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Contact Virginia Nelson for information regarding the following projects:
Compare Compost Costs
Composting is an additional process that takes place on the farm. Producers need to understand the costs to decide if it fits into their farm plan. This information would help educate them and be an evaluation tool for them to decide if this works for them. In addition it should compare the cost of other manure systems.
Effect of Moisture on Compost Characteristics
A journal article will be written on the effects of moisture content on composting beef feedlot manure and submitted to CSBE. This project was recently completed at the Agtech Centre.
Investigation into Compost Tea Effectiveness
A fact sheet will be written on describing compost tea and how it can be utilized. The fact sheet will assist producers who currently use irrigation and may wish to use "liquid fertilizer" or already do and would like to compare compost tea.
Large Animal Composting
The act and regulation governing large animal mortality disposal currently states composting is an acceptable practice if the pieces composted are not in excess of 100 kg. Producers are not willing to cut their animals up into pieces. The Agtech Centre is assisting on work to encourage the regulators to change the regulation to allow producers to compost whole animals. This is especially important in areas where rendering is not an option, incineration is too expensive and burial and scavenging are not recommended.
Nutrient Demonstration Site
Many producers do not utilize manure as a source of nutrient for their crops. A nutrient demonstration site will be set up to assist extension staff in promoting the use of manure and compost as a source of nutrient for crops. The site at the Agtech Farm will compare manure and compost with conventional fertilizers on various cereals, oilseed and forage crops. The site will be maintained and monitored for 5 to 6 years. The site will be used for tours and field schools.
Sprayer Information Extension
The Agtech Centre maintains expertise in new spraying technologies. This expertise results in the development of extension material for the Canada Spraying Guide. The results from the five-year herbicide efficacy study will be assembled into a large research report. This sprayer extension material will provide information to producers and the agriculture industry on the newest sprayer technologies.
Spray Density and Drift Database
Water sensitive spray deposit cards used by AgTech for spray quantification are popular among producers at sprayer seminars and trade shows because it allows for a quick visual assessment of the nozzles droplet size, density and drift potential. The cards will be scanned, digitized and stored in a database. In addition, a spray drift (from AgTech's wind tunnel tests) database will be made. Both databases will be used for producers to compare nozzle spray characteristics by way of a web site. At this point in time, producers only have access to droplet size (VMD) information from nozzle manufacturers.
Effects of Spray Quality on Pre-Burn Herbicide Efficiency
New spraying technologies continue to bring producer and custom applicator questions. Recent results regarding the affects of spraying speed, reduced rates and spray density have fuelled producer interests. This project will determine the effectiveness of various spraying technologies when using Roundup and Liberty chemicals in a preseed application.
Emerging Sprayer Application Technologies
Some of the emerging technologies in the spraying area are twin cap, multiple and electronic nozzles and 30-inch spacing of nozzles. Producers and the agriculture industry need information on these new technologies to make informed decisions on equipment needs. Laboratory tests will be conducted on these emerging technologies to determine spray patterns and deposition.
Efficiency with Pure and Regular Water
The issue of water quality when spraying has been an issue for many years. Some producers now have access to pure water as a by-product in the oil industry. Producers want to know the advantage of using pure water. This project will determine the effectiveness of various spraying technologies when using pure water at various rates.
Lance Efficacy in Edible Beans
One of the barriers to edible bean production in Southern Alberta is the occurrence of sclerotinia white mold. The mold is controlled with the fungicide Lance(r). Lance(r) replaced a fungicide that was used successfully for many years. Producers need information on the application of Lance(r) with different spraying technologies. This project will determine the effectiveness of various spraying technologies when applying Lance(r) for the control of sclerotinia white mold on dry edible beans.
Alberta Environmental Farm Plan
The Centre provides Worksheet leaders for the Alberta Environmental Farm Plan (AEFP) in the areas 5 - Storage of Petroleum Products, 6 - Disposal of Farm Wastes, and 13 - Energy Efficiency. The Worksheet leaders are responsible for training the technical assistances, facilitators, answering questions from workshops, maintaining up-to-date information for the worksheets, assisting in the review of the binder.
Contact Lawrence Papworth for information regarding the following projects:
Determine Manure Incorporation of Various Tillage Methods
Various tillage tools will be tested for manure incorporation. The information will be used to develop management practices for the incorporation of solid beef manure.
Development of a Berry Harvester Ramp
The Irrigation Branch is currently working on a project measuring the water use of black currants and saskatoon berries under different irrigation regimes. The plots will be harvested with a commercial harvester. Soil water in the plots is measured with a neutron probe. The access tubes for the probe were placed a few inches from the center of the plots. These access tubes can't be moved or damaged. The placement of the access tubes does not allow the use of a commercial harvester. The Agtech Centre will design and build two metal ramps to allow the harvest of the plots with a commercial harvester.
