Improving Nitrogen Use Efficiency and Soil Sustainability in Canola Production Across Canada

Priorities
Agronomic Practices  Agronomy Research 
Start Date
2018
End Date
2023
Principal Investigator
Bao-Luo Ma - Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (Ottawa)
Co-Investigators
Mervin St. Luce - AAFC (Swift Current), Yantai Gan - AAFC (Swift Current), Paul Tiege - Olds College for Innovation, Luke Bainard - AAFC (Swift Current), Gary Peng - AAFC (Saskatoon), Ramona Mohr/Vice-Grant - AAFC (Brandon), Robert Duncan/Rob Golden - University of Manitoba, Cindy A. Gampe - AAFC (Scott Research Farm), Greg Semach - AAFC (Beaverlodge)
MCGA Funding
$20,088
Total Project Funding
$1,476,800
External Funding Partners
Canadian Agricultural Partnership, Canola Council of Canada, Alberta Canola, SaskCanola
Report
Project Ongoing...

Research Objective

  • Study of agronomic and economic responses of canola crops to various nitrogen fertilizer management methods focusing on:
    • nitrogen use efficiency
    • seed yield
    • lodging
  • Study the optimal nitrogen management practices in different soil types and cropping system conditions
  • Identify traits in the roots that lead to better nitrogen uptake, efficient use, and strong anchorage of plant
  • Study how the soil microbiome responds to the superior nitrogen management

Project Description

This study will provide canola producers with a complete information guide of site-specific nitrogen management practices for each agroecozone. With this information, nitrogen use efficiency will increase, which will have positive impacts on yield and lodging resistance of canola, and help production to expand to new soil regions. The study will also look at the effects of the nitrogen management on the soil microbiome. This is one way the industry can achieve the 52 bushel per acre goal by 2025 with the increase in canola productivity. Two field experiments will be done across eight different sites in the Canadian Prairies and Ontario to be able to give zone-specific nitrogen management recommendations, taking into account the weather, soil, and a producer's cropping system. The study will also be helping with the sustainability and resilience of the soil microbiome and agroecozones by assessing the best management practices.

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