SARDA Ag Research News
Donnelly Corner, Forage Seed Variety Trials July 13, 2021
By Shelleen Gerbig, BSA, P.Ag., SARDA Ag Research
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Plans for 2022
ARDA Ag Research has a busy year planned for 2022. For example, we will continue to monitor Diamond Back Moths, Bertha Army Worms, Wheat Midge and the Pea Leaf Weevil as participants in the provincial Pest Monitoring program. Diamond Back Moth traps are placed by the end of April. These moths do not overwinter in Alberta but arrive via wind currents from the southern United States. During the summer, we will monitor the different pests in the South Peace Region.
score calculated to give a rating of excellent to poor. Trials in their final year of fieldwork include Canola Seed Size and Depth, Field Scale Flea Beetle Trials, Small Plot Flea Beetle Trials, and Intercropping. Project leads for several trials with fieldwork completed in the 2021 season are preparing final reports top be released throughout the year. Look for the Industrial Hemp Seeding Date, and Rate trial, the Industrial Hemp fertility trial, Ultra Early Wheat Trial, Novel Crop Rotation Trial and the Resistant Wild Oat Demonstration reports.
The water quality testing program, which began in 2011, will also continue. Water quality is sampled in 3 locations within the MDs of Smoky River and Greenview in the spring and fall. The laboratory analyzes the samples for nitrogen, phosphorous, coliforms, turbidity, suspended solids, E.coli, 100 different pesticides, and 34 metals and ions. The data is fed into a River Water Quality Index and an index
Continuing trials are the Cereals Regional Variety Trials of several classes of wheat (approximately 40 varieties), oats (10 varieties), barley (22 varieties) and new in 2021, malt barley (11 varieties). We also participate in the Pulse Regional Variety Trials, which include green peas ( 5 varieties), yellow peas (15 varieties) and faba beans (6 varieties). Additional trials include the β-glucan Oat Variety Trial, Maximizing
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