Canola
Same across treatments:
Emergence
Stand count
Test weight
Yield
Oat
Same across treatments:
Emergence
Stand count
Test weight
Yield
Barley
Same across treatments:
Emergence
Stand count
Test weight
Yield
Pea
Same across treatments:
Stand count
Test weight
Yield
Emergence
Control plots had 13% more individuals than the other treatments
Emergence (P=0.1341) and test weight (P=0.4265) were the same across treatments. Yield on the other hand varied according to variety (P=0.0214). CDC Fraser was the highest yielding variety. Varieties with same yield were CDC Copeland and CDC Churchill. In contrast AAC Connect was the lowest yielding. This growing season was an excellent year for barley as it grew quickly and matured pretty fast at the end of the growing season. It can be concluded that to choose a high yielding variety there is no doubt CDC Fraser is the best choice, although CDC Copeland and CDC Churchill could also provide as much great yields.
Greatest number of emergent stands were found in CDC Austenson, followed by CDC Copeland and CDC Metcalfe. Despite seeding rates emergence number were 8% higher in CDC Austenson compared to CDC Metcalfe and CDC Copeland varieties (P<0.0001) and CDC Metcalfe was 9% compared to CDC Austenson and CDC Copeland (P<0.0001). In terms of seeding rates, Number of individuals emerging above ground were greater at the highest seeding rates (34 plants per squared foot) of CDC Austenson and CDC Copeland varieties, but not in CDC Metcalfe at the same seeding rate (P<0.0001). As such, those plots sown at 34 plants per square foot showed 4% more of the number of emergent stands (P=0.0015) in comparison to those plots sown at 24 and 29 plants per square foot.
Height was evaluated twice during the growing season. Instead of pooling the data, height was treated as repeated measurements. Analysis showed an interaction between height and treatments, much more in relation to varieties rather than seeding rates (P<0.0001). It was found that average heights of CDC Metcalfe and CDC Copeland had a 4% difference (P= 0.0001) compared to CDC Austenson stand height. CDC Metcalfe was then 9% taller than average heights of CDC Austenson and CDC Copeland (P=0.0005) and CDC Copeland was 23% taller than average heights of CDC Austenson and CDC Metcalfe (P=0.0001).
Yield was the same in CDC Austenson and CDC Copeland and both were greater than CDC Metcalfe (P=0.0034). As such, CDC Austenson yielded 25% more than CDC Metcalfe and CDC Copeland (P=0.0032) and CDC Metcalfe yielded 40% less than CDC Austenson and CDC Copeland (P<0.0001).
In conclusion, CDC Austenson was the barley variety with most emergent number of individuals and yield whereas CDC Copeland was the tallest variety. Seeding rate impacted height but emergence and yield was mostly influenced by barley variety.
Field pea is a poor competitor crop. As a temporal solution to control faster growing weeds and alleviate competition, fields are sprayed with Group 2 herbicides which have shown to cause herbicide weed resistance. It is hypothesized that if the seeding rate is increased, yield will be compensated despite weed competition. In addition, if field pea is intersown with cover crops, there is greater weed suppression. This is an economic advantage as it removes the necessity for herbicide application and inclusion of cover crops supply additional organic matter to the soil. This two-year split block experiment consisted of a Group 2 herbicide (in this case REFINE SG) application to spring wheat. Plots were either sprayed with the herbicide at 12 g ac-1 or left untreated. The following year, field pea was sown at three different seeding rates (90, 180 and 270 lb ac-1). Each of these rates were either sown alone or intersown with either annual rye, barley, oat and rye at 5, 35, 35, and 17 lb ac-1. Weeds were counted using 25 cm quadrats every two weeks and grouped as either broadleaf or grass.
Six of the eight intercrops were shown to yield more as an intercrop than as monocrops sown separately across an equivalent area of land. These mixes included faba bean and wheat, barley and peas, oats and peas, oats and crimson clover, wheat and red clover, and barley and red lentils. As seen from the yield graph below, peas did not emerge in this year’s intercrop trial, nor did canola due to excess moisture. The C.V. value corresponding with the yield analysis is 60.3, thus results should not be considered reliable.
The annual forage trials are performed every year to report yield and forage quality of several varieties at each trial type (alternative, oat varieties, and mixes such as spring and cereal and pulse and cereal). This is a project performed with sister associations such as Battle River Research Group (BRRG), Chinook Applied Research Association (CARA), Gateway Research Organization (GRO), Lakeland Agricultural Research Association (LARA), Mackenzie Agricultural Research Association (MARA), Peace Country Beef and Forage Association (PCBFA), and West Central Forage Association (WCFA).
Feed Barley
CDC Austenson and Claymore displayed the highest of yields, ranging 24-26 bu/acre. These were particularly high when compared to the four least yielding varieties: Gadsby, Amisk, Trochu, and CDC Carter (P=0.001). CDC Carter had the highest test weight among the treatments at 52.5 lbs/bu, while Amisk had lowest at just over 40 lbs/bu (P=0.003). The C.V. in the yield analysis was 24.6, thus the results may not be a proper indicator of true varietal yielding potential. Such lack of confidence was likely due to 2020’s adverse growing conditions.
