Projects
The Soil Microbiome: Linking Soil Biodiversity to Soil Health and Ecosystem Services
Understanding the microbial world in the soil is key to finding sustainable agricultural practices that work to protect the environment. Using a unique approach that combines the disciplines of soil science and molecular biology, we are able to quantif …
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Precision Agronomy Cover Crops by Soil Type and their Soil Health Footprint
Agricultural research has been known for carrying out studies on small plots. The arrival of precision ag technologies potentially allows rigorous, replicated studies to scale up to cover whole farm fields, spanning multiple soil types and landscape po …
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Improving Cover Crop Management: Cover Crop Mixtures With Different Termination Methods
Integration and management of cover crops is challenging due to the immediate time and cost constraints while potential benefits may be long-term. Adjusting cover crop production methods may balance these challenges while meeting producer goals. But th …
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Quantifying Structural Stability of Agricultural Soils in Ontario
Soil compaction and surface crusting degrade soil structure, reducing aeration and root penetration, and ultimately impacting crop performance. With the trend towards larger farms, more massive equipment and increasing unpredictability of climate, the …
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Long Term Field Trials To Examine Yield, Soil Productivity, And Environmental Impacts Of Ontario Corn, Soybean And Wheat Production Systems
Using the long-term rotation experiment near Elora, ON (established 1980) to study the impacts of tillage and diversity of crop rotations on a number of agri-environmental factors.
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Ecosystem Services From Streamside Buffers
Studying the impact of trees on carbon sequestration and greenhouse gas emissions in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.
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Biomass Crops And Soil Carbon Storage
Monitoring soil and water quality after land-use change to biomass crops.
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Developing a Nitrogen Calculator for Sugarbeets
Previous research has led to industry recommendations for fertilizer nitrogen rates for Ontario sugarbeet growers that balance increase root yield and high sugar content. This project aims to develop a nitrogen calculator for Ontario sugarbeets, but ne …
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Long-Term Impacts Of Cover Crops
State-of-the-art experiment at Ridgetown comparing several different cover crop monocultures and mixtures to no cover crop in mixed vegetable-grain crop rotations.
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Transfer Of Agricultural Phosphate From Edge-Of-Field To Surface Waters Via The Riparian Zone
Assessing legacy P that exists in riparian buffer strips and the impact of freeze-thaw and flooding/drought on the cycling and release of this P to surface waters.
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Tillage And Cropping Effects On The Nature Of Soil Organic Matter
Not all soil organic matter is the same, and soil management practices may impact types of organic matter differently. This research looks to explore how tillage and crop rotations impact stable and unstable forms of organic matter.
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Using UAV Sensors To Assess Soil Organic Carbon Levels
Tradition methods for estimation soil organic carbon are expensive, time-consuming, and labour-intensive. This research looks to use drones and different optical sensors to remotely estimate soil organic carbon quickly and reliably.
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Reducing Phosphorus Losses With Cover Crops
Using field and controlled-environment studies to investigate the relationships between cover crop species, soil test P levels, and P runoff losses from soils under freeze-thaw conditions.
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Integrated Soil Sensing And Digital Mapping For Precision Agriculture Services In Ontario
Developing sensors, theories, and algorithms to be used to characterize and map soils for precision agriculture.
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Updating Carbon Models For Modern Agricultural Practices
Re-tuning carbon models with modern cropping cultivars, practices, and soil amendments.
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Nitrification Inhibitor Use On Manure
Nitrogen losses from manure come at an economic cost to farmers in the form of lost nutrients, and an environmental cost in the form of nitrate leaching into surface waters. This research is determining if nitrification inhibitors may improve manure ni …
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Developing A Soil Sulfur Test For Ontario
Due to changes in deposition rates of sulfur from the atmosphere, there is an increasing need for sulfur with certain crops in Ontario. But in order to recommend sulfur fertilization rates, accurate and reliable measured soil measurements need to be de …
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Sulfur Response In Corn, Soybean, And Winter Wheat
Not all crops have the same demand for sulfur fertilization. This research is exploring response to sulfur fertilization in corn, soybean, and winter wheat crops in Ontario.
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Greenhouse Gases From Manure Storage
It is important that we understand environmental impacts of different manure storage practices. This research explores greenhouse gas emissions from different storage systems and manure handling.
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Environmental and economic value of soil services
Healthy soils provide essential ecosystem services (e.g. nutrient recycling, carbon sequestration, climate regulation, and water filtration) that sustain plants, animals, and humans. The growing trend towards simplifying systems in Ontario and the nort …
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Developing rapid methods for soil health assessment in Ontario
Exploring novel ways to track the carbon chemistry of healthy soils.
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Crop Rotations, Microbial Communities, And Greenhouse Gas Emissions.
Measuring the impact of simple versus complex rotations on microbial communities and N2O emissions from these production systems.
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