HITTING PAY DIRT 2020-21 AGRI-FOOD YEARBOOK - ONTARIO AGRI-FOOD INNOVATION ALLIANCE
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ONTARIO AGRI-FOOD INNOVATION ALLIANCE
Volume XXXVII · Number 1 · Summer 2021
HITTING PAY DIRT
Healthy soil yields dividends
Pages 12–18
2020–21 AGRI‑FOOD YEARBOOK
Investing in innovation for real-world returns
I am very honoured to intro-
duce this year’s Agri-Food
Yearbook.
W elcome to Canada’s food
university, where our
shared mission is to improve life.
Ontario is a world leader At the University of Guelph,
in agri-food research, and I we are leaders in research
am proud to see some of the and teaching to support the
advancements that are being agri-food sector in Ontario,
made in the sector. I want to Canada and around the globe
express my strong appreciation and to address some of the most
to the many researchers and pressing issues facing our world
partners that make these devel- today.
opments possible. Through cross-campus col-
The Ontario Ministry of laborations, our experts work
Agriculture, Food and Rural to create a safe and sustain-
Affairs and the University of able global food system that
Guelph are long-standing partners that support the Ontario ensures health and prosperity along the food chain from farmers
Agri-Food Innovation Alliance. The important work being done to consumers. Those collaborations include our One Health
continues to develop innovative products and best practices for approach that brings together varied disciplines to tackle global
our farmers to improve the efficiency, profitability and sustainabil- challenges at the intersection of human, animal and environ-
ity of their operations and to support strong rural communities. mental health.
I know that this past year has not proceeded as anyone had Our research partnerships extend to numerous organizations
expected, but it has emphasized the importance of responsive beyond campus and include our long-time alliance with the
and robust food systems. Research and innovation will help to Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. With
strengthen these systems, create jobs and further reinforce Ontario’s OMAFRA funding provided through the Ontario Agri-Food
agri-food reputation on the global stage. Innovation Alliance, our experts solve real-world challenges and
Over the years, the Ontario Agri-Food Innovation Alliance generate ideas and innovations that support and strengthen the
has resulted in many research successes, and this year’s edition agri-food sector locally and worldwide.
of the Agri-Food Yearbook highlights just some of those latest We take pride in the achievements of our researchers, teachers,
accomplishments. students and partners at the University of Guelph. I encourage
Thank you all for your dedication, and I wish you all continued you to learn more about how agri-food research and innovation
success in the coming years. at U of G helps to ensure better lives for us all.
Ernie Hardeman Dr. Charlotte Yates
inister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs
M President and Vice-Chancellor
Government of Ontario University of Guelph
2 Research Magazine 2020–21 Agri-Food Yearbook Edition Photos: courtesy Grain Farmers of Ontario (top); courtesy OMAFRA (left) and University of Guelph (right)
Volume XXXVII · Number 1
Contents
Summer 2021
PUBLISHER Investing in innovation for real-world returns 2
Office of the Vice-President (Research)
University of Guelph
Guelph, ON N1G 2W1 FEATURE: RESEARCH DURING THE PANDEMIC 4–7
uoguelph.ca/research
rcinfo@uoguelph.ca
Research builds resilience 4
VICE-PRESIDENT, RESEARCH Monitoring the spread of COVID-19 over Twitter 4
Dr. Malcolm Campbell
Helping farmers cope with the pandemic 5
ASSOCIATE VICE-PRESIDENT, RESEARCH
(AGRI-FOOD PARTNERSHIP)
Front-line workers get boost with food
Dr. Beverley Hale
scientists’ sanitizing technology 6
EDITOR AND INTERIM DIRECTOR,
RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS Say hello to more automated shopping 7
Liz Snyder 5
EDITOR
Sampling wild bee pollinators in
Dr. Owen Roberts
commercial fruit crops 8
CONTRIBUTING EDITOR
Jill Davies Making wasps feel at home — that’s good for canola 9
COPY EDITOR
Andrew Vowles
Farmer-led research programs highlight
on-farm innovation 10
DESIGN AND LAYOUT
Lind Design Digital mapping offers a sharp view of Ontario soil 11
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Jill Davies FEATURE: CROP ROTATION COUNTS 12–18
Robyn Meerveld
Rob O’Flanagan Celebrating 65 years of long-term rotation research 12
Owen Roberts Stable soil, high yields and sustainability 13
Joey Sabljic
6 A long-term look at cover crops 14
STUDENTS PROMOTING AWARENESS
OF RESEARCH KNOWLEDGE (SPARK) Answering cover crop questions 14
Otaiba Ahsan
Caitlin Ford Higher yield 15
Mya Kidson More resilient during dry years 16
Karli Longthorne
Maleeka Singh Improves soil nitrogen-use efficiency 17
Dianne Priamo Improves soil health 18
ADDRESS CORRESPONDENCE TO:
Research Communications
Room 451, University Centre
Economics suggests cover crops can pay off 19
University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1
Biocomposites make vehicle manufacturing greener 20
519-824-4120, Ext. 53781
rcinfo@uoguelph.ca New collaborative streams for aquaculture research 21
PUBLICATION MAIL AGREEMENT NUMBER
40064673 13 Understanding the pig gut microbiome will
help producers manage their herds 22
ISSN 0841-9494
A new approach to preventing and controlling
@UofGResearch pneumonia in beef cattle 23
Microhazels 24
Simcoe research centre helps growers
establish 1,000 acres of hazelnuts 25
Fighting antibiotic resistance in Ontario dairy cattle 26
These micro-veggies are poised for major impact 27
Food safety essential for market success 29
Small-town clinic offers big-time experiences 30
26 Growing Ontario solutions 31
Cover photo: courtesy Grain Farmers of Ontario Research Magazine 2020–21 Agri-Food Yearbook Edition 3
Research builds resilience
T
he Ontario Agri-Food Innovation Alliance believes research and innova-
tion are at the heart of a dynamic, competitive and sustainable agri-food
sector — at home and around the world. But research also breeds resilience
in unpredictable ways.
