Continuous research required for southern Alberta farmers

By Lethbridge Herald on June 17, 2023.

Herald Photo by Justin Sibbet Farming Smarter research scientist, Dr. Gurbir Dhillon, speaking to a crowd about roller-crimping on Thursday at the Farming Smarter fields just east of Lethbridge.

JUSTIN SIBBET
LOCAL JOURNALISM INITIATIVE REPORTER

Southern Alberta has rapidly shifted its weather in recent days and this constant uncertainty requires farmers to be on top of their game at all times.

Farming Smarter, an agricultural research organization, held an educational “field school” event on Thursday with presentations from several individuals knowledgeable about their field.

The day saw everything from erosion management to row crop approaches with canola.

Assistant manager of Farming Smarter, Jamie Puchinger, says it is crucial for farmers, and therefore her business, to keep up with the best practices in the industry.

“We want to make sure that we’re up to date on the latest trends and technologies and things that are happening on the farm today that are relevant and important to (farmers),” said Puchinger in an interview on Thursday morning.

She says the primary goal of the many different educational events put on by Farming Smarter is to keep people engaged and aware of those latest trends.

“Networking with each other and learning from each other as well,” said Puchinger.

One of the focuses during the field school was eliminating soil erosion, something that Puchinger says is becoming more and more common in the region.

“The last few years, more specifically, we’ve had some higher wind erosion events in the winter months in particular,” said Puchinger.

The loss of top soil can create problems once seeding begins in the spring, so Puchinger says they are researching new methods to avoid this issue.

“We’re looking at different options to make sure that they’re covering their soils over the winter to avoid some of this erosion.”

A research scientist with Farming Smarter, Dr. Gurbir Dhillon, says one method is roller-crimping.

This is the method of killing existing crops but leaving them rooted in the ground as a way to cover the new, budding crops and the soil below.

However, this comes with its own unique challenges and Dhillon says this is the first year in which Farming Smarter has begun work on roller-crimping so results are limited.

“The main issues are if we are able to kill the crop by roll-crimping, if we are able to attain those late reproductive stages,” said Dhillon. “If not, how much does it compete with the main crop?”

He says this method will theoretically see significant benefits for farmers in the region if applied correctly.

“Improving soil health, improving soil organic matter and weed suppression,” said Dhillon. “Those are the main benefits that we are looking for.”

Dhillon says Farming Smarter received the funding for the project last summer, but even with the inconclusive results, the yield appears to be promising.

The plan is to run this same trial for four straight years as to observe any changes throughout those seasons.

“We’re trying to measure data like available nutrients compared to (standard control plants), we have emergence counts, stand counts,” said Dhillon. “So, once we have all that data at the end of the season, we’re able to compare … we should be able to give more information.” 

Another focus from the field school was row crop methods for canola and Puchinger says this is only traditional for sugar roots, potatoes and similar crops.

“The with canola though, we’re looking at strip tillage,” said Puchinger. “So, when we’re looking at seeding, we’re just disturbing the soil where that seed will go.”

She says this will help with soil management and the previously mentioned soil erosion issues in southern Alberta.

The next event set to be held by Farming Smarter is an advanced nitrogen management and cover crops tour scheduled for June 22.