Reference number : GC-2017-Q2-04329, amendment number : , agreement type : G, recipient legal name : Hoare, Todd (McMaster University), recipient country : CA, recipient province : nan, recipient city : Ontario, recipient postal code : nan, program name english : Engage Plus Grants for Universities, program name french : Subvention d'engagement partenarial Plus pour les universités, program purpose english : Increasing the productivity of agricultural fields is essential to secure our existing food supplies and provide for_x000D_
the growing world population. In this context, agrochemicals play an essential role in both increasing crop_x000D_
yields and enhancing crop defenses against environmental stresses such as drought, pests, or diseases._x000D_
However, the application of existing chemical pesticides and fertilizers can lead to potential downstream_x000D_
environmental issues and rarely can effectively support plant survival against abiotic stresses (e.g. heat,_x000D_
drought), an issue becoming more critical to address as a result of climate change and the corresponding_x000D_
increase in extreme weather worldwide. In response, Suncor has developed a new category of plant immune_x000D_
aids which activate a plant's native immune system to induce a range of beneficial responses, including greater_x000D_
resistance to both pest-based and weather-based stresses. However, current formulations of the immune aids_x000D_
have relatively low availability to plants and degrade rapidly in sunlight, thus requiring frequent and costly_x000D_
administration to have a positive effect. Initial interactions with the lab of Dr. Todd Hoare at McMaster_x000D_
University have led to new formulations of these immune aids into a variety of nanoparticle-based controlled_x000D_
release vehicles that have shown initial promise in improving the availability of the immune aid to plants._x000D_
However, the light stability of the immune aids remains too low for effective commercialization. As such, the_x000D_
proposed research aims to develop a new bacterial assay to assess the functional light-induced degradation of_x000D_
the immune aids under different conditions and develop new nanoparticle-based formulations that can protect_x000D_
the immune aid from photodegradation, either by co-encapsulating conventional antioxidants used in foods or_x000D_
by modifying the chemistry of the nanoparticle-based controlled release vehicles. Successful optimization of_x000D_
such a formulation will lead to significantly prolonged activity of the immune aid, allowing farmers to apply it_x000D_
less frequently (and thus more inexpensively) without compromising the positive biological effects; such a_x000D_
result would substantially increase the potential for commercialization., program purpose french : Increasing the productivity of agricultural fields is essential to secure our existing food supplies and provide for_x000D_
the growing world population. In this context, agrochemicals play an essential role in both increasing crop_x000D_
yields and enhancing crop defenses against environmental stresses such as drought, pests, or diseases._x000D_
However, the application of existing chemical pesticides and fertilizers can lead to potential downstream_x000D_
environmental issues and rarely can effectively support plant survival against abiotic stresses (e.g. heat,_x000D_
drought), an issue becoming more critical to address as a result of climate change and the corresponding_x000D_
increase in extreme weather worldwide. In response, Suncor has developed a new category of plant immune_x000D_
aids which activate a plant's native immune system to induce a range of beneficial responses, including greater_x000D_
resistance to both pest-based and weather-based stresses. However, current formulations of the immune aids_x000D_
have relatively low availability to plants and degrade rapidly in sunlight, thus requiring frequent and costly_x000D_
administration to have a positive effect. Initial interactions with the lab of Dr. Todd Hoare at McMaster_x000D_
University have led to new formulations of these immune aids into a variety of nanoparticle-based controlled_x000D_
release vehicles that have shown initial promise in improving the availability of the immune aid to plants._x000D_
However, the light stability of the immune aids remains too low for effective commercialization. As such, the_x000D_
proposed research aims to develop a new bacterial assay to assess the functional light-induced degradation of_x000D_
the immune aids under different conditions and develop new nanoparticle-based formulations that can protect_x000D_
the immune aid from photodegradation, either by co-encapsulating conventional antioxidants used in foods or_x000D_
by modifying the chemistry of the nanoparticle-based controlled release vehicles. Successful optimization of_x000D_
such a formulation will lead to significantly prolonged activity of the immune aid, allowing farmers to apply it_x000D_
less frequently (and thus more inexpensively) without compromising the positive biological effects; such a_x000D_
result would substantially increase the potential for commercialization., agreement title english : Development and Validation of Stabilization and Controlled Release Vehicles for Light-Responsive Plant Immune Aids, agreement title french : Development and Validation of Stabilization and Controlled Release Vehicles for Light-Responsive Plant Immune Aids, agreement number : EGP2, agreement value : 12500.0, agreement start date : 2017-09-20, agreement end date : nan, description english : nan, description french : nan, expected results english : nan, expected results french : nan, additional information english : Grant or Award spanning more than one fiscal year (2017-2018 to 2018-2019)., additional information french : Subvention ou bourse octroyée s'appliquant à plus d'un exercice financier (2017-2018 à 2018-2019)., owner organization : nserc-crsng, owner organization title : Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada | Conseil de recherches en sciences naturelles et en génie du Canada