Technical, economic, social and environmental guidelines for the use of irrigation on corn, soybeans and fodder crops

Description

This research project aims to establish technical, economic, social and environmental benchmarks for irrigation of field and forage crops.

Field irrigation trials will be conducted under commercial production conditions from 2021 to 2023. Tests will be conducted on perennial crops (alfalfa-timothy mix in establishment and production years) in the Lower St. Lawrence region and on field crops (grain corn and soybeans) in the Capitale-Nationale region.

The results of the study will make it possible to estimate the yield gains associated with irrigation and to evaluate the impact of the water requirements of this practice on water resources under current and future climatic conditions. The economic feasibility of this practice will also be evaluated.

The project will be conducted by a team of specialists in production, agronomy, modelling, soil science, agricultural economics and biostatistics from private companies, Institut de recherche et de développement en agroenvironnement, Ministère de l'Agriculture, des Pêcheries et de l'Alimentation du Québec and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.

Objective(s)

• Estimate, from field trials and simulations, the yield gains associated with irrigation under current and future climatic conditions.
• Evaluate the cost of irrigation and its effects on the profitability of the chosen irrigation method.
• Evaluate the impact of the water requirements of this practice on water resources during low water periods and its cumulative effect on other users in the target area.
• Disseminate the information to the farming community.