Oilseed Crop Physiology and Management, N2 Fixation

Oilseed Crop Physiology and Management, including soybean inoculants, N2 fixation, effectiveness of Bradyrhizobium japonicum strains, cropping systems that include oilseeds, spring and winter canola evaluations for yield and quality, and canola cropping systems. We assist inoculant companies in getting new and innovative products registered in Canada and provide information to growers annually on inoculant efficacy.

We conduct long-term cropping systems research in corn-soybean-wheat rotations. The objective is to maintain yields and improve returns while reducing Planting of soybean inoculant trials at a site where the soil is free of soybean rhizobia. Note the distribution system for liquid inoculants adapted for a small-plot planter. inputs. Systems include conventional, reduced input (e.g. no-till, reduced fertilizer, banded herbicides, inter-row cultivation) and production without using pesticides during the growing season. These pesticide-free systems also involve the use of manure or compost rather than commercial fertilizers. They are not organic because they involve the use of Roundup, but otherwise we use recycled, on-farm materials. In canola, we coordinate canola co-operative evaluations of hybrids and varieties in Ontario, including both winter and spring canola.
We conduct canola quality evaluations in the Plant Agriculture quality laboratory, including erucic acid, glucosinolates, free fatty acids, protein and oil contents as well as seed quality parameters.