Can under-seeding spring cereals for silage with annual rye grass provide an extended fall grazing option for Alberta producers?

Coordinating agronomist: Alyssa Krawchuk
Organization: Lakeland Agricultural Research Association
Practice: Rotational grazing
Trial started: Spring 2027

Barrier: The dry conditions in the Lakeland region of Alberta has led to reduced feed sources and overgrazed pastures. Since overgrazed pastures may produce less the following year and require additional management strategies (including reduced grazing days) to ensure long-term pasture viability, this project examines two extended fall grazing options to potentially address this.

Description: This randomized strip trial with four replications will compare two spring-seeded treatments: 1) soft white spring wheat only, silage harvested, stubble grazed and 2) soft white spring wheat under-seeded with Italian ryegrass, silage harvested, stubble grazed to measure the potential that under-seeding Italian ryegrass into a silage ration may have as an extended fall grazing option. Biomass, forage quality, and regrowth the following spring will be assessed and economic analysis will be performed.

Does incorporation of cattle impact improve legume establishment in pasture rejuvenation efforts when drone seeding?

Coordinating agronomist: Alyssa Krawchuk
Organization: Lakeland Agricultural Research Association
Practice: Rotational grazing
Trial started: Spring 2026

Barrier: Pasture rejuvenation in remote locations where mechanical equipment cannot be used can be difficult, leading to reduced forage stand and quality (particularly for legume species), as well as fewer grazing days. While drones offer a new opportunity, the lack of incorporation (to maximize seed to soil contact) with this seeding method is thought to cause low establishment rates. As cattle hoof traffic is an easy incorporation method which eliminates the need for mechanical equipment, this project investigates the effectiveness of hoof traffic when rejuvenating remote perennial pastures in a rotational grazing system.

Description: A randomized strip trial with four replications will compare four treatments: 1) non-improved control, 2) drone seeded, no incorporation, 3) drone-seeded, harrowed, and 4) drone seeded, hoof traffic (stock density of initial graze will be 150,000 lbs/acre). A pre-inoculated legume blend, including creeping red fescue, tap rooted alfalfa, branch rooted alfalfa, falcata alfalfa, sainfoin, cicer milkvetch, red clover, chicory, birdsfoot trefoil, and sweet clover will be seeded at 10 lbs/acre. Following emergence, the trial will be grazed for proper forage establishment. Emergence, establishment, grazing events, and biomass will be measured/recorded and quality and economic analyses will be conducted.

Field-scale evaluation of cover crops prior to potatoes in the semi-arid irrigation districts of southern Alberta

Coordinating agronomist: Emily Ford
Organization: Quattro Farms
Practice: Cover crops
Trial started: Fall 2026

Barrier: Barriers to adopting multispecies cover crops in southern Alberta’s irrigated potato systems include a lack of regionally relevant, field-scale data addressing growers’ concerns about logistics, timing (short September planting window), nitrogen dynamics (nitrogen immobilization or unpredictable nitrogen release), and crop rotation compatibility.

Description: To evaluate the feasibility and benefits of establishing non-brassica cover crops after cereal harvest, this trial will compare two treatments: standard practice with no fall cover crop, and a multi-species oat–phacelia–crimson clover–sunflower mix selected to avoid rotation issues with sugar beets and seed canola. Treatments will be implemented as replicated (three reps) full-scale strips on a commercial pivot field to ensure real-farm relevance. The cover crop biomass, ground cover, and species composition will be assessed, as well as fall and spring soil nitrate levels. The emergence and plant counts from the following potato crop (planted after the terminated cover crop) will be measured, along with potato yield, grade, specific gravity, and cull rates at harvest. An economic assessment will also be conducted. The project will generate practical, region-specific, field-scale evidence to guide growers in making informed decisions about adopting rotation-safe cover crops within intensive irrigated potato systems.

Evaluating the profitability and productivity of enhanced efficiency fertilizers (EEFs) on irrigated winter wheat systems

Coordinating agronomist: Jamie Puchinger
Organization: Farming Smarter
Practice: Nitrogen management
Trial started: Fall 2025

Barrier: There is limited data on the cost-benefit analysis of the use of EEFs on a fall-seeded winter wheat crop under irrigation in the Prairies.

Description: This study aims to evaluate the use of EEFs in irrigated winter wheat systems in southern Alberta. A replicated strip trial will compare two rates of fall-applied urea (at 100% and 80% the recommended rate) with and without the use of a dual inhibitor (Anvol and Centuro U-Pro) to a check (with no nitrogen). Soil samples, emergence counts, canopy closure, vigour, biomass and aerial imagery will be captured in this trial. Grain yield and quality will also be measured and nitrogen use efficiency and profitability will be calculated. The project assesses strategies to reduce nitrogen losses, reduce operational expenses while maintaining yields for overall increased profitability.