Supports plant biology, breeding, and crop innovation through greenhouse facilities, growth chambers, and expert technical services.
The Global Institute for Food Security (GIFS) at the University of Saskatchewan provides a comprehensive suite of technologies, infrastructure, and expert services that support researchers and innovators from early-stage discovery through to product development.
Located in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, the Plant Growth and Phenotyping Facilities include nearly 7,000 square feet of greenhouse space comprising 12 independently controlled growth compartments ranging from 162.5 to 487.5 square feet. These flexible environments enable studies under precisely managed conditions tailored to specific research requirements.
The facility also offers 1,200 square feet of growth chamber space, including 15 walk-in chambers, eight reach-in chambers, and three tissue culture incubators, supporting diverse plant science applications.
Expertise is available in plant health and pathology, including disease identification and diagnosis, fertilization, irrigation management, integrated pest management (IPM), and crop health support. Advanced environmental controls enable consistent, precisely managed growing conditions year-round, while a dedicated seed-processing room equipped with a seed thresher and seed counter supports efficient and standardized seed preparation.
The facilities support a broad range of activities, including plant biology research, disease screening, breeding programs, phenotyping studies, and product development, providing the infrastructure, technical expertise, and flexibility required to advance research and accelerate innovation.
Facility access
• Greenhouse space rental
• Growth chamber space rental
• Tissue-culture incubator access
Plant production and care
• Plant cultivation and maintenance
• Planting, transplanting and potting
• Irrigation and fertilization management
• Integrated pest management (IPM)
• Plant staking, labelling, crossing and bagging
• Harvesting and sample collection
Research and technical services
• Plant pathology support, including disease identification and diagnosis
• Disease screening and evaluation
• Phenotyping and imaging support
• Experimental monitoring and data collection
• Customized growing conditions and experimental protocols
Seed services
• Seed increase and production
• Seed harvesting, threshing, cleaning and counting
• Seed preparation and processing
- Agriculture, animal science and food
- Defence and security industries
- Fisheries and aquaculture
- Life sciences, pharmaceuticals and medical equipment
Specialized labs and equipment
- Greenhouse facilities: Conduct crop production, breeding, physiology, pathology, and agronomic research in controlled greenhouse environments with managed growing conditions.
- Controlled-environment plant growth: Support plant physiology, breeding, agronomic, and crop research in precisely managed growth chambers and walk-in growth rooms with regulated temperature and photoperiod (CONVIRON Plant Growth Chambers and BioChambers TPR-89 Tall Plant Growth Rooms).
- Plant tissue culture: Culture, propagate, and maintain plant tissues under controlled temperature and lighting conditions using tissue culture growth cabinets (CONVIRON Adaptis Tissue Culture Cabinets).
- Plant phenotyping and imaging: Monitor plant growth, development, morphology, and responses to environmental and biotic stresses using phenotyping and imaging systems to support research and breeding programs.
- Plant pathology and disease screening: Conduct controlled disease screening and plant health assessments to support studies of plant-pathogen interactions, disease resistance, and diagnostics.
- Seed processing and counting: Thresh, clean, separate, process, and count seeds efficiently for breeding, seed production, and research applications using dedicated seed processing equipment.
- Sample weighing and measurement: Measure the mass of seeds, plant materials, and laboratory samples using high-precision analytical balances.
Private and public sector research partners
- National Research Council Canada
- Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada