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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Results for 2017
2014-2017 • Field crops

Development of cover crop techniques and their adaptation to the Estrie region

IRDA was in charge of conducting the economic analysis for this project carried out by Club agroenvironnemental de l’Estrie (CAE Estrie).

Researcher: Luc Belzile

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2014-2018 • Fruit production

Development of a cropping system for organic raspberries in high tunnels

Evaluate the toxicity of biological pesticides or repellents to control the spotted wing drosophila on everbearing raspberries grown in tunnels.

Researcher: Daniel Cormier

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Daniel Cormier
2015-2017 • Market gardening

Developing decision support tools for integrated potato irrigation management

The aim of this project was to set up a support service to equip producers and others in the industry to improve their irrigation management.

Researcher: Carl Boivin

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Carl Boivin
2015-2018 • Fruit production

Distribution of the infection period required by individual ascospores of Venturia inaequalis

Improving the RIMpro software to better predict the risk of infection during rainfall.

Researcher: Vincent Philion

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Vincent Philion
2015-2017 • Field crops

Impacts of green manure on soil structure in the Estrie region

This project was carried out by Club agroenvironnemental de l’Estrie and IRDA was in charge of conducting the economic analysis.

Researcher: Luc Belzile

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2015-2017 • Livestock production

Managing berms and swales to increase the effectiveness of vegetative filter strips around beef cow wintering lots

This project aimed to evaluate the purification capacity of different configurations of swales planted with shrubs or perennial grasses to serve as vegetative filter strips.

Researcher: Marc-Olivier Gasser

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Marc-Olivier Gasser
2015-2018 • Field cropsLivestock production

A diagnostic tool for phosphorus and nitrogen exports (P+N Edit)

The aim of this project was to consolidate current scientific knowledge with a view to developing a spatially referenced tool to predict diffuse sediment, nitrogen, and phosphorus exports at the farm and watershed scale.

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Aubert Michaud, retraité
2014-2017 • Market gardening

Identifying the causes of strawberry decline disease with a view to developing an integrated control strategy

This project involved an exhaustive survey of viruses, phytoplasma, fungi, and nematodes in nurseries and strawberry fields to determine the exact causes of strawberry decline disease in Québec. 

Researcher: Richard Hogue

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Richard Hogue
2014-2017 • Fruit production

Sterile insect release as a biological control method for the spotted wing drosophila: sterilization protocol, competitiveness of irradiated males, and releases in semi-natural conditions

The project consisted of sterilizing spotted wing drosophilas in the laboratory and mass releasing it in crops as a biocontrol method.

Researcher: Annabelle Firlej

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Annabelle Firlej
2014-2018 • Fruit production

Developing a cropping system for organic strawberries

In a high density strawberry crop grown in sod covered with plastic mulch, evaluate the toxicity of bioinsecticides for controlling tarnished plant bugs and strawberry blossom beetles and of bioherbicides for controlling weeds in and between crop rows.

Researcher: Daniel Cormier

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Daniel Cormier
2014-2017

Pyrolysis of agricultural residues to produce bio-oil having No.2 fuel oil characteristics for greenhouse heating systems

The project generated scientific knowledge to produce bio-oil from rapid pyrolysis using plastic residues.

Researcher: Stéphane Godbout

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Stéphane Godbout
2014-2017

Hydrological monitoring of the Campbell Stream greening project

The team at IRDA conducted hydrological monitoring on Branch 1 of the Campbell Stream (test basin) as well as the stream’s main branch, which was used as a control.

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Aubert Michaud, retraité
2013-2017 • Field crops

Developing new techniques to control water table levels in sphagnum farming

The objective of this project was to develop effective techniques for controlling water table levels in sphagnum moss basins. Underground irrigation systems were installed at a number of experimental sites.

Researcher: Stéphane Godbout

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Stéphane Godbout
2014-2017 • Field crops

Subsoiling and temporary drainage in soils with low permeability

The project evaluated and compared the effectiveness of two types of subsoil plows (mounted on a bulldozer or a tractor) operated parallel and perpendicular to the tile drains to improve soil drainage conditions and productivity compared to control plots.

Researcher: Marc-Olivier Gasser

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Marc-Olivier Gasser
2014-2017 • Market gardening

Biological characterization of soils to increase potato productivity and soil sustainability

To increase the productivity of potato production systems and preserve soil quality, we need to enhance our knowledge of interactions among biological, physical, chemical, and agronomic characteristics of cultivated soils in various environments.

Researcher: Richard Hogue

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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

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