Long-term, stable investment in agri-food about the disease. And hospitals have a quick,
and rural research — like the investment made effective way to decontaminate personal pro-
through the Ontario Agri-Food Innovation tective equipment used on the front lines.
Alliance — helps fuel innovative solutions to “University of Guelph researchers tackled
unexpected, pressing challenges and makes challenges related to the COVID-19 pandemic
the agri-food sector nimbler and more head-on, demonstrating agility and resource-
responsive when these challenges have been fulness to devise innovative solutions,” says Dr.
overcome. Malcolm Campbell, vice-president (research).
The stories on the first four pages of this “Thanks to the ongoing, stable investment from
publication show how existing research paths the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food
were quickly adapted to meet needs stemming and Rural Affairs, Alliance-funded research
from COVID-19. Mental health resources for has yielded unexpected dividends in the face Hospitals have a quick, effective way to
farmers will help producers cope with new of a crisis, benefiting the agri-food sector and decontaminate personal protective equipment
used on the front lines, thanks to Alliance-funded
COVID-19 stressors. Research into avian Ontarians and generating local solutions to
research.
influenza has been tweaked to gather data global COVID-19 challenges.”
Monitoring the spread of COVID-19 over Twitter
This social media tool can help detect pandemic hot spots
capacity to spread further. to detect tweets containing key-
Originally focused on tracking words for signs and symptoms
global outbreaks of avian influ- such as fever, aches and short-
enza, the research has recently ness of breath, helping research-
expanded to use social media to ers look for early indications of
predict waves of COVID-19. a rise in cases and, potentially,
“Even with the distribution new waves.
of vaccines, early warning sys- The system allows research-
tems are important,” says Sharif, ers to gather valuable informa-
“because they can help minimize tion about signs and symptoms
the spread to different areas.” even before laboratory results
An early detection system using are determined. This data may
social media or Google searches then be used by officials to apply
| By Mya Kidson A veterinary and computer shows promise for tracking other appropriate public health guide-
science research team led by pro- fast-spreading diseases besides lines, which may involve closing
S
ocial media gives us more fessors Dr. Rozita Dara, School COVID-19. borders or limiting the opening
than just a platform to share of Computer Science, and Dr. For avian flu, AI has been used of non-essential businesses.
photos and status updates Shayan Sharif, Department of to gather tweets mentioning the
with friends and family. It also Pathobiology, has developed a disease; these tweets are then The research on avian influenza
helps researchers and public system using artificial intelli- sorted and analyzed to show is funded in part by the Ontario
health officials track outbreaks gence (AI) and machine learn- where the disease is spreading. Ministry of Agriculture, Food and
of infectious disease such as ing to detect outbreak locations For the coronavirus causing Rural Affairs through the Ontario
COVID-19. and predict infectious diseases’ COVID-19, AI has been used Agri-Food Innovation Alliance.
4 Research Magazine 2020–21 Agri-Food Yearbook Edition Photo: courtesy Keith Warriner · Illustration: Lind Design
Online mental health supports are more important now than ever.
Helping farmers cope
with the pandemic Dr. Andria Jones-Bitton
| By Karli Longthorne intended to increase knowledge of common barrier to online help.
T
mental illnesses, help people recognize the “There are very few things that are as inte-
he COVID-19 pandemic has taken associated signs and symptoms and connect gral to a healthy population and environment
a toll on mental health in rural them with appropriate resources for help. as agriculture, with farmers being responsi-
Ontario — particularly on farmers. “As we continue to adapt to COVID-19 ble for providing safe, high-quality food,” she
University of Guelph research has and bounce back from the restrictions and says. “And we know that they experience a
shown farmers are already at high risk the negative impact it has had, mental health high degree of stress related to poor mental
for conditions such as depression and anxi- literacy will be really important now and in health, largely in relation to the production
ety. The pandemic has exacerbated stressors the future,” says Jones-Bitton. of that food, so it’s important that farmers
related to their jobs, including food chain This program can also help users start a are provided with the support that they need
disruptions, temporary foreign worker short- conversation with someone who may be and deserve.”
