Ken Coles, Farming Smarter Executive Director; Alberta Ag Minister Devin Dreeshen; Dr. Kenny Corscadden, Lethbridge College Assoc. V-P Research, Innovation and Entrepreneurship. (Credit: Morton Molyneux)

By Dori Modney with files from Paul Kingsmith

Lethbridge College and Farming Smarter studying how to increase canola yields

Feb 18, 2021 | 3:05 PM

LETHBRIDGE, AB. — A joint research project by Lethbridge College and Farming Smarter could benefit canola producers in Southern Alberta and elsewhere.

The effect of strip tillage and precision planting of canola will be studied, thanks to the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC), which partly funds this three-year, Applied Research and Development (ARD) grant with $75,000 per year.

Ken Coles, Farming Smarter Ex. Director, with the strip tiller and precision planter in the background (credit College)

The focus of the research, will be to increase crop emergence and seed yield in canola, under western Canadian climate conditions, by using improved crop production practices.

The research will be lead by Dr. Rezvan Karimi Dehkordi, the College’s research associate on the Mueller Applied Research in Irrigation Science team, and Farming Smarter research scientist Dr. Gurbir Dhillon.

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According to Dr. Karimi Dehkordi, who will coordinate and supervise all research activities and data collection, demand for canola is expected to rise by 26 million metric tonnes by the year 2025.

“To meet growing market demand, this research can help producers looking to increase production. Since we have short, cold growing seasons, it’s important to properly prepare the seed bed so that seeds have a better chance to germinate.”

A document from the college explains, “Strip tillage prepares the field by tilling narrow strips for planting while leaving areas between the strips with undisturbed crop residue. Studies show this can reduce soil erosion and soil compaction and improve soil quality. Precision planting is a method of seeding that involves placing seed at a precise spacing and depth with a precision planter.”

Farming Smarter’s Mike Gretzinger explains how a strip tiller works and talks about what Farming Smarter hopes to learn:

Research scientist Dr. Gurbir Dhillon, notes Farming Smarter has had great success in adopting precision planters to seed various crops, including pulses, wheat and hemp.”

“In this project, we will evaluate different types of tillage operations and seeding methods to manage previous crop residues and determine if we can improve canola emergence and yield under both dryland and irrigated conditions.”

Strip tilling and precision planting equipment used by Farming Smarter and College researchers (credit College)

Farming Smarter and Lethbridge College have had a long-running partnership in a 15-year collaboration agreement that was expanded in 2020. The two partners look for opportunities to support the entire agriculture industry in southern Alberta and throughout the province.