Plant Breeders Have Key Role to Play in Enhancing Field Pea for the Plant-Based Ingredients Market

Kim Sanderson(a), Vitaliia Mishchenko(a), Sandro Steinbach(b), and Nicholas Tyack(a)
(a)University of Saskatchewan, bNorth Dakota State University

JEL Codes: O32, Q13, Q16
Keywords: gene editing, innovation in agri-food systems, plant-based food ingredients, plant breeding, supply chain coordination

First Published Online: April 25, 2026

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Abstract

Plant breeding is key to growing the pea-processing sector. Interviews with processors revealed that attributes that enhance processing efficiency and the functional value of pea ingredients are highly valued. Concerns included undesirable traits in some high-protein pea varieties and consumer response to the use of gene editing in breeding.

About the Authors: P. Kim Sanderson (Corresponding Author Email: kim.sanderson@usask.ca) is a Research Officer, Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada. Vitaliia Mishchenko (v.mishchenko@usask.ca) is a Research Scientist, Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada. Sandro Steinbach (sandro.steinbach@ndsu.edu) is an Associate Professor, Department of Agribusiness and Applied Economics, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND. Nicholas Tyack (nicholas.tyack@usask.ca) is the Van Vliet Assistant Professor of Agricultural Economics, Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada.omics, Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada.

Acknowledgments: Funding for this study as part of the “PeaCE: Pea Climate Efficient” project was provided by Genome Canada, Genome Alberta, Genome Prairie, Results Driven Agriculture Research, Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership, Alberta Innovates, Agriculture Funding Consortium, Saskatchewan Pulse Growers, Alberta Pulse Growers, Western Grains Research Foundation, the Province of Saskatchewan, Corteva Agriscience, the National Research Council Canada, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, and PacBio. We additionally thank the processors and manufacturers who took the time to participate in the study.

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Additional Research: This article is also linked with the following materials: A Report on Breeding Priorities for the High-Value Pea Processing Sector in Western Canada; Research Note: Breeding Priorities for the High-Value Pea Processing Sector; and A Report on Breeding Priorities for the High-Value Pea Processing Sector in Western Canada (Extended Version).