ages, low grain prices and a dearth of rural struggling with mental health challenges and
mental health professionals. connect them with appropriate supports. In the Know was funded by the Egg Farmers of
To help address poor mental health in Farmers have described a number of barri- Ontario, Ontario Pork, Ontario Sheep Farmers,
agriculture, University of Guelph profes- ers to seeking help for mental illness, such as the Ontario Federation of Agriculture, and the
sor Dr. Andria Jones-Bitton, Department challenges in connecting with their family Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural
of Population Medicine, and post-doc doctor or specialized counselling services at Affairs through the Ontario Agri-Food Innovation
Dr. Briana Hagen have partnered with the a distance. Alliance.
Canadian Mental Health Association, Ontario In a recently published report, “Rural
division, to make their “In the Know” train- mental health during COVID-19,” Jones- Trillium Mutual donated $50,000 to the
ing available across the Ontario agricultural Bitton and Dr. Kathleen Kevany, a professor at Canadian Mental Health Association, Ontario
community. It’s the continuation of research Dalhousie University and the president of the division, to partner with researchers in
that began in 2015; Jones-Bitton is considered Canadian Rural Revitalization Foundation, sharing In the Know with Ontario agricultural
a leader and pioneer in this field. recommended that these supports be moved communities.
In the Know’s goal is to develop mental online during COVID-19.
health literacy among farmers and the However, Jones-Bitton notes that poor The rural mental health report is available
people who work with them. The training is internet access in many rural areas remains a at crrf.ca/ri-mentalhealth.
Photos: Cameron Ogilvie (top) and courtesy Andria Jones-Bitton (bottom) Research Magazine 2020–21 Agri-Food Yearbook Edition 5
One Clean Flow device can sanitize up to 800 N95 masks per hour.
Front-line workers get boost with
food scientists’ sanitizing technology
Inspired by the | By Dianne Priamo the gas phase-advanced oxida- and Court Holdings, refined the
call to help battle tion process. It generates highly technology. The Clean Flow
W
the coronavirus, hen U of G food scientists antimicrobial hydroxyl radicals system found applications in
Dr. Keith Warriner and Dr. from the ultraviolet degradation decontaminating a broad range
U of G researchers Mahdiyeh Hasani heard of hydrogen peroxide and ozone. of fresh produce, from lemons to
adapted their food about front-line workers’ battle This process was commercial- strawberries.
safety technology to to secure personal protective ized in 2015 as the Clean Flow Flash forward to 2020 and the
decontaminate N95 equipment (PPE) to shield them- system and used to decontami- COVID-19 pandemic. Inspired
masks. The mask- selves from the COVID-19 virus, nate apples destined for candied by the call to help battle this virus,
sanitizing unit, Clean a light went on. They thought apple production, through a col- Warriner and Hasani adapted
they could help — and they did. laboration with Paul Moyer of the technology to decontam-
Flow Healthcare Mini, The story starts nearly 15 years Moyers Apple Products. Clean inate N95 masks. The Clean
was born. ago, when Warriner developed Works Inc., a company estab- Flow Healthcare Mini — a mask-
a food safety technique called lished by Moyers Apple Products sanitizing unit — was born.
6 Research Magazine 2020–21 Agri-Food Yearbook Edition Photo: courtesy Keith Warriner
Say hello to more
“My thoughts went right to
our technology,” says Warriner.
“It ticks all the boxes on what
automated shopping
It’s effective at limiting contact in grocery stores
constitutes an ideal mask during the pandemic
decontamination method, and I
knew the research could make a | Mya Kidson Self-checkout machines were originally
T
difference.” established in grocery stores to speed up
Proper sanitation is essen- echnological advancements in shop- shopping and increase convenience for
tial when reusing PPE such as ping systems, particularly automated consumers. In the pandemic, the machines
masks. Warriner’s device can shopping, have shown value during also help eliminate direct interaction with
sanitize up to 800 N95 masks the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. Simon cashiers and can reduce contagion risk if
in one hour, all without dam- Somogyi, a professor in the School of regularly cleaned.
aging the integrity of the masks. Hospitality, Food and Tourism Management, For customers hesitant to shop in-store,
After being tested and approved has looked at consumer behaviour patterns food box subscriptions have been a great
for mask decontamination by in grocery stores and how technological alternative, says Somogyi. People can order
Health Canada in April 2020, advancements can limit contact between online, and their food box is shipped directly
Clean Flow units were delivered shoppers. to their door, contact-free. Food boxes such
to hospitals and health-care facil- as HelloFresh and Goodfood
ities across the country. allow people to choose recipes
Clean Works, the Niagara- and receive pre-measured ingre-
based company that produces dients to reduce food waste.
