Agriculture Canada

Naturally occurring chemical compounds in plant residues affect the growth of other plants, say scientists at Agriculture Canada’s research centre in Lethbridge, Alta. They are studying crop residues to learn more about how those natural chemicals could be used to control weeds. “We’re hoping that ultimately this information could lead to the development of more […] Read more

Agriculture Canada researchers have discovered that a liquid formulation can be used to deliver nitrogen-fixing pea inoculant into seed rows. Byron Irvine of the Brandon Research Centre and Guy Lafond of the research farm at Indian Head, Sask., say that soybean producers commonly use this method to provide the most effective strains of nitrogen-fixing bacteria, […] Read more

Two new lines of soft white spring wheat developed at Agriculture Canada’s research centre in Lethbridge, Alta., received support for registration earlier this year. Breeder Sadash Sadasivaiah said SWS-241 out-yielded industry standard AC Reed by 18 percent in three years of registration testing, but matured three to four days later than check varieties. “With SWS-241, […] Read more

SASKATOON – A recently discovered gene, when bred into Canada western red spring wheat lines, can increase protein content with no negative effect on baking characteristics, said Odean Lukow, head of the Cereal Quality Protection section at the Agriculture Canada Cereal Research Centre in Winnipeg. With increasing markets for value-added products such as frozen dough […] Read more

Wheat producers may want to keep an old pest in mind when making plans for next year’s crop. In research test plots and producer fields in southern Alberta, the populations of wheat stem sawfly have increased dramatically over the past two years. In some fields, 90 percent of the wheat stems were damaged. Researchers say […] Read more

A potential new wheat pest has appeared in southern Alberta and other regions of the Prairies. So far, wheat head armyworm numbers are low to moderate, but researchers expect them to be more active in August. “Most of the sites we sampled in late July had up to three wheat head armyworm larvae per 10 […] Read more

The Lethbridge Research Centre has introduced two new potato varieties, AC Glacier Chip and AC Maple Gold. “They have the potential to displace current varieties being grown for fry, chip and the yellow flesh niche markets around the world,” said Dermot Lynch, a breeder at the centre. AC Glacier Chip is suitable for the chip […] Read more

Now that crops have emerged, it may be a good time to evaluate whether one-pass seeding and fertilizing operations have damaged seedlings. Cynthia Grant, a soil scientist at the Agriculture Canada Research Centre in Brandon, says while side-banding fertilizer is generally an effective and safe method of application, it is important to evaluate the risks […] Read more

Farmers in the western Prairies should take steps to prepare for and manage the effects of fusarium head blight, says a group of leading scientists in Western Canada. The fungal disease has become the most significant cereal disease faced by farmers in Manitoba and eastern Saskatchewan, and surveys show that it is gradually working its […] Read more

A new variety of cicer milkvetch developed by Agriculture Canada’s research centre in Lethbridge, Alta., promises to dramatically improve the crop’s profile in livestock grazing across Western Canada, says the forage breeder who developed it. AC Oxley II makes cicer milkvetch, until now a somewhat under-rated forage, “an ideal pasture legume,” said researcher Surya Acharya. […] Read more