Semiarid Prairie Agricultural Research Centre Research Articles

Abstracts, The Canadian Phytopathological Society annual meeting, London, Ontario, 2001

Abstracts, The Canadian Phytopathological Society annual meeting, London, Ontario, 2001

Sustainable Cultivation Concepts for Domestic Energy Production from Biomass

Referee: Dr. J. Grant McLeod, Semiarid Prairie Agricultural Research Centre, Research Branch, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, P.O. Box 1030 Swift Current, Saskatchewan S9H 3X2, Canada According to the European Union, biomass will play a major role in the substitution of fossil fuels with renewable resources. Biomass will contribute 83% to the increased use of renewable resources by the year 2010. In contrast to other solar energy sources, plant biomass is always available and can be converted into energy continuously. An important objective in the production of energy crops on arable farm land should be to realize a high net energy yield and fulfill obligations in the field of environmental protection. The “double cropping system” was developed to meet these obligations. Silaging as a conservation method for wet biomass makes this sustainable cultivation system possible. It includes a diverse array of crops and provides the opportunity to integrate rural organic wastes into this energy concept. The mode...

Sustainable Cultivation Concepts for Domestic Energy Production from Biomass

Referee: Dr. J. Grant McLeod, Semiarid Prairie Agricultural Research Centre, Research Branch, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, P.O. Box 1030 Swift Current, Saskatchewan S9H 3X2, CanadaAccording to the European Union, biomass will play a major role in the substitution of fossil fuels with renewable resources. Biomass will contribute 83% to the increased use of renewable resources by the year 2010. In contrast to other solar energy sources, plant biomass is always available and can be converted into energy continuously.An important objective in the production of energy crops on arable farm land should be to realize a high net energy yield and fulfill obligations in the field of environmental protection. The “double cropping system” was developed to meet these obligations. Silaging as a conservation method for wet biomass makes this sustainable cultivation system possible. It includes a diverse array of crops and provides the opportunity to integrate rural organic wastes into this energy concept.The model presented, “the energy self supplying farm”, shows that it is possible to meet the energy consumption requirements of a livestock farming operation with energy crop production on 10 to 18% of the arable farm land. According to a new rape energy concept, a land resource requirement of roughly 10% is feasible if biomass residues from rape oil production for liquid fuels are also utilized for energy production.For a farm with livestock, anaerobic digestion technology is an appropriate technique to deliver heat and electricity for the farmstead. Digestion residues, used as fertilizer in energy crop production, results in an almost complete nutrient recycling. Energy output can be increased above the demand of the farm via the biogas reactor, using the total biomass produced with double cropping. Surplus electricity is supplied to the grid at a guaranteed price.Biomass is a domestic energy resource, and farmers have the chance to extend their function from a supplier of raw material to managers of domestic energy resources. Under the currently established framework, monetary return per hectare could be more than double with biomass energy production via biogas.This will allow the agricultural economy to recover and promote a sustainable regional development. In addition to being a convenient method of waste management, sustainable energy crop production can make a significant contribution to environmental protection and the improvement of the social and economic cohesion within a community.

AC Remington winter rye

AC Remington, a cultivar of winter rye (Secale cereale L.), was developed at the Semiarid Prairie Agricultural Research Centre, Research Branch, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Swift Current, Saskatchewan. AC Remington is a semidwarf with 20 to 25% shorter straw and improved lodging resistance compared with tall cultivars. AC Remington has good winter survival and is well adapted to the Canadian Prairies. AC Remington has improved grain yield, test weight, kernel weight and Hagberg Falling Number compared with those of the semidwarf cultivar AC Rifle. Plant height, heading, maturity and ergot infection of AC Remington are similar to those of AC Rifle. Key words: Cultivar description, semidwarf, rye (winter), Hagberg Falling Number, Secale cereale L.

AC Certa spring triticale

AC Certa, a spring triticale cultivar (X Triticosecale Wittmack) was developed at CIMMYT and introduced by the Semiarid Prairie Agricultural Research Centre, Research Branch, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Swift Current, via the 21st ITSN in 1989. It is widely adapted to the Prairie Provinces. AC Certa represents a significant improvement in test weight. AC Certa has an improved Hagberg Falling Number which is usually associated with improved harvest-time sprouting resistance AC Certa is very resistant to the prevalent races of stem rust (caused by Puccinia graminis Pers. f. sp tritici Eriks. and E. Henn.); leaf rust (caused by P. recondita Rob. ex Desm. f. sp. tritici); highly resistant to common bunt [caused by Tilletia foetida Wallr.) Liro and T. caries (DC) Tul.], and resistant to common root rot [caused primarily by Bipolaris sorokiniana (Sacc. in Sorok.) Shoemaker]. Key words: Cultivar description, test weight, sprouting resistance, triticale (spring, X Triticosecale Wittmack)

AC Alta spring triticale

AC Alta, a spring triticale cultivar (× Triticosecale Wittmack) was developed at the Semiarid Prairie Agricultural Research Centre, Research Branch, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Swift Current, Saskatchewan. AC Alta is a high-yielding, large kernelled, lodging resistant cultivar of triticale which is widely adapted to the Prairie Provinces. AC Alta is very resistant to leaf and stem rust, resistant to common bunt and moderately resistant to common root rot. AC Alta will be distributed by Progressive Seeds Limited. Key words: Cultivar description, grain yield, test weight, triticale (spring), × Triticosecale Wittmack

AC Rifle winter rye

AC Rifle, a cultivar of winter rye (Secale cereale L.), was developed at the Semiarid Prairie Agricultural Research Centre, Research Branch, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Swift Current, Saskatchewan. It is the first semi-dwarf cultivar registered for production in the Prairie Provinces of Western Canada. AC Rifle represents a 30% reduction in plant height compared to conventional height cultivars. Gram yield potential and winter hardiness of AC Rifle is equal to the check cultivars It has improved lodging resistance over all other adapted cultivars of winter rye. Key words: Cultivar description, semi-dwarf, rye (winter), Secale cereale L.