New Initiatives On The Go!

The OSCIA, IFAO, University of Guelph and OMAFRA have secured Greenhouse Gas Mitigation Initiative funding that is being administered by the Soil Conservation Society of Canada.

The funding supports the demonstration of techniques and technologies to reduce agriculture's contribution to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This funding comes from the Federal Government as one of many initiatives to address Canada's commitment to the Kyoto Accord.

Major greenhouse gases from field crop agriculture include CO₂, NO₂ and CO. CO₂ is tied to sequestering of carbon, reducing oxidation of organic matter and building organic matter. NO₂ can be reduced by reducing overall nitrogen application, by better nitrogen application timing and placement, and by matching application rates to crop needs. The projects will demonstrate techniques that Ontario farmers can put into practice to increase profitability and reduce agriculture's contribution to greenhouse gasses.

Impact of Application Date & Rate on NO₂ Emissions In Winter Wheat

Demonstration sites have been established in the Lambton, Halton and Ottawa areas to evaluate the impact of nitrogen rates and timing (single and split applications). New wheat varieties being grown in Ontario are higher yielding and often seek a high protein premium. Nitrogen fertility must be matched to the needs of the crop. The agronomic basis for nitrogen rates for these new high yielding varieties should be well demonstrated and documented.

Accompanying these "hub" sites are a number of satellite locations across the province that address other varieties and climatic conditions.

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Strip Tillage Corn Systems On Heavy Clay Soils - Building Soil Structure and Managing Nitrogen

Will a fall strip tillage system on heavy clay soils benefit corn growers by offering a wider window for planting corn in the spring? Project components include:

• Compare strip tillage to conventional and/or no-till systems for suitability on clay soils. Can more acres be planted using strip tillage systems?
• Evaluate nitrogen application timing and rates to increase nitrogen use efficiency and reduce GHG.
• Understand the release of organic nitrogen from heavy, cool, wet soils and use this in calibrating rates of nitrogen application though use of nitrogen soil testing.

Advancing Nitrogen Use Efficiency on Livestock Farms

Ontario farms with manure application and forages in their rotation are recognized as having significant organic nitrogen made available through mineralization of organic matter. This source of nitrogen for corn production is often poorly accounted for. Many livestock farms could produce high yielding corn without the addition of any commercial fertilizer, but continue to apply commercial nitrogen.

The majority of livestock producers grow corn with preplant urea applied and worked into the soil. Some nitrogen to the manure previously applied may be credited, but this decision is made more from tradition than knowledge. These farmers suggest that hay harvest and herbicide spraying during June conflicts with soil sampling and nitrogen sidedress application.

Sites across Ontario will be planted without preplant nitrogen application. Soils will be tested at planting and pre-side dress nitrogen time (early to mid June). A series of rates of nitrogen fertilizer (0, 50, 100, 150 lbs/ac) will be applied. The amount of available organic nitrogen that is available to the corn crop in the early and mid parts of the growing season will be determined. The yield potential from the various rates of nitrogen applied will establish the maximum economic rates of nitrogen.

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Optimizing Environmental Efficiencies With Precision Toolbars

Reduced tillage and predictable nitrogen rates could reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Research strongly supports sidedress applications as having greater nitrogen use efficiency than pre-plant applications. PSNT (Pre-Sidedress Nitrogen Test) has been recommended as a way to improve nitrogen application rate accuracy. However, sidedress nitrogen usage and on-farm ownership of nitrogen applicator toolbars have seen limited growth.

Straight no-till systems for corn production are elusive for many growers. Spring zone tillage (6-12 hours prior to corn planting) can be a very cost-effective tillage system for corn production, particularly on reasonably well-drained soils where soybeans are the previous crop.

This project will demonstrate the combination of spring strip tillage prior to planting and side dress application of nitrogen using the same toolbar.

Cover Crops For Carbon Sequestration and Nitrogen Management

The use of cover crops provides the opportunity to build soil carbon and temporarily tie-up residual nitrogen. Cover crops offer an ideal way to capture nitrogen, whether this is residual nitrogen from the crop just harvested, or nitrogen from manure applied in the fall following cereal harvest. Trapping this nitrogen in the organic form will dramatically reduce the amount of nitrogen available for loss as nitrous oxide.

Presently cover crops are only utilized on an estimated 25% of cereal crop acres, primarily red clover plowdowns. Following the harvest of cereal crops there remains a two to three month growing season that could be used to sequester carbon with a cover crop. Red clover as a cover crop with winter wheat has been shown to increase yields of subsequent corn crops by up to 14 bu/ac (10%). Increasing yields of subsequent crops will further sequester carbon in these soils.

Other species have been used for cover crops but represent insignificant acres. The most effective cover crop species need to be investigated to understand their potential fit in GHG mitigation. Demonstrations will show the tremendous benefits of this production practice. This project will center around the Outdoor Farm Show site so that tours can be conducted during the September show.

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