Dynasty, a University of Guelph dark red kidney bean innovation recognized for its high yield, disease resistance and adaptability, has become a leading choice for growers in Ontario and North America, and has now earned the University’s 2024 Innovation of the Year.
This annual award from the University’s Office of Research and the Research Innovation Office recognizes researchers for creative strategies or products that make a difference in people’s lives.
“At the University of Guelph, we develop innovations that benefit both our communities and the agri-food industry,” says Dr. Shayan Sharif, interim vice-president (research and innovation).
“The success of Dynasty reflects our commitment to research excellence and collaboration, bringing high-yield, disease-resistant crops to market while supporting farmers and advancing sustainable agriculture.”
Dr. Peter Pauls, professor in the Department of Plant Agriculture at the Ontario Agricultural College, developed Dynasty with research technician Tom Smith. The cross that led to Dynasty was initiated in the early 2000s by retired U of G researcher Dr. Tom Michaels.
Following Michaels’ retirement, Pauls took over the University’s dry bean breeding program in 2003, advancing the testing and selection process with support from Ontario Bean Growers and in collaboration with Hensall District Co-operative Inc., ultimately bringing Dynasty to market.
“Hensall Co-op plays a key role, contracting farmers in Ontario, cleaning and packaging the beans and marketing them internationally,” says Pauls. “Ontario Bean Growers also supports a range of initiatives, from recipe development and promoting bean consumption to funding agronomy, breeding and nutritional research.
“Both of these partnerships are crucial for Dynasty’s success.”
Ontario Crops Research Centre develops kidney bean
Developed at the Ontario Crops Research Centre in Elora, Dynasty was created for Ontario producers, but it has shown versatility by also performing well in the state of Michigan.
The researchers used a complex breeding process to develop Dynasty called a conical cross in which they combined traits from multiple parent plants to enhance genetic diversity. The effort was a success, leading to a 15 per-cent-yield increase – far above the typical 1 or 2 per cent annual improvement.
“We mix up the genetics to increase the diversity of the gene pool we work with,” says Pauls. “Dynasty was developed from four parent plants as part of a crossing scheme designed to introduce greater genetic diversity into the breeding pool by producing all possible combinations of eight parents.
“The substantial yield increase that Dynasty showed in yield trials attracted interest from farmers across Ontario.”
Higher yield bean variety in development from Dynasty cross
Pauls and his team recently released a new bean variety, Gallantry, designed to compete with Dynasty. Derived from a cross with Dynasty, Gallantry has a slightly smaller seed size, matures a day earlier and delivers an additional 2.7 per cent yield improvement over five years.
“These traits make Gallantry a viable alternative for farmers seeking earlier maturation or better adaptability to specific growing conditions, particularly in cooler or shorter-season regions,” he says. “Its smaller size also reduces the risk of seed cracking during mechanical harvesting, offering practical advantages for certain farming operations.”
For Pauls, receiving the Innovation of the Year Award is an acknowledgment of the hard work, dedication and collaborative efforts that have made Dynasty possible.
“It’s more than just a personal or professional accolade,” he says. “It’s a recognition of the broader ecosystem of support, infrastructure and people who make this work possible.”
U of G’s dry bean breeding program is underpinned by the cutting-edge research platform made possible by the Ontario Agri-Food Innovation Alliance, a collaboration among the University of Guelph, Government of Ontario, and Agricultural Research and Innovation Ontario (ARIO). The Ontario Crops Research Centre is owned by ARIO and managed by U of G through the Alliance.
Contact:
Dr. Peter Pauls
ppauls@uoguelph.ca