Malt Barley
Yield ranged from 19-31 bushels per acre; test weight ranged from 44-60 lbs per bushel. CDC Fraser and CDC Kindersley yields of 30.5 bu/acre and 29 bu/acre, respectively, exceeded that of the other varieties (P=0.003). For test weight, CDC Clear and CDC Ascent produced significantly higher values than the subsequent 8 varieties (P<0.0001). As with feed barley, a high C.V. value in the yield analysis indicates high levels of variability in the experiment. Thus, yield results can not be considered reliable.
Feed Barley
Number of plants per square foot was greater in AC Maverick, and KWS Kellie varieties in contrast to AB Advantage, CDC Cowboy and Canmore varieties (P=0.0197). Percentage of moisture content was lower in AB Advantage, Amisk and AB Cattlelac feed barley varieties; higher moisture content was found in CDC Maverick, Esma, KWS Coralie, CDC Austenson and CDC Cowboy varieties (P=0.0014).
Test weight was highest in CDC Austenson, CDC Maverick, Esma, Gadsby and Canmore varieties whereas Amisk and AB Advantage possessed the lowest (P=0.0011). Varieties that produced the greatest yield were CDC Austenson and AB Advantage, whereas Amisk and Canmore were the least yielding (P=0.0167).
Overall, CDC Austenson is the highest yielding variety with the heaviest test weight despite having a low number of plants per square foot compared to other varieties. The variety Amisk, on the other hand, was low yielding and test weight, moisture content and emergence were less than other varieties.
Malt Barley
Similar to feed barley, emergence varied across treatments (P=0.0130). As such, CDC Copeland had a greater number of plants per square foot compared to CDC Anderson. Moisture content was higher in CDC Bow and smaller in CDC Anderson and AAC Connect (P≤0.001).
Malt barley varieties such as CDC Anderson and AAC Connect had lower test weights compared to the higher test weights found in CDC Bow (P=0.0007). There was no difference in yield among malt barley varieties (P=0.2048).
In summary, CDC Bow exhibited a heavier test weight and higher moisture content with comparable emergence to CDC Cropland. These two varieties showed values above those obtained from the CDC Anderson variety. CDC Anderson overall was lower yielding, and showed lower values of test weight, moisture content and number of plants per square foot.
The annual forage trials are performed every year to report yield and forage quality of several varieties in each trial type (alternative, oat, barley, triticale and wheat varieties as well as mixes such as spring and cereal and pulse and cereal). This is a project performed with sister associations such as Battle River Research Group (BRRG), Chinook Applied Research Association (CARA), Gateway Research Organization (GRO), Lakeland Agricultural Research Association (LARA), Mackenzie Applied Research Association (MARA), Peace Country Beef and Forage Association (PCBFA), and West Central Forage Association (WCFA).
Synergy and Brio are fertilizer enhancement compounds that can be applied in mixtures with fertilizer and herbicide compounds (as in furrow or foliar respectively). Treatments in spring wheat and barley consisted of (1) In furrow application of Synergy at 0.946L ac-1 with fertilizer, (2) Foliar application of Brio at 0.473 L ac-1 shortly after Esteem (Fluroxypyr at 0.32 lb ac-1, Clopyralid at 0.11 lb ac-1 and MCPA at 0.365 L ac-1) herbicide application, (3) Application of Synergy and fertilizer in furrow with foliar application of Brio shortly after Esteem herbicide application at the same rate previously mentioned for treatment (2).
Treatments for the winter wheat trial included (1) Foliar application of Synergy at 0.946 L ac-1, (2) and (3) were foliar applications of Brio at single and double application rates (0.0055 and 0.11 L ac-1 respectively), (4) foliar application of Toggle at 0.11 L ac-1. A control treatment is also included where standard fertility and management techniques are conducted.
Yield from each crop was different across all intercropping combinations (P≤0.0001). Pulses such as faba bean intersown with wheat and field pea intersown in barley and in canola reported the lowest yields. Barley intersown in both lentil and field pea, respectively, was higher yielding than other cereals such as oat, wheat and other types of main crops such as flax and canola. The North Peace weather is characterized for its long dry periods, where rains could turn out once a month and extensive heat can stress and jeopardize grain quality of main crops. It is also characterized for its soils with heavy clay, where moisture from rain periods can last for days and excess water is unable to filter through. Pulses require plenty of rain and soil moisture in order to produce competent yields. It is possible the dry periods occurring in the summer season compromised pulse yields while cereals were able to manage heat stress.
Number of insects per plot varied across weeks (P≤0.0001) and across intercrop combinations (P=0.0002). The interaction between weeks and intercropping combinations was the same (P=0.3690). The greatest number of insects was reported on the first week of August whereas the lowest was June 24, which coincided with a period of extreme heat and drought. Canola and field pea intercropping combination had the lowest number of insects compared to the rest of the combinations where numbers were statistically the same.
Crystal Green is a fertilizer of continuous release made by Ostara. This fertilizer acts by releasing nitrogen, phosphorus and magnesium upon expel of root exudated citrates. Since fertilizer dissemination is modulated by components released from roots, run-off and leaching is minimized. The extent of its benefits in different crops is yet unknown. Thus, Crystal Green was tested in oilseed, pulse and cereal crops in order to observe which formulation improves yield in each of these crop types.
