OCPA-Sponsored Research in 2001

Corn Research

By Ken Hough, OCPA Director of Research and Market Development

As in the past few years, OCPA’s research support is focused on priorities related to:
• improving efficiency of nitrogen utilization, to increase profitability and reduce potential environmental impact
• management of difficult to control weeds, and precision/site-specific sprayer technology
• tillage and cropping systems, particularly improving reduced-tillage corn production
• improving corn handling and processing technology and seeking new value-added market opportunities for corn
• breeding and genetic engineering in corn for traits of particular importance to Ontario growers, and
• management of Fusarium/Gibberella ear moulds and mycotoxins, and other corn diseases and insect pests.

Following is a summary of the nitrogen and weed management research projects that OCPA is sponsoring in 2001. Projects in other areas will be summarized in next issue of the Ontario Corn Producer.

Readers will note that there is only a limited number of new projects undertaken in 2001. This is due to the delay in being able to access the third round of the ‘Safety Net R&D’ funding, available through the Canada-Ontario Research and Development program (CORD III), in time for planning, approval and implementation of research for this growing season. However, the portion of CORD III funds for fiscal year 2000-01 has been added to the CORD III allocation for 2001-02, so OCPA will be able to undertake a significant number of new projects over the course of the coming year.

Feedback on research priorities, through your local or regional OCPA Director, or directly to the OCPA office in Guelph, is always welcomed.

Information on the level of partnership with other commodity organizations, corn sector stakeholders (input suppliers, processors, etc.), leverage of OCPA funds with government research program monies, and the anticipated value of these 2001 OCPA research projects will be provided in an upcoming issue of the Ontario Corn Producer magazine.

Nitrogen Utilization Efficiency

New in 2001
Building the Ontario Nitrogen Management Database for Corn
G. Stewart, OMAFRA, Guelph; B. Deen, U. of G. Guelph
OCPA Contribution: $21,000 3- year project (2001-2003) (also supported by OMAFRA, U. of G. and CanAdapt)

• create a comprehensive database compiling past (last 40 years) and present corn nitrogen management research data, and facilitate ongoing data additions and interpretation, through internet accessibility to researchers and extension personnel
• improve N fertility interpretive models (general recommendations; N soil test-based recommendations; nitrogen worksheet and/or site-specific procedures for ‘individualized’ N recommendations; incorporation of temperature, precipitation into interpretation models)
• improve accuracy of N fertility recommendations and enhance nitrogen management planning guidelines for improved profitability and reduced environmental impact

Crop-based Indicators for Monitoring Spatial Variability in Corn Nitrogen Management
W. Deen, U of G, Guelph; B. Ma, AAFC, Ottawa
OCPA Contribution: $30,000 3-year project (2000-2002) (also supported by AAFC-MII and CanAdapt)

• evaluate reliability of corn canopy reflectance and chlorophyll measurement as indicators of N sufficiency (compared to soil testing)
• develop these techniques to quantify corn nutritive needs and spatial N variability
• evaluate the usefulness of these crop-based N indicators during early crop growth to predict N fertility needs based on adjacent N-fertilized and zero-N corn rows in a semi-ridge tillage system

Development of a Site-Specific Nitrogen Management System
I. O’Halloran, U. of G., Ridgetown
OCPA Contribution: $23,000 4-year project (2000-2003) (also supported by CanAdapt, Innovative Farmers Association)

• evaluate the usefulness of field-based N response strips to determine the most economic rate of N application on a field basis and the potential benefit of site-specific N application
• determine if soil and site characteristics responsible for the seasonal patterns observed in crop yields can be used to determine the crop response to fertilizer N
• evaluate remotely sensed imagery of bare soil and within-season crop images for determination of N management units within the field
• develop and test a protocol for cost-effective and reliable site-specific N management

Identification of N Management Units using Soil Organic Carbon
B. Kay, U. of G., Guelph
OCPA Contribution: $32,000 3-year project (2000-2002) (also supported by CanAdapt, OMAFRA Special Research Projects Fund)

Note: this project is integrated with the O’Halloran ‘Site Specific N Management’ project

