In collaboration with the Peace Region Living Lab project, we are demonstrating how different cropping systems affect growth, yield, soil health and weed control to see which BMP strategies could be successful in the Peace Region.
Our companion cropping trial involves seeding three different types of annual clover with either canola or wheat:
- Crimson clover
- White clover
- Subterranean clover
Objectives:
1. Investigate if the establishment and growth of annual clover species sown previously to main cash crops such as wheat and canola.
2. Determine which method provides the best establishment of both annual clover species and cash crop: seed drill or broadcast.
3. To evaluate weed control, fertility, soil health and economics.
Objective: investigate the effects of allelopathic cover crop mixes on weed counts, species diversity, and cash crop yield in rotation years following either roller-crimping or incorporation of the cover crops.
Allelopathic cover crops:
- Sunflower
- Rye
- Hairy vetch
- Annual ryegrass
Objectives:
• Determine the impact of this cropping system on soil drainage and water holding capacity
• Provide evidence to producers that spring sown cover crops aid to increase water availability in the soil
• Encourage adoption of agricultural sustainable practices and build resiliency to climate change side effects such as flooding and drought
This project was made possible by funding from RDAR (Results Driven Agriculture Research).
Testing of Cropland Solutions’ foliar sprays and Annelida’s worm castings on the growth and yield of wheat, canola, and field peas.
The foliar sprays did not arrive on time and could not be used this year.
Objective: Educate ourselves more on how Insure Cereal FX4 works in the Peace Region weather conditions against untreated.
Testing the effects of a foliar spray containing nitrogen-fixing bacteria on wheat growth and performance.
Objective: evaluate yield and quality of wheat varieties seeded at different seeding rates based on thousand kernel weight (TKW) in the Peace region
This research will build on previous research done in 2019, 2020, 2021 in the Peace region that evaluated the impact of seeding rate on crop yield, test weight and protein content on both AAC Brandon and AAC Connery. The study demonstrated that higher seeding rates (28 and 37 seeds foot-2), led to significantly higher yield and test weights on both varieties. However, the highest seeding rate (37 seeds foot-2) also had significantly lower protein content. Thus, we wish to evaluate two more commonly grown varieties grown in the Peace region (AAC Viewfield and AAC Redberry). AAC Redberry is not prevalent in the North Peace and Mackenzie regions, however it is early maturing (three days earlier than the AAC Brandon variety) and thus would likely be a good fit. AAC Wheatland VB was selected as it is a new midge tolerant variety with a similar maturity to AAC Brandon, and a slightly higher yield advantage of up to 4 bushels acre-1 (AFSC Yield Alberta 2021).
Objective: investigate the effect of various forms of N-enhanced efficiency fertilizers in the development and yield of different varieties of wheat in the Peace region of Alberta
While yield production of spring wheat is improved by intensified agricultural strategies and novel genetic varieties, optimal soil N release and precise N uptake by crops is still an ambiguous question. At the Agriculture and Agri-food Canada in Lethbridge, Dr. Brian Beres has a research program evaluating different forms of fertilizers, designed to provide N availability to wheat crops better than N provided through banded Urea. This experiment focuses on exploring N-enhanced efficiency fertilizers (EEF) set at different rates and placed banded at different development stages. The goal is to observe if a certain EEF can improve overall yield.
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
Same in all treatments:
Yield
Protein content
Test weight
Emergence
Stands
Survivorship
Height was greater treatments where dehydrated compost was added at the full rate of application.
Results for our research came with a few shortcomings this season. Biomass samples sent for plant analysis were futile because samples did not survive the trip to the laboratory facilities in Ontario despite our efforts to preserve its entirety.
Allelopathy is the direct or indirect impact on plant individuals, whether they belong or not to the same species. Established as substances composed of secondary metabolites, allelopathy can a) affect growth and yield of another plant and b) develop autotoxicity, where plant individuals’ secrete chemicals that prevent propagation and development of seedlings of same species growth.
Allelopathy can be used as a strategic tool to mitigate chemical weed management. Residues of allelopathic cover crops not only provide benefits to the soil but also help to reduce weed populations during their growth and likely for the cash crops seeded in the season thereafter.