Clean Flow, increased production Somogyi says further logical
to meet the growing demand. As advancements he expects to
well, it’s expanding to a new facil- see in retail store environments
ity in St. Catharines, partly sup- include “smart” packaging. Also
ported by the Ontario Moving called intelligent packaging, this
Forward Fund. The expansion technology involves real-time
will create at least 20 new jobs as data enabling companies to
manufacturing ramps up. identify and track objects with
Warriner believes that his inno- identification tags.
vation could be further modified With support from the
to handle other types of PPE or Gryphon’s LAAIR program, he is
even health-care items like face learning how customers use their
shields, goggles, catheters or sur- smartphones and other devices
gical gowns, in addition to con- to scan tags and instantly pay for
sumer goods such as electronics. products instead of purchasing
A Niagara go-kart track is even them at a checkout lane.
using the system to decontami- Consumers wary of in-store
Self-checkout machines reduce contact between shoppers and employees.
nate crash helmets. shopping have also driven a rise
Warriner says the applications in online food sales. Numerous
are endless. “It’s a gentle process. “The pandemic has created challenges when stores and restaurants now offer curbside
It’s waterless, it’s effective and it’s it comes to implementing safety protocols in pickup and delivery options. Online shop-
very quick.” stores,” says Somogyi. “COVID-19 has shown ping also enables smaller businesses to adapt
us the value of alternative shopping methods to less-than-optimal conditions.
This research was funded by when physical distancing measures need to These alternative shopping methods are
Mitacs, Ontario Centres of be implemented.” convenient and improve safety during the
Excellence, the Natural Sciences Grocery stores are an essential business, so pandemic, says Somogyi, adding that auto-
and Engineering Research Council, they were required to quickly change their mated shopping is likely here to stay.
and the Ontario Ministry of operations to allow for physical distancing
Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs when the pandemic started. Some turned to This research is funded by the Ontario Ministry
through the Ontario Agri-Food self-checkout machines and online food box of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs through
Innovation Alliance. subscriptions. the Ontario Agri-Food Innovation Alliance.
Photo: iStock/Koonsiri Boonnak Research Magazine 2020–21 Agri-Food Yearbook Edition 7
Sampling wild bee pollinators
in commercial fruit crops
Wild bee communities in Ontario apple orchards can assist in pollination services
| Dianne Priamo
A
pple crops rely on pollinators to
Tips for encouraging
reproduce, so growers often spend
thousands of dollars every year to pollinators
house and manage honeybee colo- Make small changes
nies. However, previous studies have to orchard manage-
shown that, when diverse and abundant, wild ment. Plant native flower
bees can provide significant pollination ser- species nearby and create
vices in orchards. Depending on the apple field margins with open dirt
variety, growers may be able to use fewer hives patches.
or none at all.
Working with OMAFRA staff, research- Practise targeted
ers from the University of Guelph set out to integrated pest
explore wild pollinators in Ontario orchards management, including
and to encourage management practices that using non-chemical
will help these species thrive. alternatives when possible
In summer 2019, undergraduate student and avoiding spraying when
Sisley Irwin worked with OMAFRA spe- bees are active.
cialists Hannah Fraser and Kristy Grigg-
McGuffin and Dr. Nigel Raine, School of Pollinators are more
Environmental Sciences, to assess native bee active on warm,
abundance and diversity in Ontario apple sunny days. Consider this
orchards. They focused on observations factor when evaluating
and collections through the bloom period native pollinator presence.
of the ‘Gala’ variety as well as collections of
co-blooming varieties. Sampling at the right
“We wanted to develop baseline informa- time is important for
tion on who the various visitors to apple blos- successful pollinator
soms might be,” says Irwin. “Knowing which assessment. Sample
native bees are present in these fruit crops extensively throughout the
can provide an opportunity to encourage best bloom period and across
management practices to support the native multiple apple varieties.
species and their needs.”
Native pollinator species better suited to
local climate and weather conditions may
be more effective than managed honeybee
colonies. the orchards. Certain orchards had more wild “By assessing populations of wild pollina-
Previous Ontario orchard studies showed pollinators than others, possibly due to dif- tors on their own farms and making small
scant wild bee activity, but the sampling ferences in the landscape ecology of the sites changes in management of their surroundings,
methods underestimated both abundance and and pest management practices – factors that growers can improve native bee success and
diversity of those pollinator species. Irwin’s warrant further study. improve pollination on their orchards,” says
study, conducted on four Norfolk County “The landscapes between sites were dif- Irwin.
orchards, used more extensive sampling that ferent,” says Irwin. “Many of the wild bees
accounted for variations in bee activity with represented in the surveys are ground-nesting This research project was funded by the Ontario
bloom stage, apple variety, weather conditions species, and greater levels of available nesting Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs
and time of day. habitat can be critical in maintaining these through the Ontario Agri-Food Innovation
The researchers identified 32 species among populations.” Alliance.
8 Research Magazine 2020–21 Agri-Food Yearbook Edition Photo: courtesy Sisley Irwin
Research on parasitic wasps by Dr. Rebecca Hallett (inset) can help mitigate swede midge invasions in canola crops.
