Hamilton - Two research projects received $11 million. One of the two projects involves genomics research that will create sustainable crops to aid the country’s agricultural and biofuels industry... Elizabeth Weretilnyk, professor in the department of Biology, will lead a study of a hardy plant common to the Yukon—Thellungiella salsuginea, commonly known as salt lick mustard—which can survive drought, salting conditions, even freezing temperatures. She will use new sequencing technologies to better understand why the plant thrives in such a harsh environment. Given the more frequent weather extremes and severe fluctuations in weather patterns, this information can then be used to develop weather-tolerant crops, which can then increase yields in commercial crops, such as canola. full story