Field Day

PAST EVENT: Breton Plots Field Day July 11, 2023

You, your friends, family, and colleagues were invited to join us at the University of Alberta Breton Plots - a historic and unique site.

The Breton Plots are a focal point for research and discovery, CONTINUING to provide science and best practices on soil health, higher yields, greenhouse gas emissions, nitrogen fertilizers, nutrient balances, crop rotation, and carbon sequestration.

 

Program

1:00 pm - Alberta Regional Variety Trial

Presenter: Sheri Strydhorst

Overview: The Alberta Regional Variety Trial is being conducted for the first time at the Breton Plots, and consists of 25 barley, 12 oats, 17 CWRS wheat and 13 CPSR wheat varieties.  This would be an excellent opportunity for local producers to view side-by-side plots of current cereal varieties.

1:40 pm - Perennial Cereals Grain Crop Trial

Presenter: Guillermo Hernandez Ramirez and/or Akim Omokanye

Overview: Established in 2022, this research trial is looking at the regrowth of perennial wheat and perennial rye, both as a monoculture or intercropped with alfalfa, white clover or sainfoin.  One study objective is to better understand the contribution of legumes to overall feed value of the intercrop, as well as to better understand the dynamics of nitrogen fixing legumes with nitrogen using cereals.

2:20 pm - Nitrogen and Sulphur Fertilization in Forages

Presenter: Miles Dyck

Overview: Commercially available fertilizer mostly targets the grains and oilseeds market.  This research looks at several types of nitrogen and sulphur fertilizers on mixed forage production.

3:00 pm - Liming: New research and the Long-term Classical Rotation

Presenter: Linda Gorim and/or Miles Dyck

Overview: The new research is studying the effects of several commercially available lime sources (ie. Norstar Industries) on soil pH and barley, oats and canola growth.  The Long-term Classical Rotation (Wheat-Canola-Barley +Alfalfa+Brome-Hay1-Hay2) was initiated in 1929 and has included lime as a soil amendment since its establishment.  This Rotation is a highly visible demonstration of the impacts of declining soil pH on various crops.

3:30 pm - Nitrogen and Sulphur Fertilization in Cereals and Oilseeds

Presenter: Various

Overview:  In line with 4R Nutrient Stewardship and “Right Product”, several research trials are studying the impact of different fertilizers on soil and plant health.