Research Projects
Each year, IRDA's R&D Team conducts more than one hundred research projects in sustainable agriculture. What's more, IRDA is working with Quebec's key agricultural stakeholders to find concrete solutions.
The agricultural value of whole biomethanation digestate and its various fractions: potential use in fertilization and recycled bedding
Assessment of the efficiency of biomethanation digestate as a fertilizer for field crops and as recycled bedding in dairy production.
Researchers: Stéphane Godbout Christine Landry Caroline Côté
Developing a procedure and tools that utilize genetic markers to identify fecal contamination sources in waterways
This project will develop a procedure that relies on genetic markers to identify the animal species responsible for fecal contamination.
Researcher: Caroline Côté
Bison farming in Québec: Determining the phosphorous load factor
Project to determine the real value of the phosphorus load associated with bison production in Québec.
Researcher: Stéphane Godbout
Validating tools used to reduce soil phosphorus saturation by monitoring soil tests and phosphorus loads in an intensive livestock region
The aim of this project is to show that efforts made to better distribute phosphorus on the land are effective and that the indicators used to determine phosphorus saturation thresholds are correlated with soil phosphorus balance and dynamics.
Researcher: Marc-Olivier Gasser
Low GHG emission strategies for Quebec dairy farms
The aim of this project was to identify manure management strategies that boost productivity on Québec dairy farms and reduce their emissions of greenhouse gases.
Researcher: Stéphane Godbout
Revising the nutrient balance sheet for estimating phosphorus loading in laying hen production
This project was set up to test the nutrient balance sheet method as a tool for estimating phosphorus output from pullets and laying hens.
Researcher: Marc-Olivier Gasser
Determining the ideal time to spread pig manure to improve crop yield and protect soil, water, and air quality
To provide information on the fertilizing value and environmental impact of spreading pig manure at different times, the project compared the effect of mineral fertilizer in early fall, late fall, and in the spring.
Technical guide on how to factor in added bedding and water and feed losses in determining the total volume for designing manure storage tanks
When designing tanks, the total volume of material to be stored must be calculated. This guide provides a comprehensive calculation method that takes into account volumes of bedding added as well as feed and water losses.
Researcher: Stéphane Godbout
The solutions developed by IRDA aim to...
Ensure the sustainability
and quality of soil, water, and air
Protect the health and well-being
of local communities by improving the quality of crop and livestock production, with an emphasis on animal welfare
Safeguard the economic viability
of crop and livestock production