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 (3)Services
Soil health (15) Water protection (12) Air quality (15) Ecosystem protection (1) (3) Fertilizer management (7) Pest, weed, and disease control (20) Animal welfare (6) Food safety and quality (1) Organic farming (7) Environmental regulations (2) Coexisting in an agricultural environment (1)Experts
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
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
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.
Researchers: Patrick Brassard Stéphane Godbout
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.
Researchers: Stéphane Godbout Christine Landry Caroline Côté
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
Tailoring apple scab control strategies to the properties of the fungicides utilized
Developing a new scab control strategy based on selecting the lowest-risk products that best fit the circumstances at hand, and tailoring the doses accordingly.
Researcher: Vincent Philion
Integrated fruit production under nets: low drift and low impact sprays used for thinning and other phytosanitary interventions in organic or pesticide-free orchards
Optimizing spraying through exclusion nets.
Researchers: Gérald Chouinard Daniel Cormier Vincent Philion
Forage crop irrigation: helping farmers to make informed decisions
Irrigation project to spare farmers the loss of competitiveness and other risks brought about by drought periods.
Researchers: Carl Boivin Luc Belzile
Implementation, management, and assessment of flower strips in orchards to promote the biodiversity of beneficial arthropods as an alternative to pesticide application
Developing and assessing the planting of flower strips in orchard inter-rows as an alternative to the application of insecticides.
Researchers: Daniel Cormier Gérald Chouinard
The impact of alternative housing for laying hens on air quality and the health of workers
The overall aim of this research is to assess the exposure of workers in conventional and alternative egg production facilities to dust and bio-aerosols, and to characterize the respiratory health risks they face.
Researcher: Stéphane Godbout
Fugitive emissions after manure spreading: risk assessment and mitigation
This project addresses the risks posed by the spreading of manure and emissions released into the environment to the biosecurity of farms, as well as to the health of workers and nearby populations.
Researchers: Patrick Brassard Stéphane Godbout
Developing strategies for animal welfare-compliant livestock buildings, to minimize health risks to workers
This project addresses the risks posed by new breeding practices that were developed to improve animal welfare.
Researcher: Stéphane Godbout
Installing and operating a hydrometric station at Ruisseau aux Castors
IRDA has been mandated to design, install, and operate a hydrometric station at the watershed outlet of Ruisseau aux Castors in the Brome-Missisquoi regional county municipality.
Researcher: Simon Ricard
Developing a procedure and tools that utilize genetic markers to identify fecal contamination sources in waterways
This project will develop a procedure that relies on genetic markers to identify the animal species responsible for fecal contamination.
Researcher: Caroline Côté
Implementing a three-year sustainable forage crop rotation for potato and field crop farmers
This project seeks to create farmer partnerships in which participants work on implementing a three-year forage crop rotation protocol in potato and field crop fields.
Researcher: Richard Hogue
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