Carbon Sequestration

Good rangeland management can enhance soil carbon sequestration and reduce the likelihood of the release of greenhouse gases. These management practices impose a significant impact on rangeland by altering water and nutrient cycles through defoliation and trampling. The aim is to work with producers to obtain detailed information on soil and site conditions, historical management practice and carbon information on the rangeland

Regional Silage Variety Testing

MARA has been participating in the province-wide silage variety program since 2016. We are assessing agronomic performance and nutritional qualities of different forage barley, triticale, and their mixture with forage peas.

Stockpiled Forages

Evaluate annual and perennial forage species for their potential as stockpiled forages for overwintered beef cattle

Perennial forage project:

This project features perennial grasses, legumes and legume-grass mixtures. Producers are increasingly interested in perennial forage varieties and mixtures. While some yield and agronomic data may be available on these varieties from seed companies, regional data specific to soil type and growing conditions have been limited due to very little participation in the Western Forage Variety Testing System in recent years.
The objectives of this study are (i) Provide unbiased, current and comprehensive regional data regarding the establishment, winter survival, yield, quality, and economics of specific species and varieties of perennial forage crops; (ii) To identify perennial crop species and varieties that demonstrate superior establishment, hardiness,
forage yield and nutritional quality characteristics in different eco-regions of Alberta.

Soil Amendment (Lime & Gypsum)

MARA in collaboration with Organic Alberta developed this research trial. Agriculture lime and gypsum are the most two common soil amendment that can be used to improve soil conditions. Liming tends to be the most popular practice to ameliorate acidic soils for crop production. The objective of this trial is to determine the optimal liming rate and provide a comparison with gypsum.

Organic Oats variety testing

 

 

MARA is evaluating the growth, yield, and yield quality of 25 oat cultivars (3 replications) under organic conditions. This is a federal government program and MARA is only responsible for the fieldwork and data collection.

 

Phosphorus Rate on Field peas

Phosphorus is an important plant nutrient for pulse crops. Phosphorus promotes the development of extensive root systems and vigorous seedlings. However, pulse crops are sensitive
to seed-placed phosphorous fertilizer. This trial aims to examine which rate of phosphorus (MAP) is safe for field peas and effects on yield and quality. This trial is funded by Alberta Pulse Growers. MARA is conducting both small plot and field scale.

Field Peas Inoculation Trials

Field peas can fix atmospheric nitrogen (N2) through a symbiotic relationship with Rhizobium leguminosarum. This bacterium is native to prairie soils, yet farmers typically inoculate peas.   A field pea inoculation trial was conducted to compare inoculant treatments to a control. This trial is funded by Alberta Pulse Growers

“Ultra Early” and Normal Seeding of Spring wheat

MARA in collaborations with other ARA’s and support from Alberta Wheat Commission, this trial was developed.

The trial is focusing on two wheat varieties:
AAC Connery and AAC Brandon.
AAC Connery is considered an early maturing variety while AAC Brandon, although earlier maturing than some varieties, is later maturing than AAC Connery. The goal is to assess the difference
(stand, protein, yield and grade) between these two varieties at two planting dates:

1. Ultra-Early: when the ground is first able to carry equipment and soil temperatures are between 2—6 degrees Celsius.
2. Normal: seeded at least 10-14 days later or when ‘normal’ seeding window occurs for the area.

Validation of seed-placed Ammonium Sulphate and monoammonium phosphate on hybrid canola plant stand

PROJECT INFORMATION

Principal Investigator: Peprah

Organization: Mackenzie Applied Research Association

Investment: $ 34,000.00