SARDA Ag Research Newsletter December 2022

Table of Contents

Greetings from the Chair Page 3

Holiday Hours Page 4

SARDA Ag Research Agricultural Trade Show - March 16, 17 & 18 Meet the new Trade Show Coordinator Page 5

Lupin in the Peace Learn about the newest crop to be researched Page 6

Tiny Creatures in the Plots Our summer students tell us what they saw Page 8

Peace Region Turf and Forage Seed Industry A history lesson Page 10

Impact of seed size and seeding depth on canola establishment and yield Page 13 Contact Information For Board

White Lupin, June 24, 2022

Greetings from the Chair

On behalf of the Board, I want to share how excited we are that construction has begun on the new SARDA Ag Research building. The new facility is located southwest of the Town of Donnelly on Highway 2, adjacent to the Smoky Hemp Decortication building. After many years of diligently pursuing this goal together, the Board and the SARDA Ag Research team cannot wait to move in.

SARDA Ag Research had a good year with favorable conditions in which we were able to harvest and collect data. The research team is in the process of completing the analysis of samples and information so that it can be shared shortly. We welcomed new faces to the team, enabling us to accomplish the field work and extension workshops. We were pleased at how well these were attended by our local producers. Thank you for supporting these initiatives!

It is a big year coming up, with the much-anticipated return of the SARDA Agricultural Trade Show. The Trade Show would not have grown into what it is today without the dedication of Roch Bremont. As a Board and team, everyone at SARDA Ag Research would like to acknowledge the contributions Roch made to the event before his passing this September. We are grateful for all he has done.

Vance Yaremko, the manager of SARDA Ag Research, has been an advocate for operational funding that has stabilized the organization and contributed to our success. We are part of a group of 5 research organizations called Farmrite. Working together, we have been able to demonstrate a united front and continue to lobby the government for the necessary funds to keep these research organizations local and able to produce quality findings. We would like to encourage any producers who have found value in SARDA Ag Research to share their good news stories with their local MLAs and grain commission representatives. We hope to see continued support from the government so that we can benefit the farmers we impact directly.

Sincerely, Simon Lavoie

SARDA Ag Research’s new home under construction

SARDA Ag Research’s Office closed for the Holidays

SARDA Ag Research Agricultural Trade Show March 16, 17 & 18

Hi, my name is Nolan Lavoie and I am excited to step into the role of Trade Show Coordinator. I work on Lavoie Ventures Family Farm assisting in the field and the office. I grew up near St. Isidore and have always called the Peace Region home. I am passionate about farming and believe the agriculture industry is extremely important to our local economy and community. I completed a business management diploma at MacEwan University in Edmonton.

When not working on the farm I enjoy visiting with family and friends, playing sports and being outdoors.

I plan to gain experience and use my schooling to coordinate the SARDA Ag Research Smoky River Agricultural Trade Show. This event will showcase new innovations, agricultural products, inputs, machinery and business ventures. The Trade Show will build producer/vendor relationships and provide opportunities for partnership and collaboration. For those participants not involved in the industry, this event is an opportunity to learn about the many changes and technological advances in agriculture, ask those burning questions and have fun.

I look forward to seeing you at the show!

Lupin in the Peace

by Shelleen Gerbig, P.Ag., SARDA Ag Research

SARDA Ag Research has always focused on the future, exploring new technologies, techniques and crops. In 2022, we secured a trial to examine the ability to grow lupin in the Peace.

Lupin is a pulse crop with some advantages over the traditional field pea currently grown in the Peace Region. It is resistant to the aphanomyces root rot complex and boasts a protein content almost double the field pea content. Unfortunately, aphanomyces root rot is a growing problem in the Peace, decreasing the number of acres that can economically be seeded to field pea. Lupin, having a very high protein content, is also attractive to the protein fractionation industry that is growing by leaps and bounds in the Prairies.

Figure 1: Blue Lupin, June 7, 2022

White lupin wilting at night due to moisture stress

The objectives of the trial were:

1. To determine whether lupin could be a viable crop for the Peace Region.

2. To determine which lupin species (blue or white) perform best in the Peace Region of Alberta.

3. To understand the yield potential in this region.

4. To understand the nitrogen fixation potential in this region.

Blue lupin (Figure 1) is a determinate, narrow-leaved plant with a recommended harvest between 100-110 days. The upright plant should have a height of 5060 cm. In our trial, the blue lupin was much shorter, averaging 17cm tall, and harvested the crop 95 days after seeding without using a desiccant.

