A dark red kidney bean, known as Dynasty, has earned the title of the University of Guelph’s 2024 Innovation of the Year.
Recognized for its high yield, adaptability and disease resistance, Dynasty has become a leading choice for growers in Ontario and North America.
Developed at the Ontario Crops Research Centre in Elora, mainly for Ontario producers, it is also thriving elsewhere, including in the state of Michigan.
The 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 Shayan Sharif, interim vice-president, research and innovation, in a recent university news release.
“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.”
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 started in the early 2000s by former U of G researcher Tom Michaels, who teaches at the University of Minnesota.
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.,
Soon after, Dynasty came to be and the bean was off to market.
“Hensall Co-op plays a key role, contracting farmers in Ontario, cleaning and packaging the beans and marketing them internationally,” Pauls says.
“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."
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.
“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.
Pauls and his team have recently released a new bean variety, Gallantry, designed to compete with Dynasty.
Developed 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,” Pauls says.
For Pauls, receiving the Innovation of the Year Award, is an acknowledgement of his team's hard work, dedication and collaborative efforts
“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 supported by the 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).
