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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Major Initiatives
Major initiatives (6)Activity area
Livestock production (38) Market gardening (65) Fruit production (84) Field crops (50)Services
Soil health (53) Water protection (40) Air quality (28) Ecosystem protection (14) Optimal water management (31) Fertilizer management (48) Pest, weed, and disease control (99) Animal welfare (17) Food safety and quality (9) Organic farming (41) Waste conversion (12) Environmental regulations (8) Coexisting in an agricultural environment (6) Laboratory analyzes (4)Experts
Developing biostimulants from pyrolytic oils produced from agricultural and forestry biomass
The general goal of the project is to develop biostimulants from oils produced by the rapid pyrolysis of crop and logging residues.
Researchers: Stéphane Godbout Richard Hogue
Validation of soil health indicators as a nitrogen uptake prediction tool
The objective of this project is to develop a prediction model for soil nitrogen supplies based on biological soil health indicators.
Researcher: Christine Landry
Québec‒Mexico bilateral expert group on the optimal recovery of residual agricultural, agroindustrial, and forestry biomass
The aim of the project is to support the strategic Québec‒Mexico bilateral expert group on the optimal recovery of residual agricultural, agroindustrial, and forestry biomass.
Researcher: Stéphane Godbout
Québec-wide potassium fertilization trial on fresh cucumber under fertigation
This project was aimed at determining potassium doses (5 doses) to apply before planting on nitrogen-fertigated cucumber crops grown on plastic mulch.
Researcher: Christine Landry
Maintaining high yields in field crops while reconsidering the option of using glyphosate
The aim of the project is to assess the impact of applying various rates of glyphosate in field crop systems on the soil and crop rhizosphere microbiome.
Researcher: Richard Hogue
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
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
Using organic matter and biostimulants to restore soil health and yields in matted row strawberry fields with a history of decline – yields in the second year of production
This project aims to examine whether improving soil health can help check strawberry decline.
Researcher: Christine Landry
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
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
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
A study on the relationship between thermal imaging data collected by drone and agrometerological indicators of water stress in potato crops
The aim of this project was to study the relationship between thermal imaging data collected by drone and agrometerological indicators of water stress in potato crops.
Researcher: Carl Boivin
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
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
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.
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