White Lupin (Figure 2) is a late maturing, taller, indeterminate plant with a recommended harvest between 130-140 days. In our trial, the average height was only 16.5 cm. White Lupin was desiccated on September 9 and harvested on September 15, 110 days after seeding. Both lupin species had upright, open stands that were easy to work with and harvest. There was no lodging in 2022. The plot area was pretreated with Edge, Roundup and Conquer II. In-crop, we used Centurion+Amigo for wild oat control.

This trial consisted of 11 treatments replicated four times; three blue lupin varieties (Lunabor, Boregine, Probor), five white lupin varieties (Frieda, Celina, Dieta, Volos, Figaro) and three pea varieties (Amarillo, Carver, Lewochko). In our trial, the average yields of the blue lupins and white lupins, trended greater than the peas and much lower than expected; however, nothing was significantly different. One problem we discovered was that there was no any evidence of nodulation. Lack of nodulation along with the dry growing season of 2022 may explain the lower yields and short plants. Lack of nodulation may result from poor shipping conditions for the inoculant.

One thing is for sure, more studies locally are required on this exciting new crop.

Figure 2: White Lupin, June 7, 2022

Tiny Creatures in the Plots

By Jesse Sylvain, Nadia Sylvain, Emily Aubin, Ashley Mussio, and Mai Noosri-Berube

There are an estimated 4,000 species of insects in Alberta per summer student here at SARDA Ag Research. If we do the math, with 5 students, the total number of insects is around 20,000! Not surprisingly, we only got to witness a handful of these. Throughout the summer of 2022, we were encouraged to dive into the world of agriculture research. We began with the excitement of seeding, to the nitty gritty of weed picking and collecting innumerable sheets of data. Our adventures inspired a fascination for the tiny creatures that roam through Alberta’s field floors.

The Red Velvet Mite (Trombiidae) was the first intriguing insect we spotted in mid-May. Walking the field where our plots were seeded, we spotted the

tiniest red bug that appeared to be a cross between a spider and a beetle. According to the research we conducted, Red Velvet Mites are very important for the environment. These little guys live in the litter layer of woodland and forest areas and are critical for litter

Red Velvet Mite

decomposition. What makes a “good” bug? They are part of the soil arthropod community and help stimulate decomposition by feeding on insects that eat fungi and bacteria. These are definitely good bugs.

Red Turnip Beetle

Upon approaching the four-leaf stage, we spotted red and black striped insects around the edge of the RVT Oats trial. Upon further inspection, it appeared that these beetles were eating the leaves and stems of the volunteer canola. We then had this bug identified as a Red Turnip Beetle. The adult larvae of these beetles will eat canola and other plants from the Brassicaceae family. Although these beetles rarely become an economic pest, they will move slowly, completely devouring the canola plant as they move toward the centre of the field. A fun fact about these beetles is that they crawl and don’t fly; in addition, only one generation survives yearly. To manage this insect, it is recommended that canola be rotated with other crops, until late fall to reduce larval survival rates or until the spring to remove cruciferous weeds, their food supply. The Red Turnip Beetle is considered a bad bug when feeding on a canola crop, but in our situation, feeding on weeds was helpful.

Another bug we spotted in the first week of July was a group of Twice Stabbed Stink Bugs. This type of stink bug is a general feeder commonly found in Alberta; however, it is rarely considered a pest. These bugs get their name because they release a foul-smelling fluid when disturbed. The smelly liquid serves a purpose: injecting enzymes into the plant breaks down the plant tissue and cell walls which the beetle then vacuums up like a smoothie. We found a group of several stink bugs on a canola plant, but no visible harm was evident.

Twice Stabbed Stink Bugs

There is so much to be learned when we look down and see the tiny beings that either help us thrive or cause havoc. The bugs were such an integral part of our experience this summer and it was great to get to know them up close and personal.

Lady Bug - This was easily identified!