Making wasps feel at home
– that’s good for canola
| Owen Roberts and Rob O’Flanagan Cache Bay-area grain and oilseed farmer cess and population dynamics of invasive
I
Hubert Beaudry, president of the Ontario insects, and impacts of natural enemies on
n 2012, northern Ontario canola farmers Canola Growers’ Association, says Hallett’s pest populations.
noticed an unusual pest creeping into their research has made a big difference to the One aspect of her work with canola has
fields, one they’d never before seen — and industry. involved studying the invasive parasitic wasp
one that didn’t respond to conventional “Dr. Hallett’s research helped growers that attacks the swede midge. Along with the
pesticides. understand the life cycle of the swede midge Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and
While they didn’t know what it was, it and encouraged us to manage the pest in a Rural Affairs, she’s looking at the impact of
quickly became clear it was decimating their more economically and environmentally the wasp on the pest population and how to
production. They needed help, and they friendly way, by adopting best management make canola fields more hospitable to the wasp.
turned to University of Guelph entomologist practices that are more efficient than using Another aspect of her research looks at
Dr. Rebecca Hallett. chemical control to manage swede midge,” providing wasp food sources, such as nectar-
That outreach turned into a productive he says. “The discovery of a parasitic wasp providing plants like sweet alyssum — attract-
partnership. Through lab and field work, she was also great news that swede midge could ing more of the insects to canola fields and
and her team not only identified the pest as eventually be controlled biologically.” enhancing their longevity.
the swede midge but proceeded to work with In the School of Environmental Sciences, Hallett is also an expert in the pepper
growers to create a sustainable, environmen- Hallett focuses on agricultural ecosystem weevil, which decimates pepper crops in the
tally friendly management plan — which now health through improved pest management. greenhouse industry, and the cyclamen mite,
includes using parasitic wasps that prey on “The goal is always to develop management which damages strawberry crops. In current
the midge. programs that can reduce pest populations studies, she hopes to improve detection meth-
The knowledge growers gained from below levels that are economically damaging ods and reduce pest damage.
Hallett’s work also prompted them to expand and to do that by minimizing reliance on
their acreage of fall-planted winter canola. pesticides,” she says. Hallett’s research was funded in part by the
This crop grows quickly in the spring and is She’s interested in all things related to Ontario Canola Growers Association and
hardy enough by the time the swede midge herbivorous insects and agroecosystems, the Ontario Agri-Food Innovation Alliance, a
arrives — around the second or third week in including chemicals in plants that influence collaboration between the Government of
June — that it can withstand insect pressure. insect interactions, factors affecting the suc- Ontario and the University of Guelph.
Photos: courtesy Ontario Agri-Food Innovation Alliance (main) · courtesy Rebecca Hallett (inset) Research Magazine 2020–21 Agri-Food Yearbook Edition 9
Farmer-researcher
Heather Newman holding
a Chantecler chicken. In
2019 Newman tested a
reduced protein ration
diet on her Chantecler
chickens, a dual-
purpose bird and one of
Canada’s only heritage
breeds of chickens.
Farmer-researcher
Ronaldo Eleazar. Eleazar
and his wife, Myriam,
conducted a screening
trial in 2020 to narrow
down varieties of
amaranth that grow
well in southern Ontario.
They will continue their
investigations with a
randomized, replicated
multi-farm variety trial
of the top varieties in
2021.
Farmer-researcher Ryan Spence and farm apprentice Becky Porlier seeding peas and oats in late August 2019 as part of Spence’s randomized complete block trial
looking at no-till broccoli production in northern Ontario.
Farmer-led research programs
highlight on-farm innovation
| Mya Kidson in developing research questions farmer-researchers and on others
F
and conducting projects on their who learn about the on-farm
“No one knows their ield trials on the farm own farms, working in coopera- research results.
farm better than the follow applied research tion with a support organization. “No one knows their farm
actual farmer,” says projects once they leave the Dr. Erin Nelson, Department better than the actual farmer,”
lab bench. Field trials are a of Sociology and Anthropology, says Nelson. “And no one knows
Dr. Erin Nelson. “And great way to gather on-farm per- and her team — Dr. Sarah the specific issues that go on at
no one knows the spectives, and the province-wide Hargreaves, research director the farm more than the actual
specific issues that network of research centres with the Ecological Farmers farmers do.”
go on at the farm owned by the Government of Association of Ontario (EFAO); The farmer-led research
more than the actual Ontario through its agency, the Alexandra English, executive approach has its roots in the
farmers do.” Agricultural Research Institute of director of EFAO; and Dr. Anne global South, particularly Latin
Ontario, is home to many inno- Bergen, director of Knowledge America. More recently, the
vative field studies. to Action Consulting Inc. — are methodology has grown in pop-
A complementary approach analyzing the impacts of such ularity around the world, includ-
is for producers to take the lead programs on the participating ing in Canada.
