Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

About: Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada is a facility organization based out in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Soil water. The organization has 10921 authors who have published 21332 publications receiving 748193 citations. The organization is also known as: Department of Agriculture and Agri-Food.

Nitrogen Economy of Pulse Crop Production in the Northern Great Plains

Abstract: Previously published data were used to examine the N economy of pulse crops typically grown on the Northern Great Plains with the goal of assessing the potential contribution of field pea (Pisum sativum L.), lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.), chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.), common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.), and faba bean (Wcia faba L.) to soil N accretion. Incremental changes in soil N associated with the pulse crops (i.e., the nitrogen increment, Ninc), were strongly correlated to N 2 fixation and were highly variable. Data suggest that crops that can achieve relatively high levels of N 2 fixation, such as faba bean, field pea, and lentil are more likely to contribute positively to the overall N economy, particularly when a cropping system is evaluated over a long term. In contrast, pulse crops that typically achieve only modest levels of N 2 fixation such as desi and kabuli chickpea and common bean are more likely to be either N neutral or contribute to a soil N deficit. Because of extreme variability in levels of N 2 fixation achieved, presumably reflecting variability in soil productivity as well as variations in local climate and weather, the Ninc of pulse crops likewise is highly variable. Thus, the N contribution to a subsequent crop is difficult to predict with any certainty, particularly on a yearly or short-term basis.

The future for weed control and technology.

Abstract: This review is both a retrospective (what have we missed?) and prospective (where are we going?) examination of weed control and technology, particularly as it applies to herbicide-resistant weed management (RWM). Major obstacles to RWM are discussed, including lack of diversity in weed management, unwillingness of many weed researchers to conduct real integrated weed management research or growers to accept recommendations, influence or role of agrichemical marketing and governmental policy and lack of multidisciplinary research. We then look ahead to new technologies that are needed for future weed control in general and RWM in particular, in areas such as non-chemical and chemical weed management, novel herbicides, site-specific weed management, drones for monitoring large areas, wider application of 'omics' and simulation model development. Finally, we discuss implementation strategies for integrated weed management to achieve RWM, development of RWM for developing countries, a new classification of herbicides based on mode of metabolism to facilitate greater stewardship and greater global exchange of information to focus efforts on areas that maximize progress in weed control and RWM. There is little doubt that new or emerging technologies will provide novel tools for RMW in the future, but will they arrive in time?