Peace Region Turf and Forage Seed Industry

By Calvin Yoder, Forage Seed Specialist, and Shelleen Gerbig, P.Ag

SARDA Ag Research has traditionally had a forage seed industry, and the research carried out plays a huge role in the sustainability of agriculture in the Peace Region. In the beginning, SARDA Ag Research, Ag Canada (AAFC) and Alberta Agriculture provided information and extension to producers. Over the years, the support and extension whittled away to mainly SARDA Ag Research and the Peace Region Forage Seed Association (PRFSA), who employ the forage seed specialist Calvin Yoder. The PRFSA provides funding for the program. AAFCAgriscience, Canadian Agriculture Program, and SARDA Ag Research provide additional support.

Seed crops grown in the Peace Region include creeping red fescue, timothy, bromegrasses, wheatgrasses, perennial ryegrass, alfalfa, alsike clover, and red clover. Forage seed production acres in the

Peace amount to 40% of the Canadian acres. The industry currently includes 500 growers supplying the PRFSA with $250,000 yearly checkoffs and five forage seed processing plants. The seed is cleaned locally and exported out of Canada. In 2020, the Peace Region producers sold 68 million pounds of forage seed with a farm gate value of $51 million.

Peace forage seed producers are innovative and progressive. The PRFSA was formed in 2007 in response to producer and industry needs. The checkoffs collected are primarily devoted to providing research and extension. The program accumulated 25 years of data for numerous User Requested Minor Use Label Expansion (URMULE) on grass and legume seed crops. In addition, establishing and terminating these crops is challenging in annual crop rotations, and the program has tested many techniques. SARDA Ag Research has

Timeline of key events and research of the Peace Region Turf and Forage Seed Program

obtained a unique fleet of specialized equipment to conduct on-farm research on turf and forage seed crops.

Over the years, SARDA Ag Research evaluated numerous grass species and forages for seed yield potential. This work continues today with long-term plots established near Donnelly, Alberta. Identifying low-maintenance, disease-resistant, and strong seedyield turf and forage varieties is essential to protect the industry. Forage seed production can provide high financial returns for producers.

Today’s turf and forage seed research continues to explore the use of new and existing products in forage seed production. Plant Growth Regulators (PGR) are proving to be very advantageous in forage seed production. They increase production, harvestability and quality without increasing synthetic fertilizer use, although more work is needed to establish rates and timings.

The goals to improve the efficiency of fertilizer application, protect the environment and reduce climate change are ongoing. There are new products with slow-release and protected fertilizer products that may achieve or improve fertility management. Termination of stands is always challenging. Producers are looking for new, effective practices that are “green” and bring the land back into the annual crop rotations favoured by Peace Region producers. The fungicide, Nexicor is showing promise by increasing seed production in creeping red fescue. Weed control and herbicide-resistant weeds development are growing concerns for all agricultural production, and the forage seed industry is not unique. Research is currently exploring the control of herbicide-resistant wild oats, Foxtail barley and annual bluegrass. Since 2019, SARDA Ag Research has worked on 12 URMULE for weed control and herbicide tolerance.

Case bearer moth larvae damage

SARDA Ag Research and the PRFSA have demonstrated their ability to react quickly and efficiently to insect pests. In early 2000, the glassy cutworm severely affected grass seed crops. Within two years, with a dedicated focus on the insect, management and control practices were identified and extended to the producers. In 2007, the Case Bearer Moth larvae established themselves in Red Clover crops. Red Clover crops were severely affected, and seed production was nil in many cases. Over several years of studies, we adjusted production techniques to coexist with this pest.

Including forage seed production in your annual cropping rotation has many benefits. Forage seed production reduces annual tillage, sequesters carbon, increases soil health and protects land from erosion. It breaks up disease and insect cycles in your rotations and often provides unique opportunities to deal with specific weed concerns. Forage seed production

Foxtail Barley

techniques may also offer opportunities to incorporate the crops as intercrops, cover crops and relay crops. Forage seed crops improve soil health, sequester carbon

and reduced Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions. SARDA Ag Research and PRFSA focus on growing and protecting the Peace Region turf and forage seed industry. Currently, they are working on securing additional funding to support research and extension activities in Western Canada. They plan to continue supporting producers in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Oregon. Ongoing research will look at URMULE’s, new crops and varieties, new products, growing practices, and fertility. The European Skipper is a newly recognized threat to timothy seed production in the Peace Region and work will commence on dealing with this threat. The adoption of perennial ryegrass in the Peace Region demonstrates the industry’s growth. Perennial ryegrass production has increased from 1000 to 10,000 acres in the last four years. In 2022, we have the first registration of a novel native forage variety called fowl bluegrass. Calvin Yoder, a widely recognized forage seed production specialist in the Peace region, is a yearly participant and speaker at the International Forage Seed Conference. Support for the turf and forage seed industry must continue to provide economic and environmental benefits to the agricultural industry in the Peace Region.