10 Research Magazine 2020–21 Agri-Food Yearbook Edition Photos: courtesy Erin Nelson (insets) and Isabelle Spence-Legault (main image)The EFAO has been at the
forefront of bringing farmer-led
research to Canada, initiating a
program in 2016. To date, the
organization has supported more
than 70 farmers in conducting
more than 100 scientific trials on
their farms; its efforts were rec-
ognized with a 2019 Excellence
in Agriculture Award from the
Ontario Ministry of Agriculture,
Food and Rural Affairs.
Creating opportunities for
farmers to take the lead on
research projects means they can
target specific challenges that may
not present themselves in wider
studies — and they can do so in
This image shows the points across Ontario where soil data is available. Dr. Asim Biswas will use this data
a way that is practical for their to develop provincial maps.
farm and transferable to others.
Digital mapping offers a
Ontario is rich in diverse and
unique agriculture, along with
varying soil types, microclimates
sharp view of Ontario soil
and many agricultural commod-
ities. On-farm studies accommo-
date that variability, says Nelson.
This research also allows farm-
ers to collaborate with each other
and to have researchers visit to | Maleeka Singh Ontario Soil Information System and Ontario
S
discuss challenges and opportu- soil map at 100-metre resolution, meaning
nities. Since their most trusted oil mapping provides farmers and policy each pixel is 100 metres by 100 metres. They
source of information is other makers with detailed information on hope to complete the project by early 2022.
farmers, farmer-led research has the condition and characteristics of land. To create the soil database and a data-shar-
knowledge transfer built in and Traditional soil mapping, in which a ing protocol, Biswas and his team have col-
farmers feel confident to share surveyor collects soil samples and maps their lected more than 7,500 data points across
their findings after going through locations, was an important first step toward Ontario. This will help farmers and policy
the rigorous steps to conduct better soil conservation and environmental makers develop appropriate policies to pri-
research. sustainability. oritize soil management, including soil con-
As for the effectiveness of this However, it doesn’t provide the kind of servation policies.
approach, Nelson and her team broad picture now possible through digital Biswas expects his findings to be available
have surveyed 140 farmers con- soil mapping based on greater computational online to policy makers, conservation author-
nected to EFAO’s farmer-led power and availability of environmental data. ities, farmers, scientists and the public.
research program and are com- Digital soil mapping offers an array of
piling the results now. advantages such as a more objective approach Asim Biswas’s research team includes students
“The farmers are the backbone to characterizing soil and the ability to predict and researchers at the University of Guelph as
of this work,” she says. “They’re soil condition and properties. well as collaborators from the Ontario Ministry
doing incredibly innovative “Traditional soil mapping is like painting of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA);
things on their farms.” with a big brush,” says Dr. Asim Biswas, a Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada; the Ontario
The full research reports, professor in the School of Environmental Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and
including audio summaries by Sciences. “Digital soil mapping can help us Parks; McGill University; Dalhousie University;
farmer-researchers, can be found create a standardized and unified soil map University of Saskatchewan and international
at efao.ca/research-2020. across Ontario with granularity.” partners.
Digital soil mapping allows for fine reso-
This research project is funded lution, using mathematical models, statistical This research is funded by the Natural Sciences
in part by the Ontario Ministry of calculations and satellite data to create a soil and Engineering Research Council, the Canada-
Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs database and understand the factors that con- France exchange program, the Indo-Shastri
through the Ontario Agri-Food trol soil development. exchange program and OMAFRA through the
Innovation Alliance. Biswas and his team aim to create an Ontario Agri-Food Innovation Alliance.
Map: courtesy Asim Biswas Research Magazine 2020–21 Agri-Food Yearbook Edition 11Crop Rotation Counts
Years of data collected from long-term rotation test plots can inform best practices for farmers.
Celebrating 65 years of
Rotation Counts
confounded,” he says. “That is
the real value of the LTRPs— you
can compare the impact of system
proves soil nitrogen use efficiency
long-term rotation research
changes within a given soil and
system environment.”
The results of LTRP trials at
ce your dependence on nitrogen fertilizer for corn by adding a small grain cereal (e.g., thewinter
Elora and Ridgetown sites
have shown great success in
) to your farm’s corn-soybean rotation and underseed it to red clover. Research shows that
determining which rotations
ons with wheat
| Caitlin Fordand red clover have more available soil nitrogen for your corn crop. Reduce
C
and managed by the University yield the healthiest crops and
nses and avoid paying for increasingly costly fertilizer by improving your rotation.
of Guelph through the Ontario soil. This research has specifically
hanges in soil productivity can take years to Agri-Food Innovation Alliance. determined that adding a small
manifest, which means on-farm trial and error University of Guelph researchers grain cereal like wheat into soy-
fits of adding a smallrotations
grain iscereal to your corn-soybeanformance at rotation:
have been measuring crop per- bean and corn rotations is espe-
for different challenging for farmers the Ridgetown and cially beneficial.