Zone Tillage with Sugar Beets and Edible Beans
Sugar beets and edible beans are major specialty crops grown in Southern Alberta. One of the major problems when growing these crops is soil erosion from preceding tillage. One method to reduce the effect of tillage is to confine it to the seed row. This is called zone tillage. Zone tillage is not practiced in Southern Alberta due to lack of exposure and applied research. A project will be conducted at the CACDI to demonstrate the use of zone tillage.
Residue Managers
Residue from the previous years crop is usually a problem when direct seeding in high yield areas. Residue wheels are used to clear away residue prior to seed openers. This allows the seed opener to operate in clear soil and results in increased crop emergence. The project will determine the benefit of and demonstrate using residue managers with disk openers. Co-operators in the project are Reduced Tillage Linkages(RTL) and Monsanto.
Evaluation of Openers 2004
Several new openers have been put on the market in the last few years. Producers want unbiased test information on these openers. AgTech will test a group of seven openers from seed and fertilizer placement, power requirements and ease of operation. The openers tested will be from K-Hart, Gen, Seed Hawk, Dutch and Agri-Tech. The evaluation report on openers will provide producers' information when purchasing and manufacturers with a marketing tool.
Investigation into Row Spacing with Various Openers when Direct Seeding Barley, Canola and Wheat
Results from the row width project showed an increase in yield with an increase in seedbed utilization. Mid row banding was used to apply the nitrogen fertilizer in the row width project. This study will determine the effect of row spacing on crop yields with other opener systems in Alberta.
Effect of Nitrogen Rate on Crop Emergence and Yield with Low Draft Double Shoot Pair Row Openers
Manufacturers of double shoot openers for air drills have recently produced openers that place the seed and nitrogen fertilizer at the same depth in the soil. The advantages of these openers are a reduction in power required to pull the openers and a decreased chance of compromising the seedbed quality with tillage by the fertilizer point. Since the nitrogen is placed closer to the seed there is a higher chance of damage to the seed. There is limited experience and research in the use of these openers with various nitrogen rates.
Calibration of Material Spreaders Fact Sheet and Calculator
Calibrating material spreaders is very important for economic, production and environmental reasons. All the existing fact sheets currently available are incomplete. Fact sheets will be compiled on calibrating manure and fertilizer spreaders. A calculator will also be produced for the website so producers can calculate and check application rates.
Contact Darryl Slingerland for information regarding the following projects:
Development of a Humane and Efficient Spent-Hen Disposal Unit
The AgTech Centre assisted in the development of a humane, efficient spent-hen disposal unit. The unit was successfully demonstrated and tested. An operator's manual and drawings will be developed and made available to producers to construct and use the spent-hen disposal unit.
On Farm Energy Efficiency
With increased energy costs, agricultural producers are reviewing their energy use and looking for both new ways to reduce costs through energy efficiency and reducing their environmental impacts. This program promotes increased adoption of energy efficiency measures. It builds on Alberta Agriculture, Food and Rural Development's current energy efficiency initiatives and will identify and reduce barriers to greater adoption of measures, pilot the development of an installation, financing and service infrastructure to facilitate energy efficiency on farms, and ground proof the applicability of technologies and practices to Alberta farms.
On Farm Alternative Energy
The Centre is part of an On Farm Alternative Energy team that will conduct an evaluation, research and extension program to assist producers in developing on farm alternative energy systems. The program is currently being developed and individual projects will start in 2006.
Contact Reed Turner for information regarding the following projects:
Portable Emissions Measurement System Tests
This project will develop our understanding of portable emissions measurement systems and help us determine which systems would best meet our needs in agricultural testing. The project involves the demonstration and test of at least four different portable emissions measurement systems on a standard reference vehicle. AgTech will gain the capability to measure emissions directly from operating vehicles. Cooperators include Ag Canada, Environment Canada, Clean Air Technologies, Horriba, Sensors Inc, Analytical Engineering Inc, and CEPA and US-EPA.
Development of Biodiesel Concentration Measurement Device
Biodiesel is sold and used in various blends with conventional diesel, commonly ranging from 2% or B2 to 50% or B50. Currently customers do not have an inexpensive way to determine what the actual concentration of biodiesel is in the fuel they receive. This project will define and develop a simple and inexpensive tool or method to provide a reasonable approximation of the percent biodiesel in a given fuel sample.
GPS System Accuracy Evaluation
This project will evaluate the actual instantaneous and long-term accuracy and repeatability of several samples of commercially available differential GPS systems. ATC will gain information; contacts and experience that will be used to assist us in the development of our own plot marking, location and guidance tools. |
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