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What if artificial intelligence could help unlock the potential of one of Canada's most underdeveloped crops?

That's the question University of British Columbia PhD student Vincent Fetterley is tackling. As one of the 2026 Canadian Plant Breeding Innovation Scholarship recipients, Fetterley is developing genomic tools that could help breeders create better hemp varieties for fibre, textiles, construction materials and other emerging markets — while using AI and genomics to dramatically speed up the breeding process.

In the latest Seed World Canada Podcast episode, Fetterley shares how a wheat field covered in stripe rust convinced him to pursue plant breeding, why he left wheat research to focus on hemp, and how modern breeding is becoming faster, smarter and more precise than ever before.

If you're curious about where plant breeding is headed — and how Canada's next generation of researchers is helping shape that future — this episode is well worth a listen.

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At just 25, Anirup Sengupta is using genomics, AI, and predictive breeding tools to help plant breeders develop more resilient crops — without losing sight of the farmers those innovations are meant to serve.

When Anirup Sengupta talks about plant breeding on this week’s episode of the Seed World Canada Podcast, he reaches for an analogy almost anyone can understand.

“Without a reference genome,” he says, “breeding is a bit like trying to assemble a massive puzzle without seeing the picture on the box.”

It’s a fitting description of the challenge he has chosen to tackle as a PhD student at the University of Saskatchewan, where he works with the Crop Development Centre and the Global Institute for Food Security. Originally from West Bengal, India, Sengupta is one of three recipients of the 2026 Canadian Plant Breeding Innovation Scholarship, an award recognizing graduate students advancing the future of plant breeding and genetics.

His research focuses on cicer milkvetch, a perennial forage legume valued for its nutritional quality and ability to reduce frothy bloat in grazing livestock. Despite those advantages, the crop has never reached its full potential because of poor germination, weak seedling establishment, and limited genomic resources.

“My research is about providing plant breeders with a much more detailed roadmap to improve crops faster and more efficiently,” Sengupta says.

The cornerstone of that roadmap is the crop’s first reference genome—a complete genetic blueprint that allows researchers to identify genes associated with traits such as seedling vigour, forage yield, disease resistance, and stress tolerance.

But that’s only part of the picture.

Sengupta is also analyzing the crop’s genetic diversity and applying genomic selection, an increasingly important tool that uses DNA markers and predictive models to identify promising breeding lines long before years of field testing are complete.

“Instead of waiting several growing seasons,” he explains, “breeders can make decisions much earlier, save a lot of time and resources in the breeding program, and help accelerate genetic gains.”

The Next Generation of Plant Breeding
Traditional breeding remains the foundation of crop improvement, but today’s breeders have access to tools previous generations could scarcely imagine.

For Sengupta, the future lies in combining—not replacing—those approaches.

“The future of crop improvement would be to combine the strengths of traditional breeding, the breeders’ knowledge and expertise, with genomics, AI, and big data approaches,” he says. “It is not basically replacing the breeders. It is giving them much more precise tools to make faster and smarter decisions.”

That philosophy reflects a broader transformation happening across agriculture, where advances in sequencing technology, computational biology, machine learning, and environmental data are making breeding increasingly predictive rather than purely observational.

Curiosity Before Technology
Despite publishing scientific papers, presenting internationally, and earning conference awards early in his career, Sengupta doesn’t attribute his success to technical ability alone.

“I think one of the biggest factors that drives me is curiosity and consistency,” he says. “Research can be challenging because results don’t always work the way you want them to work, but having this curiosity kind of helps you stay motivated.”

That curiosity extends well beyond the laboratory. Conferences, outreach, teaching, and leadership roles have all become essential parts of his development as a scientist.

“A lot of growth happens outside the regular coursework or experiments,” he says.

Yet he also offers a note of caution for young researchers eager to embrace every new technology.

“As young researchers, we naturally get excited about new technologies,” Sengupta says. “But sometimes that can lead to a situation where we almost have a solution looking for a problem.”

Instead, he believes the science should always begin with the biological question.

“It’s better to start with the important biological or agricultural questions first,” he says. “Technology is a tool. It’s not the final objective of your work.”

The Canadian Plant Breeding Innovation Scholarship is made possible by Alberta Grains, the Canadian Seed Growers’ Association, FP Genetics, HyTech Production, Richardson, SaskWheat Development Commission, SeCan, Seeds Canada, Seed World Canada, and Warburtons.

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Welcome to Seed World Canada 360

We’ve reimagined our digital edition for the innovators, influencers, and agrifood leaders shaping tomorrow’s meals. Scroll-to-watch video stories, expert interviews, embedded audio roundtables, and insightful editorial content that goes beyond the page—all in one immersive experience.

FEATURES

Here’s Why Pure Seed is Big News in Turf Around the World

One Voice, One Future: How the Seed Sector Can Shape Ottawa’s Agenda

Protein Pivot: How Seed Developers are Playing the Game

From Field to Fine Dining: Why Getting Breeders and Chefs Around the Table Makes for Better Varieties

The Quiet Comeback of Canadian Asparagus: How New Varieties are Revitalizing a Forgotten Crop

Ukraine’s Soil at a Crossroads: Lessons from a Canadian Cover Crop Mission

INSIDERS

The Power of Intentional Storytelling

Why the Best Builds Don’t Begin with Blueprints

Beyond the Lab: Why 20/20 Seed Labs is Investing in Field-Level Trials

SHORTS

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C-SUITE

Rethinking Seed: In Conversation with Brent Collins

Goverstry or Bust

Policy, But Make It Interesting: Lauren Comin Rises to the Challenge

Public vs Private Plant Breeding: What’s the Middle Ground?

Check out what SGS is doing now…

On the Spot – Doug Says It Straight: What Canada’s Seed System Really Needs

EXCLUSIVES

Inside the Seed Business: Keating Seed Co.

Genetic Markers – Why Nick Stratford’s Blood Type Might be ‘P’ For Policy

Father to Son: The Values Behind Southern Seed

Unlocking Opportunity in Specialty Crops

One-Word Answers That Define 60 Years of Chin Ridge Seeds

Billboard to the World

Missed World Seed Congress? Here’s What Everyone’s Still Talking About.

Get Ready to Meet the Future of Seed Innovation

Hot Takes: 10 Years to Breed, Five Years to Fund