Metabolomic Characterization of Wild Canadian Haskap (Lonicera caerulea var. villosa) Germplasm

Haskap is an emerging berry crop in North America known for its unique flavour and high nutritional value. Commercial haskap cultivars have received considerable attention from researchers, however, Canada’s native wild haskap populations remain largely unstudied. This project aims to comprehensively analyze the metabolomic profiles of 150 wild Canadian haskap accessions maintained by the Fruit Breeding Program at the University of Saskatchewan. Leaf samples collected from the Canadian germplasm, as well as some advanced selections and commercial cultivars, will be analyzed at the University of Ljubljana using their established haskap metabolomic methods to identify and quantify metabolites. The resulting metabolomic profiles will be used in conjunction with existing phenotypic data to identify accessions with high potential to improve the nutritional profiles of future haskap cultivars as well as to identify biomarkers that can be used to accelerate haskap breeding at the University of Saskatchewan. This collaboration will benefit both institutions by combining the unique genetic resources of the University of Saskatchewan with the specialized metabolomics expertise of the University of Ljubljana, accelerating breeding efforts, fostering future joint research initiatives, and enhancing the training and scientific capacity at both universities.

Faculty Supervisor:

Anze Svara

Student:

Partner:

University of Ljubljana

Discipline:

Life Sciences

Sector:

Agriculture and Food

University:

University of Saskatchewan

Program: