Achieving the potential of crop diversification

The Centre's research and demonstration and extension programs provide producers, processors, educators, extension personnel and the general public with information that will enhance crop diversification and product quality and promote environmental and economic sustainability. Specifically, Centre activities include evaluation, demonstration and development of:

• high value, special crops such as vegetables, small fruits, forages and oil seeds
• advanced irrigation technologies
• soil conservation practices
• water supply protection practices
• established high value crops such as potatoes
• soil and crop nutrient management
• irrigation scheduling
• integrated pest control practices

Demonstration Projects at the Portage site

Support for these demonstrations was from Manitoba Agriculture and Food, the Central Agriculture Conservation Area, Manitoba Crop Diversification Centre, and Covering New Ground. Forage crops The demonstration included varieties of italian ryegrass, annual ryegrass, meadow bromegrass, daharian wild ryegrass, tall fescue. orchard grass, reed canarygrass, slender wheatgrass, intermediate wheatgrass, alfalfa, red clover, birdsfoot trefoil, and timothy. Medicinal/Nutraceutical plants Purple coneflower, teff, milk thistle, valarian, feverfew, wild bergamot, borage, spelt, fenugreek, lathyrus, and chickpeas were all included in this demonstration area. Silage crop demo Several different cereal crops were grown for silage in 1999. They included Robert oat, Triple Crown oat, Dumont oat, Robust barley, Virden barley, and Triticale-Sandro. Average silage yield was 11.5 T/ac fresh weight (4.3 T/ac dry weight). Yield and quality were comparable to that produced by silage corn from a demo near MacGregor (fresh weight average yield of 16.7 T/ac, 4.6 T/ac dry weight). The Canamaize (dwarf corn) at MCDC Portage was hampered by a poor plant stand (low emergence) and blackbird damage and as a result yields were not representative for the variety.

Demonstration Projects at the MCDC Carberry Site

AgroForestry/Multi-Use Demonstration Belt, Hybrid Poplar Varieties (PFRA Indian Head Shelterbelt Centre, MCDC) Herb, Spice, and Essential Oil Crops and Ginseng Production within a Shelterbelt (MCDC) Forage Grass Species and Cultivars (MB Ag., Northstar Seeds Ltd., MCDC) Timothy Varieties (MB Ag., MCDC) Field Scale Production of Stipa comata (Sprucewoods Agricultural Consultants Inc, MCDC) The Stipa comata had been established on 8 acres located offsite. 1999 was the first year of seed harvest. A total of 262 lbs of pure living seed was harvested and sold despite weed and shattering losses.

Demonstration Projects at the MCDC Winkler site

Stanley Soil Management Association Forage Variety Demo
A demonstration of 26 forage varieties including 8 varieties of alfalfa and 2 clovers was established at the MCDC Winkler site by the Stanley Soil Management Association with assistance from MB. Agriculture and Food and the Manitoba Crop Diversification Centre with additional funding support from "Covering New Ground".