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 (6)

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2021-2024

Testing a mobile drip irrigation system on potato farms

This project aims to optimize water use in irrigated potato crops.

Researcher: Carl Boivin

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Carl Boivin
2021-2023

Pilot project on the use of rainwater in the horticultural industry

This project aims to collect data to guide rainwater capture and recovery for use on farms to.

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Carl Boivin
Caroline Côté
Stéphane Godbout
2021-2023 • Fruit production

Improve the environmental conditions of cultivated wild blueberries using cultural practices relating to tillage, water management and fertilization

The results of this project will provide tools to support producers and ensure the competitiveness and development of Wild Boreal Blueberry and organic blueberry production sectors, two of Quebec’s specialties.

Researcher: Carl Boivin

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Carl Boivin
2020-2024 • Field crops

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

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

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Carl Boivin
Catherine Bossé
Simon Ricard
2020-2023 • Market gardening

Evaluation of the agronomic performance of 10 broccoli varieties under commercial production

This project aims to limit the impacts of climate change on broccoli crops by evaluating and documenting the tolerance to climatic stress of 10 broccoli varieties intended for the fresh market.

Researcher: Carl Boivin

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Carl Boivin
2020-2022 • Fruit production

Pilot project on the effectiveness of methods of protecting against fruit frost in cultivated wild blueberries

The purpose of this pilot project is to evaluate various methods of protecting fruit from freezing in wild blueberry crops for the fresh market.

Researcher: Carl Boivin

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Carl Boivin
2020-2024 • Field cropsLivestock production

Artificial intelligence - Development of a decision support system to optimize alfalfa yield and nutritional value in relation to soil health

This project aims to develop a digital decision support tool to improve the nutritional quality and yield of alfalfa from analyses of the nutritional quality of forages, based on its relationship with soil fertility and health, while including the other pedoclimatic parameters that define alfalfa production conditions.

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Marc-Olivier Gasser
Catherine Bossé
2020-2023 • Field cropsLivestock production

Showcases in soil health and conservation: drawing inspiration from the best arable crop approaches

This project is to arouse interest in approaches to soil health and conservation and to promote their adoption by a greater number of Quebec field crop farmers.

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Marc-Olivier Gasser
Catherine Bossé
2020-2022 • Fruit production

Determining the impact of temperature and organic fertilizer type on the soil mineral nitrogen supply and the productivity of organic cranberry crops

Flexible management of nitrogen fertilization (fertilizer type and dose) as a function of temperature for better yields in organic cranberry production.

Researcher: Christine Landry

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Christine Landry
2020-2022 • Fruit production

The complementarity of commercially available predators in controlling spotted wing drosophila in organic day-neutral strawberry crops

Evaluation of the effectiveness of various predator combinations in controlling spotted wing drosophilia.

Researcher: Annabelle Firlej

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Annabelle Firlej
2020-2023 • Market gardening

Using seasonal tillage in combination with cover crops as a biological method to control cutworms in organic cruciferous crops

Evaluation of new practices to control cutworms in organic vegetable production.

Researchers: Annabelle Firlej Maxime Lefebvre

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Annabelle Firlej
Maxime Lefebvre
2020-2023 • Market gardening

Assessing a weeding robot for use in organic market gardening

New, robotic weed control strategy for widespread use in field vegetables grown organically in Québec.

Researcher: Élise Smedbol

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Élise Smedbol
2020-2023 • Livestock production

Biocontaminants emitted into the air during the spreading of swine slurry: biosecurity risk assessment and mitigation on hog farms

Project to limit the spread of disease and improve biosecurity protocols on farms through improved understanding of emissions and alternate spreading techniques.

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Patrick Brassard
Stéphane Godbout
2020-2023 • Livestock productionField crops

The agricultural value of whole biomethanation digestate and its various fractions: potential use in fertilization and recycled bedding

Assessment of the efficiency of biomethanation digestate as a fertilizer for field crops and as recycled bedding in dairy production.

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Stéphane Godbout
Christine Landry
Caroline Côté
2020-2024 • Livestock production

Develop and assess emerging green technologies that can lower the risks and dangers associated with aerosols on farms

Assessing an electrostatic precipitator system designed to improve air quality and, thereby, worker health and animal welfare.

Researcher: Stéphane Godbout

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Stéphane Godbout

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

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