2017 Research Update
The field work for the SFSDC forage seed research program is wrapping up for another year. The plots have been harvested and the final applications of fertilizer and herbicides as well as soil samples are being completed. The work in 2017 was carried out by the Northeast Agriculture Research Foundation (NARF) at the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Research Station near Melfort and by the University of Saskatchewan (U of S) near Saskatoon.
Stu Brandt describing forage seed research at NARF.
July 2017. Source: SFSDC
Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture’s Agricultural Demonstration of Practices and Technologies (ADOPT) program provided funding for 3 forage seed projects at NARF in 2017. These were:
Evaluating the Placement of Companion Crops in Forage Seed Production;
Evaluating the use of Direct Seeding and Pre-Seeding Cultivation in Forage Seed Crop Establishment; and
Demonstrating the Effects of Red and Alsike Clover Seed Crops in Rotations.
Other projects funded by SFSDC at NARF in 2017 were:
Minor use herbicide screening on seedling red clover and seedling slender wheatgrass as well as established red, alsike and sweet clovers;
Plant Growth Regulators (PGRs) on established red, alsike and sweet clovers; and
Controlling lesser clover leaf weevil in established red clover.
The Saskatchewan Forage Variety Demonstration trials were planted in 2017 with one of the sites located at Melfort. SFSDC provided financial support to this program.
The Weed Management Program at the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon completed herbicide applications on seedling sweet clover, sainfoin, tall fescue and hybrid bromegrass. Plant growth regulators and herbicides were also applied to established hybrid bromegrass. These trials were carried out to develop data for potential minor use registrations.
Dr. Bill Biligetu, forage crop breeder at the U of S, has wrapped up the 2017 field portion of his sainfoin variety selection project with partial funding from SFSDC. The goal is to develop sainfoin lines with improved characteristics under Saskatchewan conditions.
SFSDC relies on the support of industry partners who provide products for the research program. Thank you to DLF Pickseed Canada, BASF Canada, Bayer CropScience, BrettYoung, Dow Agrosciences, DuPont Canada, Engage Agro, FMC Corporation, NuFarm Canada, Syngenta Canada and AG-Vision Seeds for their support of the forage seed industry.
Results from these projects will be available at the Forage Seed Grower Information Session and AGM on January 11, 2018 in Saskatoon. For more information about current and past research projects, please check out this website under Research.