Photo: X / GlobalCaribbean

Nova Scotia Berry Scientists Work on Climate-Resilient Strawberry Varieties

At the Kentville Research and Development Centre in Nova Scotia, scientists are working hard to find strawberry plants that can survive the changing climate. As temperatures rise and rainfall becomes more unpredictable, growers need plants that can handle both wet and dry conditions, as well as hot summers and cold winters. The work being done here could help farmers across Canada and even in other countries.

A Look Inside the Research Centre

When you first walk into the screenhouse at the research centre, it looks like any regular greenhouse. Rows of strawberry plants stand neatly, with green leaves and small fruits scattered here and there. But when you look closely, you can see that not all the plants are the same. Some have large leaves, some have small ones. Some are taller, and others are shorter. The shades of green are different too.

Beatrice Amyotte, a research scientist, explains that these differences are important. Each plant has strengths that could help it grow better in certain conditions. Her job is to find the varieties that will grow well for farmers and produce berries that customers love to eat.

Why Climate Change Makes This Work Important

Canada’s climate is changing, and Nova Scotia is no exception. Scientists predict that in the next 10 to 20 years, the province will experience more rainfall and hotter summers. Storms could become stronger, and dry spells longer. These changes make farming more difficult.

Beatrice says, “We are looking at how plants can survive in both dry and wet years, in cold and hot weather. A strawberry that grows well in all those conditions could be a game-changer for farmers.”

The goal is to find varieties that are resilient—plants that can still produce berries even when the weather is unpredictable. These plants could not only help farmers but also serve as the foundation for future breeding efforts, creating even stronger plants for years to come.

The Screenhouse and Field Trials

The research centre’s screenhouse holds about 160 different strawberry varieties. Some will be tested in fields across Canada, and others will be given to nurseries to be grown commercially. The scientists are part of the Canadian Berry Trial Network, which grows the same plants in different regions to see how they respond to local weather patterns.

For example, a variety that thrives in wet areas of British Columbia might be a good choice for Nova Scotia if it starts experiencing heavier rainfall. Similarly, a strawberry that does well in dry summers in Nova Scotia could help growers in other regions expecting more droughts.

Helping Farmers Face Uncertainty

Philip Keddy, a strawberry farmer near Kentville, knows how hard climate change can be on agriculture. He has seen how weather swings from very wet to very dry, or from extreme cold to heatwaves. These changes affect how many berries farmers can grow and how much money they earn.

Keddy works with Beatrice to test new varieties and find ones that meet his customers’ needs. He sends strawberry plants to farmers in Canada and the U.S., where different regions have different challenges. For example, customers in Florida want berries that can last on store shelves for a week or more, while customers in Canada prefer berries with better taste and texture, even if they don’t last as long.

Keddy says, “Once we know certain varieties can handle extreme weather, we use that as proof when we sell the plants. We tell growers, ‘These varieties are built to survive colder winters or hotter summers.’ That helps them make better decisions.”

A Slow but Necessary Process

Breeding new plant varieties is not quick work. Beatrice explains that it can take 10 to 15 years to create a strawberry variety that is ready for farmers to grow commercially. Developing varieties of raspberries or blueberries takes even longer.

The next steps involve testing the plants by changing their growing conditions. Scientists create controlled environments where plants are exposed to heat stress, excessive water, or other conditions to see how they cope. This helps them understand which traits make a plant strong and which ones need improvement.

The Future of Berry Farming

With climate change affecting weather patterns, farmers need more support than ever before. By finding strawberry varieties that are resilient, scientists hope to protect the livelihoods of farmers and ensure that customers can still enjoy fresh berries.

Beatrice and her team are dedicated to creating solutions that benefit everyone—from growers to consumers. Their work is helping farmers prepare for a future where the weather is uncertain but growing healthy crops is more important than ever.

This research is not just about strawberries—it’s about adapting agriculture to meet the challenges of a changing world. It’s about ensuring that families, like those of Philip Keddy and many others, can continue to farm successfully and feed people across Canada and beyond.