to conduct independently. That’s where long- Elora sites for 25 and 40 years, Other key findings include
eases available termsoil nitrogen
research comes in, to help farmers have the respectively. improvements in nutrient return,
y because winterhealthiest soil, highest
wheat increases soil yield and greatest profits. With 65 combined years of drought-resilient crops, improved
nic matter and improves soil health LTRP research data available, cover crops and increased avail-
Decades-long investigations farmers are able to see the tan- able nitrogen in the soil. These
have been conducted at the gible benefits of crop rotation results translate to direct cost-sav-
Ontario Crops Research Centres without the need for every farm ing benefits for farmers who can
in Ridgetown and Elora. These to conduct its own trial. expect increased yields of crops
government-owned stations have Dr. Bill Deen, a professor that are more resilient during dry
been operating long-term Maintains
rota- whocrop yield
recently retired from the seasons and require less fertilizer
tion plots (LTRPs) — fields
withthat Department
less nitrogen of Plant Agriculture, to grow.
applied
rotate between
N a number of dif- ran experiments at the Elora site “Society will benefit if agri-
N N N N
N N N
N ferent crops — to study improve- from 2000 to 2020. Stable Annual Yield
He oversaw culture strongly adopts rotation
N
N N N N N N N N in commodities
N ments produced numerous long-term projects diversity,” said Deen. “A good
N
there. including a rotation trial that sustainable system has to start
The overall goal for these test began in 1980, a tillage trial with rotation diversity. Good
Less
The overall goal for plots is to improve crop resilience started in 1976 and a nitrogen in rotations increase yield, and
uces these
fertilizer costsis to
test plots and benefit the agri-food
nitrogen
sector
fertilizer maize trial started in 2008. LTRPs definitely provide insights
ks to reduced dependence on nitrogenbyfertilizer lowering costs, increasing “Whenever you’re looking at into what constitutes a resilient
improve crop resilience
profits and improving soil health. cropping systems’ effects, they cropping system.”
and benefit the Nitrogen
agri-food
fertilizer required
The research centres where have to be compared side by side
sector by lowering costs, these test plots are located are in the same environment, other- For more information, visit
increasing profits and owned by the Agricultural wise you start comparing across uoguelph.ca/alliance/
improving soil health. Research Institute of Ontario environments and they become crop-rotation.
12 Research Magazine 2020–21 Agri-Food Yearbook Edition Photo: courtesy Ontario Agri-Food Innovation AllianceCrop Rotation Counts
Stable soil, high yields and sustainability
| By Dianne Priamo able 70-per-cent decrease in
nitrate loss in the diverse rotation
F
or decades, researchers car- using cover crops compared to
rying out long-term crop the conventional crop rotation.
rotation trials have found that Because it was a particularly wet
diversification improves yield sta- year, nitrogen that would have
bility. Now, a long-term study is leached from the soil was instead
under way at the Ontario Crops taken up by the cover crops and
Research Centre – Elora using then remained in the soil as part
new technology to investigate the of the plant biomass.
mechanisms at play in the soil that Wagner-Riddle says the results
account for these improvements. won’t be this striking every year.
The ultimate goal is to determine But the accumulation of these
best practices for producers. effects over time is expected to
Since 2016, Dr. Claudia benefit producers economically
Wagner-Riddle, research tech- by reducing fertilizer use and
nician Sean Jordan, their collab- improving yield stability as the
orators and a team of graduate crops become more resilient to
students from the University of extreme weather events — not
Guelph have observed the effects to mention the environmental
of different crop rotations and benefits, like reducing nitrogen
cover crops using 18 soil lysime- runoff into water sources and
ters — one-square-metre cylinders recapturing atmospheric carbon
embedded 150 cm into the soil dioxide back into the soil.
to give unique insight into water “In the next few years, we
gain and loss. This study is the expect to have some really inter-
first of its kind in North America. esting analysis coming out of this
“There’s evidence that diverse facility, which will help both pro-
crop rotation pays off long-term, ducers and the environment,” says
but it’s not clear why that’s the Wagner-Riddle.
case,” says Wagner-Riddle, a
professor in the School of Collaborators on this research
Soil lysimeters give insight on soil health, air and water quality.
Environmental Sciences. “We include graduate student Jared
speculate that it’s related to water, LaPierre; co-adviser Dr. Hugh Henry,
so the soil lysimeter facility is the perfect way everything is working, but the reward is that Western University; the Ontario Soil and Crop
to investigate this factor and its effects on the we get a very comprehensive data set.” Improvement Association; and Grain Farmers
soil.” The 18 lysimeters are split between two soil of Ontario. The lysimeter facility was funded by
Sensors embedded in each lysimeter at types: loamy soil extracted on site and sandy the Canada Foundation for Innovation and the
five depths help the researchers “see” soil soil from around Cambridge, Ont. A number Ontario Ministry of Research, Innovation and
water tension, carbon dioxide concentration, of plots in each soil type use a conventional Science.
temperature and electroconductivity. Water crop rotation of soybean-soybean-corn,
samples are also collected at these depths to while the others use a more diverse rotation This project is funded by an NSERC Strategic
measure nitrate and phosphate content, while of soybean-winter wheat-corn with cover Partnership Grant and the Ontario Ministry of
air sampling occurs at the soil surface to mon- crops planted in the off season — a mix of oats, Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs through the
itor greenhouse gas flux. daikon radish, crimson clover or rye grass. Ontario Agri-Food Innovation Alliance.