• identify the range of organic carbon (organic matter) contents in soils that must exist to make identification of N management units practical
• identify the organic carbon contents in soils of each textural class that generally distinguish different yield responses
• determine if spatial distribution of OC can be used to predict potential N availability and crop productivity

On-Farm Implementation of Site-Specific Nitrogen and Manure Management
G. Wall, Soil Resource Group, Guelph
OCPA Contribution: $20,000 3-year project (2000-2002) (also supported by OMAFRA’s Healthy Futures for Ontario program)

Note: non-manure sites are integrated with the O’Halloran ‘Site-Specific N Management’ project

• evaluate implementation of site-specific N management using low cost and low technology approaches to identifying N management units, in both N fertilizer and manure-based management systems
• investigate measures to improve the cost-effective use of the pre-sidedress nitrate test (PSNT) in conjunction with current weather data to more accurately predict available N
• evaluate fall soil testing and in-lab incubation simulations as an alternative to spring or pre-sidedress N testing

Identifying N Management Units on the basis of Residual Nitrogen and Soil Structure
E. Gregorich, AAFC, Ottawa; B. Curnoe, U of G, Kemptville
OCPA Contribution: $20,000 3-year project (2000-2002) (also supported by AAFC-MII)

• evaluate methods to measure in-field N availability and spatial variability, including soil-based N testing, remote soil sensing, and soil physical properties, to define N management units
• characterize the spatial variability of soil physical properties, N availability and crop yield, to assess the relationship of these parameters and the factors responsible for yield variability in relation to N availability

Weed Management and Sprayer Technology

Spatially-Variable Sprayer for Precision Weed Control
F. Tardif, R. Brown, U of G, Guelph
OCPA Contribution: $7,000 5-year project (1997-2001) (Also supported by OMAFRA’s FS2002 program)

• field test the spatially variable sprayer system featuring injection of the spray solution at the nozzle, fully variable spray dosage and computer control system integrated with site specific weed mapping to regulate spray dosage
• test the weed control efficacy and accuracy of the variable rate sprayer using the site-specific weed maps in corn and soybeans, compared to conventional broadcast spray application
• monitor the dynamics of weed patch growth and spread under sustained, spatially variable herbicide management

Economic Benefit and Potential Risk of Publication 75 and HADSS Recommendations for Weed Management Strategies in Corn and Soybeans
A. Hamill, G. Ferguson, AAFC, Harrow
OCPA Contribution: $13,000 3-year project (1999-2001) (Also supported by Ontario Soybean Growers; CanAdapt; Innovative Farmers; AAFC-MII)

• evaluate field performance, economic benefits, and potential production pitfalls of weed management using full, 3/4, 1/2, and 1/4 Pubn. 75 herbicide rates, and ‘economic threshold’ rates from a computerized, herbicide application decision support program (HADSS)

Control of New/Exotic Weeds in Field Corn
P. Sikkema, U of G, Ridgetown
OCPA Contribution: $15,000 4-year project (1998-2001) (Also supported by Ontario Soybean Growers; herbicide manufacturers; Pioneer)

• assess new and existing herbicides for control of new/exotic weeds in no-till production systems, and disseminate information on effective control options for these problem weeds

Influence of Nitrogen Fertility on Competition between Corn and Green Foxtail
J. Cathcart, C. Swanton, U of G, Guelph
OCPA Contribution: $10,500 2-year project (2000-2001) (Also supported by FS2000 funding)

• expand integrated weed management (IWM) to include aspects pertinent to variable rate fertilizer application
• determine effect of reduced N application on competitiveness of green foxtail with corn, and whether this affects the economically acceptable weed density threshold in corn

Evaluation of New Weed Control Options for Ontario Corn Producers
C. Swanton, U of G, Guelph
OCPA Contribution: $3,000 3-year project (2000-2002) (complements a large investment by herbicide companies and U. of G. in herbicide testing)

• evaluate the effectiveness of new, low-risk weed control products, at full and half-label rates, in comparison to common standard treatments (pre- or post-emergence, Roundup Ready, etc.) at Elora, Woodstock, Cambridge