walls can prevent premature pod shattering, reduce seed loss, and boost yield<\/li><li>Increasing ABI3 enhances lignin levels in pod walls, producing tougher pods that are more resistant to shattering<\/li><li>This cost-effective approach strengthens canola pods and may also benefit other crops like soybeans and peas<\/li><\/ul><h3 aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">Editorial Reflections<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;134245418&quot;:true,&quot;134245529&quot;:true,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:360,&quot;335559739&quot;:80,&quot;335559740&quot;:279}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h3><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">What makes this study stand out is how it shows that strengthening pods by adjusting lignin is both simple and effective. By proving that pod shatter can be reduced through targeted gene regulation, the work points to a new way of protecting yields that could influence many of Canada\u2019s important crops.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:0,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:279}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The\u00a0<\/span><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">PeaCE\u00a0<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">project aims to improve the resilience of pulse crops, like field peas, which naturally fix nitrogen and have a\u00a0lower carbon footprint.\u00a0Using advanced genetic tools, the team is developing peas with greater drought and disease resistance to encourage wider adoption in crop rotations and\u00a0substantially reduce\u00a0GHG emissions.\u00a0A contributing author from the team is:<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335559685&quot;:0}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><ul><li aria-setsize=\"-1\" data-leveltext=\"\uf0b7\" data-font=\"Symbol\" data-listid=\"5\" data-list-defn-props=\"{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;\uf0b7&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}\" data-aria-posinset=\"1\" data-aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/marcus-samuel-58981b19\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">Marcus Samuel<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0\u2013 Project Co-lead,\u00a0PeaCE; Professor, University of Calgary<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:279,&quot;335559991&quot;:360}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li><\/ul><p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Food for Thought:<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0Read the\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1073\/pnas.2512939122\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">full article here<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">.\u00a0Do you think this targeted lignin\u2011control approach could be applied to other shatter\u2011prone crops? If so, how much could it change seed retention across Canada\u2019s major food crops?<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><h3 aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">References<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134245418&quot;:true,&quot;134245529&quot;:true,&quot;335559738&quot;:360,&quot;335559739&quot;:80}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h3><p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Nichol, J. B.,\u00a0Skori, L. A., Muhammad, J., Hickerson, N., Perkins, M., &amp; Samuel, M. A. (2025). Goldilocks zone of lignin: Two extremes of valve lignification\u00a0lead\u00a0to silique indehiscence in Brassicaceae.\u00a0<\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">PNAS<\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, 122(52), e2512939122.\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1073\/pnas.2512939122\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1073\/pnas.2512939122<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-77bbef7 elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"77bbef7\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-82f4b72 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"82f4b72\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3 aria-level=\"1\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">About the Climate-Smart Agri-Food Network<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134245418&quot;:true,&quot;134245529&quot;:true,&quot;335559738&quot;:360,&quot;335559739&quot;:80}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h3><p><span data-contrast=\"none\">Funded by Genome Canada through the\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/genomecanada.ca\/challenge-areas\/climate-smart-agriculture-and-food-systems\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">Climate\u2011Smart Agriculture and Food Systems<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u00a0portfolio, the Network brings together nine Interdisciplinary Challenge Teams (ICTs) and two hubs \u2014 the\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/climatesmartagrifood.ca\/ag-act-agricultural-genomics-action-centre\/\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">Agricultural Genomics Action Centre (AG\u2011ACt)<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u00a0and the\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/climatesmartagrifood.ca\/cs-dcc-climate-smart-data-collaboration-centre\/\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">Climate\u2011Smart Data Collaboration Centre (CS\u2011DCC)<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u00a0\u2014 to advance climate\u2011smart agriculture through genomic innovations.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Pod shattering happens when seed pods open too early, causing seeds to spill before\u00a0harvest. In Canada\u2019s canola industry, this results in an estimated $1.31\u202fbillion in losses each year. In this study, researchers, including a member of the\u00a0PeaCE\u00a0team, found a way to control lignin, the woody material in plant cell walls, to help increase canola yields [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":3665,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[27,8],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3664","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-homepage-news","category-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatesmartagrifood.ca\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3664","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatesmartagrifood.ca\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatesmartagrifood.ca\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatesmartagrifood.ca\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatesmartagrifood.ca\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3664"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/climatesmartagrifood.ca\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3664\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3682,"href":"https:\/\/climatesmartagrifood.ca\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3664\/revisions\/3682"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatesmartagrifood.ca\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3665"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatesmartagrifood.ca\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3664"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatesmartagrifood.ca\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3664"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatesmartagrifood.ca\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3664"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}