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.

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Results for 2018
2017-2018 • Fruit production

Exploring the potential of thermal imaging data acquired by drone for the detection of water stress in lowbush blueberries

Exploration of the potential of detecting water stress in lowbush blueberries using a thermal infrared imaging sensor installed on a drone.

Researcher: Carl Boivin

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Carl Boivin
2017-2019 • Fruit production

Cultural strategies for haskap berries: improving orchard productivity

The aim of this project is to improve the productivity of haskap orchards by promoting more efficient water and nutrient uptake.

Researcher: Carl Boivin

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Carl Boivin
2017-2020 • Fruit production

Improving biodiversity in apple orchards – an economic analysis

IRDA is in charge of the economic analysis for this project which purpose is to examine the impact of flower plantings on bumblebee biodiversity in apple orchards in southern Québec.

Researcher: Luc Belzile

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2017-2019 • Market gardening

Validating microbial indicators of potato field productivity based on metagenomic analysis

The current project is designed to check the predictability of the biological productivity score.

Researcher: Richard Hogue

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Richard Hogue
2017-2020 • Field crops

Economic analysis of agronomic practices that prevent soil degradation

Economic analysis of a three-year project aimed at testing methods of reducing and correcting surface soil compaction.

Researcher: Luc Belzile

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2017-2018 • Fruit production

Analyzing sap flow to assess water absorption dynamics in apple trees

The hypothesis was that it should be possible to measure sap flow in apple trees and correlate it with soil water conditions and the weather.

Researcher: Carl Boivin

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Carl Boivin
2017-2018 • Market gardening

Potato fertigation using a drip irrigation system

The aim of this project was to leverage the efficiency of drip irrigation and splitting nitrogen inputs into multiple applications to reduce total nitrogen inputs per unit produced and provide better economic and environmental alternatives to conventional irrigation.

Researcher: Carl Boivin

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Carl Boivin
2017-2018 • Market gardening

Field trials on swede midge mating disruption

This project will compare the ability of various pheromone mixes to prevent male swede midges from locating females.

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2017-2018 • Fruit production

Upgrading the expertise of new apple orchard consultants

This online training platform will help improve technical support for Québec apple growers by furthering the training of new consultants.

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Daniel Cormier
Gérald Chouinard
2017-2019 • Field crops

Economic analysis of planting flower strips along soybean fields

Economic analysis of using flower strips around soybean fields to serve as a reservoir for aphid species attacked by Pandora neoaphidis.

Researcher: Luc Belzile

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2017-2020 • Fruit production

Impact of tree growth and rain on fungicide efficacy against apple scab

The aim of this project is to determine the combined impact on fungicide efficacy of rain and the appearance of new leaves to more accurately identify how long treatments remain effective.

Researcher: Vincent Philion

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Vincent Philion
2017-2020 • Fruit production

Improving fire blight detection, prediction, and control

The main aim of this project is to test a bacterial detection technique developed in Austria that consists of quantifying inoculum carried by bees.

Researcher: Vincent Philion

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Vincent Philion
2017-2019 • Livestock productionField crops

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

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Marc-Olivier Gasser
2017-2019 • Livestock production

Characterizing GHG emission sources from covered pig manure storage facilities with biogas treatment systems

This project will draw recommendations to reduce fugitive emissions through technical means or agricultural practices.

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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

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