National Research Strategy

National Pulse Research Strategy

The National Pulse Research Strategy sets out the research priorities that aim to keep Canada’s pulse sector profitable, competitive and sustainable. It gives growers, researchers, funders and industry a shared roadmap, so that research investment from many sources moves the sector in the same direction.

The newly released 2026 strategy updates the 2021 version. It was developed by the National Pulse Research Strategy Committee, which includes Pulse Canada and provincial grower organizations, with input from more than 50 ingredient processors and food manufacturers and from stakeholders across the food, feed and pet food value chain. It covers lentils, peas, dry beans, chickpeas and faba beans.

Our vision

Pulses are a profitable choice for farms, human health, animal nutrition and environmental sustainability. Canadian pulses are the preferred choice for customers around the world, and Canada is recognized for collaborative, nationally coordinated pulse research.

Four strategic outcomes

The strategy covers the whole value chain, from the field to the finished product.

1. Pulses are a profitable component of diverse, sustainable crop rotations

Raising yields through innovation and showing what pulses contribute to sustainability. Priorities include breeding for yield, quality and cost-reducing traits; tolerance to drought, heat, cold and excess moisture; closing yield gaps; measuring rotational and greenhouse gas benefits; and assessing new and alternative pulse crops.

2. Growers produce a safe, reliable and consistent supply of Canadian pulses

Keeping yields stable under disease, pest and weather pressure. Priorities include a coordinated national approach to root rot, seed-borne disease control, genetic resistance and integrated pest management, diagnostic and prediction tools, harvestability, and nutrient management.

3. Canadian pulses consistently deliver the quality required to meet market specifications

Meeting the performance that global food, feed and pet food customers expect. Priorities include defining end-use quality attributes and standard methods, reducing variability, flavour and sensory drivers, nutritional quality, anti-nutritional factors, and how processing affects quality.

4. Canadian pulses are readily adopted across food, feed and pet food applications

Making pulse ingredients predictable, proven and easy to use. Priorities include benchmarking against competing ingredients, formulation and processing solutions, sensory improvement, new higher-value applications, and evidence to support regulatory and market claims.

Best Practices for Research

In an effort to ensure that pre-competitive research on pulses can be fully utilized by industry stakeholders, Pulse Canada has developed recommended best practices for pre-competitive research planning and technical reporting of publicly available data related to:  

1. The sourcing of raw materials, and the reporting on use of commercially available pulse ingredients;
2. The processing parameters applied to produce the pulse-derived ingredients; 
3. The methods used to characterize the physical, functional, and nutritional quality parameters of the pulse-derived ingredients; and
4. The performance of the pulse-derived ingredients in the formulation of foods.

These recommended best practices are meant to support the development of a strong foundation of research for the pulse industry, as a whole. Pulse Canada and Member Associations encourage the research community to refer to these recommendations when developing and reviewing scientific publications. Adherence to these recommended best practices will increase the utility and value of published research for industry stakeholders.