All Research Projects
Agronomy / Field Testing / Custom
2022-2025
This study was designed to test the efficacy of Acetic acid in combination with surfactants to desiccate seed alfalfa. The goal is to increase the options for growers and improve harvestability and/or yield.
2022-2025
Desiccating seed alfalfa 1-2 weeks earlier may improve desiccation efficacy and lower the risk of inclement weather interrupting harvest activities without impacting harvestability or grain quality (dockage and/or germination).
2022-2025
Farmer yields are managed by balancing cultivar selection and agronomic practices. We hypothesize that feed barley yields could be improved by adopting new cultivars and improved agronomic practices.
2022-2024
Land rollers are commonly used to push rocks into the soils and improve harvest operation during silage crop production. Other benefits of land rolling
2019-2023
Glyphosate resistance in kochia populations is a growing problem, with over 50% of strains carrying resistance. This study looks at site-specific patch management in an effort to reduce and/or control local populations.
2020-2023
This study proposes to test the efficiency of management practices including strip tillage and precision planting in managing crop residues and improving canola emergence, growth, and yield.
2020-2023
Many diseases that infect and devastate crops are due to spores that are deposited in field by air currents. These diseases are often difficult to identify until it's too late to effectively prevent them.
2018-2023
The development of high value specialty crops is crucial for a diversified and robust agricultural industry in Canada. It is very important for on-farm profitability and is a key driver for value added industries.
2019-2023
Precision planters are typically used to seed conventional row crops such as corn or soybeans, however producers are experimenting with them to plant small grains and other crops.
2017-2023
This project will evaluate the viability, impact, and benefits of including cover crops in crop rotations across Prairie Canada (including MB, SK, and AB).
Ongoing
Distribution and abundance of insect pests in Alberta that affect field crops is correlated with climate, weather, agronomic practices, and natural enemies.
2019-2022
A biological and physical baseline developed within the province will provide a framework that can help define strategies for managing and improving the productive capacity, and sustainability, of our soils.
2021-2022
We propose to develop, deploy, and assess an automated, sensor-integrated open-source system to provide continually updated irrigation prescription maps for variable rate irrigation systems with our farm partner in Alberta.
2019-2022
This trial is takes key findings from Farming Smarter's small plot precision planter research program and evaluates performance in a real-world field environment, fostering adaptation development and adoption.
2021-2022
Winter crops provide a distinct advantage over spring crops in extending the growing season under western Canadian conditions.
2021
Alfalfa weevils are a pest in seed alfalfa production because the larvae eat the flower buds off the plants. This study focuses on testing several insecticide options for farmers, aiming to help them protect their crops from this pest.
2018-2022
Fusarium head blight (FHB) has become a major limitation to cereal crop production across much of the prairies in recent years, particularly for bread and durum wheat growers, and the disease is also impacting barley growers.
2018-2022
This project combines seeding rate and date trials that were separate in the first project to study their interaction effects. The fertility trial determines the optimum rate and timing of fertilizer to maximum hemp fiber and grain yield.
2019-2021
This project evaluated the use of the EM38 soil conductivity sensor as a real-time soil moisture mapping tool. Real-time data collected in-season could allow farmers to use a near real-time efficiency of crop production inputs ...
2018-2021
This study determines if the periodic deep banded application of immobile nutrients (P, K & Cu) can reduce nutrient stratification while improving nutrient uptake and crop production on land previously under direct seeding for >10 years.
2018-2021
The goal of the Canola Performance Trials (CPT) is to evaluate currently available commercial canola seed varieties available to farmers.
2020-2021
Flea beetles are one of the major canola pests in Alberta. Currently neonicotinoid-based seed treatments are often used to protect canola seedings from flea beetle damage.
2020-2021
This project sets out to find the effects of rolling barley at various stages of crop growth and to recommend best management practices for successful crop growth and yield.
2019-2020
Detector dogs have even been used to detect infections, pests or diseases by their unique scents. This project evaluated the potential to use canines to detect clubroot in fields in southern Alberta.