The Lakehead University Agricultural Research Station is testing new environmentally friendly products

Jun 13, 2023

The Lakehead University Agricultural Research Station (LUARS) is testing new products that may benefit local farmers by improving soil health or crop yields while also minimizing environmental impacts.

This season, LUARS is testing three new products:

1. Utrisha N: is a nutrient efficiency biostimulant from Corteva Agriscience that provides crops with a unique way to capture nitrogen (N) from the air and provide it directly to the plant without the risk of loss, helping crops reach their full yield potential.

By utilizing Utrisha N in combination with soil nitrogen applications, farmers could get a sustainable alternative source of N that reduces the reliance on soil N uptake, and provides an integrated approach to ensure crops have access to nitrogen throughout the entire season. Since Utrisha N is not applied to the soil there are no chances of losses of N from it to the environment. LUARS is testing Utrisha N in spring wheat at three rates of N application; 0, 45 and 90 kg/ha.

2. Puryield 45-0-0: is a polymer coated urea. Because of its polymer coating, N is released slowly in the soil for uptake by crop plants matching with their N requirements and consequently N losses to the environment are minimal. LUARS is comparing Puryield with other sources of N (urea, ESN and their blends) in canola and will be testing it on winter wheat in the Fall 2023.

3. Holganix 800⁺: is a mixture of multiple soil organisms that improve soil health. LUARS is testing Holganix 800⁺ in four spring crops (wheat, barley, canola and soybean).

Source : Lakeheadu.ca

Video: Why Invest in Canada’s Seed Future? | On The Brink: Episode 3

Darcy Unger just invested millions to build a brand-new seed plant on his farm in Stonewall, Manitoba so when it’s time for his sons to take over, they have the tools they need to succeed.

Right now, 95% of the genetics they’ll be growing come from Canadian plant breeders.

That number matters.

When fusarium hit Western Canada in the late 90s, it was Canadian breeders who responded, because they understood Canadian conditions. That ability to react quickly to what’s happening on Canadian farms is exactly what’s at risk when breeding programs lose funding.

For farmers like Darcy, who have made generational investments based on the assumption that better genetics will keep coming, the stakes are direct and personal.

We’re on the brink of decisions that will shape our agricultural future for not only our generation, but also the ones to come.

What direction will we choose?

On The Brink is a year-long video series traveling across Canada to meet the researchers, breeders, farmers, seed companies, and policymakers shaping the future of Canadian plant breeding. Each week, a new story. Each story, a piece of the bigger picture.

Episode 3 is above. Follow Seed World Canada to catch every episode, and tell us: Do you think the next generation will have the tools they need to success when they takeover? How is the future going to look?