FORT KENT – Farm folks gathered for dinner and homemade pie under a tent at the Lakeland Agricultural Research Association (LARA) Fort Kent location on Friday, prior to informative presentations and a guided tour out into the research crop land.
The LARA farm tour showcased research currently taking place, such as the impact of Allelopathic cover crops, barley mixtures, white and subterranean clover on nitrogen rates on silage crop yield, weed pressure, disease, and forage quality, and organic and inorganic fertilizers for forage barley. LARA also showcased prospective types of silage crops that had been grown.
Dr. Boyd Mori from the University of Alberta spoke to the group about the latest in pest management, resistant crops, and what challenges this area might face in the future. Mori is an expert on grasshoppers, flea beetles, and cutworm integrated management.
The event held a friendly and open atmosphere that fostered asking questions, getting curious about the research, and granted attendees the opportunity to pick the experts brains as well as foster new connections.
Mori spoke generally about his research program, and about some things he has been seeing out in the field.
“[I’ll] maybe draw your attention to some things that you may not have seen before, or maybe you’ve seen and always wondered what it is,” started Mori. “We work on a variety of crops and pests... A big push right now is in alfalfa and alfalfa seed production - working on the alfalfa weevil.”
Mori explained the difficulties faced with insecticide resistance, particularly with alfalfa weevil.
“There are very few limited available products, and we all know we’re losing more products than we are gaining at the moment. So, a lot of our research is looking at insecticide susceptibility, resistance monitoring, and resistance management.”
Mori displayed different types of pheromone-based traps for insect monitoring, as well as display cases of insects, and a live specimen of a newer insect called the canola flower midge that they identified in Canada in 2016. The canola flower midge is widespread across the prairies.
“We suspect it’s a native species that started using canola as a host... right now we don't consider it a big economic threat, but it is something we’re worried about and we’re keeping our eye on it,” cautioned Mori.
After dinner, Mori’s presentation, and ample socializing, attendees were loaded up into a covered trailer to be shuttled over to LARA’s experimental crops.
LARA’s team of researchers offered a wealth of knowledge and gave attendees the opportunity to learn from local experts, as well as presenters.
LARA Research Agrologist Lance Ouellette led attendees through the cover crops to their applied research trial plots where people could see the results up close and personal. He spoke on the impact of white and subterranean clover.
LARA Research Scientist Dr. Angelica Ouellette took the mic to speak about Allelopathic cover crops, and Cropping Agrologist Momna Farzand explained their research on two-row and six-row barely mixtures.