Researchers have cracked one of agriculture’s most complicated genomes, revealing long-hidden DNA rearrangements that could help scientists breed oats that are more resilient, nutritious and sustainable.
The study, by an international consortium that included researchers from McGill University and published in Nature, presents the first-ever “pangenome” and “pantranscriptome” of oats. These map all known oat genes and track how they behave across 33 varieties that grow around the world.
Pre-harvest sprouting (PHS) is a major global issue affecting cereal crops like wheat and barley. It occurs when grains begin to germinate on the plant before harvest due to environmental triggers like moisture and humidity, combined with genetic factors such as low seed dormancy. This premature sprouting degrades starch, reducing grain quality and leading to significant economic losses—estimated at $1 billion globally, and $100 million annually in Canada.
Some residents in Montreal’s Mercier-Est neighbourhood were caught off guard after Canadian National (CN) Railway sprayed a herbicide near their homes this week, CTV News reports.
Glyphosate is a powerful weedkiller banned in Montreal since 2021, as part of the city’s precautionary approach to protecting human health and the environment. But CN operates under federal jurisdiction, which means it isn’t subject to municipal rules.
In March 2025, the GEFSES program hosted its annual international symposium, "Harnessing Genome Editing for Resilient Agriculture," in Ludhiana, India. The event was held in collaboration with Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) and Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (GADVASU).
As part of the Nkabom Collaborative supported by the Mastercard Foundation, McGill University has joined forces with Ghanaian institutions in a bold initiative to foster youth leadership and transform the agrifood ecosystem in Ghana and beyond.
Congratulations to two plant science students in Professor Mehran Dastmalchi's lab, who received awards for their presentations at two recent conferences!
Congratulations to McGill Plant Science students Henry Cordoba Novoa and Mason Jackson, who were awarded top honours at the National Association of Plant Breeding Conference, which took place in Hawaii from May 19 to 23, 2025.
Cordoba Novoa won first place in the Ph.D. poster competition for his poster on improving the understanding and breeding of common bean using multiple genome-wide approaches and the study of the accumulation partners of deleterious mutations in breeding populations.
For the first time, scientists have successfully edited oat DNA, a breakthrough that could accelerate the development of oats with more fibre, higher yields, and greater resilience to climate change.
Oats, a key crop both for human consumption and animal feed, are a major agricultural product in Canada, contributing to a global market work $8 billion. The Canadian oat crop is estimated to be worth approximately $900 million. But a short growing season and unpredictable late-season frost mean Canadian oat farmers face significant challenges.
The Canadian Society of Plant Biologists has selected Jaswinder Singh, Professor at McGill University's Department of Plant Science, to receive the 2025 Mary E. Spencer award, which recognizes outstanding plant biology research contributions and active public service engagement in the plant biology community.
On April 11, 2025, over 60 people gathered at the annual John Abbott Sustainability Through Science Symposium to hear how the research of three Macdonald Campus graduate students contributes to a more sustainable future. Honours and science students from John Abbott College, as well as members of McGill University's Macdonald Campus community, were inspired by short talks followed by a panel discussion on the students' university experience and their chosen career paths.
The 4th Cannabis Scientific Symposium: From Plants to People, to be held May 5–6 at the RI-MUHC, brings together top researchers as well as investigators, policymakers and industrial stakeholders from across Canada and around the globe. Among the speakers are Allyn Howlett and Bruce Bugbee, two of the most influential scientists in cannabinoid and cannabis research.
Royal Brinkman Canada has appointed Mohammed Antar (PhD, P.Ag) as head of its agronomy department, noting in their announcement that he "will play a key role in helping growers enhance crop productivity and quality through innovative, science-based solutions."
Mohammed earned his Ph.D. in Plant Science (Agronomy) from McGill University in 2024. His expertise spans agronomy, microbe-coated fertilizers, nutrient management, sustainable agriculture, and biological products.
A small town in Quebec's Montérégie region is trying a novel approach to help mitigate the impacts of climate change and accelerate the greening of the community, reports CBC News.
As of 2025, homeowners in Saint-Amable, Que., roughly 40 kilometres east of Montreal, are being charged an annual surtax of $200 if they don't have at least one leafy, deciduous tree in their front yard.
On March 27, McGill honoured 141 laureates at the 20th annual Bravo Gala, celebrating researchers who received prestigious provincial, national or international awards in 2024, including eight researchers in the Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.
In his opening remarks, McGill President and Vice-Chancellor, Deep Saini, applauded the honourees for their efforts, underlining the importance of McGill’s research contributions.
McGill-led projects in genomics, imaging, and manufacturing serve businesses across Quebec
