Scientists at the University of Missouri-Columbia have furthered the understanding of a communication signal indicating stress in plants. The research underscores the importance of understanding the mechanisms plants use to build resilience against environmental consequences. The discovery at UMC involves a group of molecules called reactive oxygen species (ROS), which are produced by all living […] Read more
Stories by Freelance writer
Farm takes manure composting to next level
Family’s move to use compost to rejuvenate old hayland is part of a bigger decision to embrace regenerative agriculture
SILVER VALLEY, Alta. — It may look like a pile of coffee grounds, but the dried, composted wiggler worm castings can give a northern Alberta farm a much-needed nutrient boost. What started as piles of manure will eventually be sprayed on most of the 500-acre farm in the form of compost tea to ensure the […] Read more
Bull selection: should it be maternal or terminal sires?
If using terminal bulls, just sell all the calves, but if using maternal bulls and keeping half, good marketing is essential
When buying a new bull, most ranchers have specific goals and are seeking specific traits in the offspring. Travis Olson, a seed-stock breeder near Athabasca, Alta., has been raising Angus bulls for years and says there are several tools for choosing the right bull for the purpose. “All ranchers have slightly different views on what […] Read more
Breeders say demand growing for Wagyu beef
Meat marbling is a significant selling point, but producers also point to the breed’s vigour, longevity, fertility and docility
Adrienne Herron has been raising Wagyu cattle in Alberta’s Red Deer County for about 15 years. She started with three unregistered purebred orphans from a local herd. “Then I bought purebreds from Marchi Ranches in Montana, and now have registered fullbloods I sell to commercial cattle producers,” she says. Heifers bred to Wagyu bulls don’t […] Read more
Indexes helpful tool for commercial producers
Expected progeny differences come with a wide range of numbers, while indexes simplify many factors into one number
Every breed has its own indexes, and they work in similar ways. The important ones in the Canadian Hereford Association, for instance, are the Maternal Productivity Index (MPI) and the Feedlot Merit Index (FMI). The MPI for the Canadian Hereford Association, which was created in 2000 by Agriculture Canada, was designed to combine genetic factors […] Read more
Food production may change, but not the food
Speakers at a recent U of A forum say food will be produced significantly differently 50 years from now than it is today
EDMONTON — A group of agriculture specialists were asked to gaze into their crystal balls during a University of Alberta event to see what would be on the table in 50 years and their answers were as wide as their specialties. Ellen Goddard, a University of Alberta economist and professor believed the food for our […] Read more
Restored Alta. barn put to new use
The historical landmark has been turned into an event centre, but it has become much more than just a wedding venue
It was a tumble-down barn built in 1904. A historical landmark, maybe, but the property had been vacant for years. It was collapsing and the roof line resembled an old saddle. It was full of pigeon poop. But to Debora Rice-Salomons, it was a thing of beauty. Now the property boasts not just a restored […] Read more
Plants find way to keep harmful solar rays at bay
Crops need sunlight for photosynthesis, but too much of a good thing can damage leaves and decrease their efficiency
Crops create food through the process of photosynthesis. But when leaves are exposed to full sunlight their green chlorophyll molecules can get more light energy than they may be able to handle. This can lead to damaged leaves costing the plant 10 to 30 percent of its ability to photosynthesize. However, plants have developed a […] Read more
War in Ukraine spans farm fields to battlefields
From time to time, Oleh visits the positions of troops on the front lines of war in east Ukraine. While there, he looks hopefully to the horizon. There, just two kilometres away, are his fields, shop and grain warehouse now occupied by Russian invaders. I will not write Oleh’s last name, nor will I show […] Read more
Soybean virus benefits bugs that eat the crop
Soybean thrips infected with the soybean vein necrosis orthotospovirus reproduce better than uninfected insects
A virus is a threat to many crops but, in a complicated relationship, the soybean vein necrosis orthotospovirus is an unexpected benefit to soybean thrips. Researchers at Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences have discovered that, when soybean thrips are infected with SVNV, they thrive longer and reproduce better than thrips that are not infected. […] Read more