Impact of seed size and seeding depth on canola establishment and yield

By Surendra Bhattarai, Ph.D., SARDA Ag Research

SARDA Ag Research initiated this project in 2020.

Canola (Brassica napus L.) is one of Alberta’s most widely grown oilseed crops. The costs of establishing canola are high, with seed costs being second only to fertilizer costs. Cultivar development in recent years has produced varieties with different seed sizes that may alter seeding rates and depth recommendations. There were contrasting opinions about the impact of seed sizes and seeding depths on plant establishment and yield from past studies from different parts of the world. Therefore, this study aims to provide producers with information about seed size and seeding depth effect on canola performance in the grey wooded soil zone of the Peace River region of western Canada to

improve on-farm productivity and profitability. The specific objectives of this 3-year study were:

1. To determine the impact of varying seeding depths on Alberta canola emergence, establishment and yield.

2. To determine the impact of varying seed sizes on canola emergence, establishment and yield in Alberta.

3. To assess the interaction between seed size and planting depth on Alberta canola emergence, establishment and yield.

The experiment included four seed sizes (extra-small, small, medium and large) and three seeding depths (1 cm, 2.5 cm and 4 cm). The 1000-seed weight determined the four seed sizes. We designed a 3 x 4

factorial arrangement in a randomized complete block design with four replications, equalling 12 treatment combinations.

We found seed size and seeding depth significantly impacted the emergence in the three years of study near Falher, Alberta. The extra-small seeds showed poor emergence, while the other three sizes had similar emergence. With the seeding depth, the seeds sown at 4cm showed poor emergence compared to 1cm and 2.5cm (Figure 1). Seed size, seeding depth and their interaction showed no significant impact on plant height, 1000-seed weight, seed quality and yield. Plant height ranged from 76.2 to 81.6 cm, and 1000-seed weight ranged from 3.92g to 4.16g. The oil content ranged from 47.9% to 48.6%, and the protein content ranged from 22.9% to 23.7%. The seed yield adjusted to 10% moisture ranged from 2462 kg/ha (45.2 bu/acre) to 2686 kg/ha (49.4 bu/ac) (Figure 1). This three-year study (2020-2022) experienced contrasting weather conditions; hot and dry to cool and wet growing seasons. The results of this study provided an opportunity for the canola producers in the Peace River region of western Canada to decide the seeding depth depending on the soil moisture

conditions at the time of sowing. However, further multilocation studies in different contrasting weather conditions are necessary.

Figure 1. Average seed yield and emergence of the four different canola seed sizes (large, medium, small and extra-small based on 1000-seed weight) sown at three depths (1 cm, 2.5 cm and 4 cm).

Plot Walk, July 30, 2020

2022 Board of Directors

Simon Lavoie hair St. Isidore

Leonard Desharnais Vice Chair Falher

Whitney Boisvert Secretary Girouxville

Mathieu Bergeron St. Isidore

Kenny Stewart High Prairie

Lionel Gauthier McLennan

Alain Anctil Girouxville

Neil Maisonneuve Valleyview

Luc Levesque Falher

Dale Smith MD of Greenview

Garret Zahacy Big Lakes County

Peter Harris County of Grande Prairie

Paula Guindoin MD of Smoky River

Jason Javos Northern Sunrise County

Staff

Vance Yaremko Executive Director manager@sarda.ca

Shelleen Gerbig, P.Ag. Extension Coordinator extension@sarda.ca

Calvin Yoder, P.Ag. Forage Seed Specialist calvinyoder123@gmail.com 780-864-7663

Surendra Bttarai, PhD Research Scientist surendra@sarda.ca

Victor Gauthier Field Technician field@sarda.ca

Amber Fennell-Drouin Administrative Assistant admin@sarda.ca

Nolan Lavoie Trade Show Coordinator smokyriveragtradeshow@gmail.com

www.sarda.ca

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