Crop Management
Enhancing systems that produce and apply biochar as crop amendments should be a focus of carbon sequestration policies, according to a University of Alberta researcher. Cole Gross, doctoral candidate in soil science at the university, conducted a three-year field study comparing one-time additions of manure compost and biochar to assess their effects on soil organic […] Read more
Crop Management
Wheat stem rust resistance found in wild grass
Plant scientists are focused on exploiting wild cereal relatives to find genetic traits that could be useful in domestic crops
Wheat stem rust was once one of the most devastating cereal diseases in Canada. First recorded in Western Canada in 1891, it became a major epidemic in 1916. Successful plant breeding for stem rust resistance has kept the fungus at bay in recent times, but outbreaks are flaring up in Australia, South Africa and Uganda […] Read more
Pea innovation funded in Alta.
The $100 million investment to develop a Bowden, Alta., yellow pea wet fractionation plant, which broke ground last fall, is seeing spin-off investments with another nearly $30 million being announced for the region’s burgeoning industry last month. A consortium that includes Protein Industries Canada, More Than Protein Ingredients Ltd., Quantum Mechanical Technology Inc. and Hamman […] Read more
Russian wheat prices rise with active exports
April 18 (Reuters) – Russian wheat export prices rose last week amid active supplies from the country’s Black Sea ports, some supplies from the Azov Sea and higher global prices for wheat in Chicago, analysts said on Monday. “Exports are active, but there are some signs of weakening,” Dmitry Rylko, the head of the IKAR […] Read more
Put options could be answer for delivery contract jitters
Analysts are encouraging farmers to consider put options for marketing this year’s canola crop. “For producers reluctant to forward contract before harvest, with last year’s drought in vivid memory, a put option is worth considering,” Neil Blue, provincial crops market analyst with Alberta Agriculture, said in a recent Agri-News article. It is a way to […] Read more
Ukrainian war expected to reduce barley supply
There is one crop that has been largely ignored when it comes to talking about the ramifications of the war in Ukraine. “The barley market is not getting the attention it deserves and I think it’s going to be very firm,” said Neil Townsend, analyst with FarmLink Marketing Solutions. “It’s not getting much play because […] Read more
Three sizes for carbon capture
Canadian farmland could sequester 72.7 million tonnes of carbon if more producers adopted beneficial practices like cover crops, applying compost and reducing tillage, says a new report from the Soil Conservation Council of Canada and the Compost Council of Canada. The report, released April 5, says there are three possible scenarios for storing carbon in […] Read more
Researchers test nitrogen-fixing barley variety
U.K. scientists hope the end result will be cereal crops that are able to pull more nitrogen and phosphorus from the soil
British plant scientists plan to field test a new variety of barley that is designed to co-operate with beneficial fungi in the soil. If the tests are successful, it could pave the way for wheat, oats and other crops that pull more nitrogen and phosphorus from the soil. This month in England, researchers from the […] Read more
Floating flora for friendlier feedlot flush? Maybe
OLDS, Alta. — Researchers want to know if floating islands filled with native plants and placed in feedlot runoff ponds will help remove unwanted contaminants. “This project is looking at the impact these islands have on water quality and whether or not it can improve the water quality at feedlots,” said Daniel Karran, hydrologist and […] Read more
When injured, plants see-saw between repair and regeneration
Retuning balance between the two improves regeneration for biotech, conservation and propagation of food crops
Plants are constantly at risk of being injured. Their leaves may be chewed by caterpillars and rabbits, or their roots are attacked by grubs and fungi. Plants face a daily dilemma; they can repair the damage and regenerate or defend themselves against further attack. Now, researchers at New York University have discovered the foundation of […] Read more