The sensors yield millions of data points The researchers intend to continue study-
every day, with processing and quality assur- ing the effects of crop rotation on a long-term The Ontario Crops Research Centre – Elora is
ance overseen by research associate Shannon basis. Although the project has undergone owned by the Government of Ontario through
Brown. only one full crop rotation, data analysis from its agency, the Agricultural Research Institute
“The biggest challenge is the constant tech- 2017 to 2018 revealed significant advantages of Ontario, and managed by the University of
nical operation of this facility,” says Wagner- in the diverse crop rotation. Guelph through the Ontario Agri-Food Innovation
Riddle. “It takes many people to make sure Results from this period showed a remark- Alliance.
Photo: Cameron Ogilvie Research Magazine 2020–21 Agri-Food Yearbook Edition 13Crop Rotation Counts Crop Rotation Counts
M.Sc. student Matt Stewart at the long-term cover crop experiment.
A long-term look at cover crops Answering
cover crop
| Dianne Priamo determine which rotations reap the greatest
F
environmental benefit, while also providing
rom mid-summer until the follow- economic value to grain producers.
ing spring, some Ontario fields lie So far, the project has undergone only a
questions
fallow while others are covered with few complete crop rotation cycles. Although
crops designed to rejuvenate the soil. the benefits of cover crops are expected to
University of Guelph researchers are accrue over a longer period, Raizada says,
investigating various combinations of cover preliminary findings point toward improved
crops to see which ones offer the best envi- nitrogen availability in the soil.
ronmental and economic improvements. The researchers have also observed many
This long-term study is being conducted similarities between the trials in Elora and • Long-term crop and soil research at
at the Ontario Crops Research Centre sites Ridgetown. The breadth of temperature and the Ontario Crops Research Centre
in both Elora and Ridgetown, coordinated weather conditions experienced between sites in Elora and Ridgetown answers
by plant agriculture professors Dr. Manish the two locations means the results of this questions about soil health, tillage
Raizada and Dr. Dave Hooker, respectively. research will apply to many temperate regions and environmental impact of cover
In total, they’re overseeing more than 1,100 worldwide. crops.
research plots. Numerous faculty members “I believe our findings will be quite gener-
from the Department of Plant Agriculture alizable, not just in southern Ontario but in • The findings from these trials are
and the School of Environmental Sciences temperate environments around the world,” summarized in the tear-out info-
are involved, with the potential for even more. says Raizada. graphic series Crop Rotation Counts
“We’ve created a research platform with this (pages 15 to 18), created by the
project,” says Raizada. Collaborators include Drs. Tejendra Chapagain, Ontario Agri-Food Innovation Alliance
Unlike other cover crop studies, Raizada Bill Deen, Kari Dunfield, Erik Glemser, Peter in partnership with Soils at Guelph.
and Hooker’s research employs multi-mixes, Johnson, Ralph Martin, Kim Schneider, Laura Van
or different combinations of cover crops Eerd, Claudia Wagner-Riddle and Anne Verhallen, • While crop rotation does count—for
among two crop rotations and two tillage and officials from the Grain Farmers of Ontario. increasing yields, improving resilience
systems in the long term. Three of Ontario’s during dry years, improving soil health
main field crops — soybeans, corn and winter This research project is funded by Grain Farmers and maintaining crop yield with less
wheat — are being grown in different rota- of Ontario, the Canada First Research Excellence nitrogen applied—there are other
tions, followed by either a variety of cover Fund, the Natural Sciences and Engineering established environmental benefits
crops or the same cover crop each year. Research Council, and the Ontario Ministry of of cover cropping, such as reducing
Factors being studied include drought resil- Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs through soil erosion, reducing nutrient loss,
iency, soil nitrogen status and organic matter, the Ontario Agri-Food Innovation Alliance. The reducing pest populations and
surface runoff, silage value and porosity — the Ontario Crops Research Centre is owned by the improving water management, in
ability of water to penetrate through the soil. Agricultural Research Institute of Ontario and addition to sequestering soil carbon
The researchers are directly comparing the managed by the University of Guelph through and potentially mitigating climate
effects of multi-mixes and sole cover crops to the Ontario Agri-Food Innovation Alliance. change.
14 Research Magazine 2020–21 Agri-Food Yearbook Edition Photos: courtesy Dave Hooker (left) · courtesy Bill Deen (right)Crop
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Infographics
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Government of Ontario through its agency the Agricultural Research
Institute of Ontario. The centres are managed by the University of
Guelph through the Ontario Agri-Food Innovation Alliance.
16 Research Magazine 2020–21 Agri-Food Yearbook Edition
Infographics created by the Ontario Agri-Food Innovation Alliance in
collaboration with SOILS AT GUELPH. Fall 2020You can also read
