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.

Results for 2017 Market gardening

Quantitative and qualitative water management in crops

Designing and teaching a course for agricultural consultants.

Researcher: Carl Boivin

Read more about the project

Carl Boivin
2017-2018 • Market gardening

Multidisciplinary assessment of organic production systems for baby lettuce on muck soil

This project aims to assess the impact of cropping practices on baby lettuce yields and quality on muck soil.

Researchers: Caroline Côté Annabelle Firlej

Read more about the project

Caroline Côté
Annabelle Firlej
2016-2018 • Market gardening

Release of trichogramma wasps by drone, a new approach to the control of the European corn borer in processing sweet corn

Evaluation of the potential of drones to optimize trichogramma releases against the European corn borer on processing sweet corn in Québec.

Read more about the project

2017-2018 • Market gardening

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

Read more about the project

Christine Landry
2017-2019 • Market gardening

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

Read more about the project

Richard Hogue
2017 • Market gardening

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

Read more about the project

Carl Boivin
2017-2018 • Market gardening

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

Read more about the project

Carl Boivin
2017-2018 • Market gardening

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.

Read more about the project

2016-2018 • Market gardening

Impact of irrigation system management and cultivar on nitrogen use by potatoes under commercial production conditions

The goal of this project was to measure the impact of irrigation management on nitrogen uptake and available soil nitrogen on several cultivars under commercial production conditions.

Researcher: Christine Landry

Read more about the project

Christine Landry
2017-2019 • Market gardening

Cost-effectiveness of irrigation on Québec potato farms

The aim of this project is to evaluate this aspect of potato production economics to assist producers and their advisors.

Researcher: Luc Belzile

Read more about the project

2016-2019 • Market gardening

Integrated approach to nitrogen fertilization for profitable organic potato production and a balanced phosphorus budget

There is a great need to test green manure as a main source of nitrogen for potatoes as they help to maintain soil quality and control weeds.

Researcher: Christine Landry

Read more about the project

Christine Landry
2017-2019 • Market gardening

Combining slow release and conventional nitrogen fertilizer to reduce leaching and stabilize annual potato yields

Meeting nitrogen requirements mainly through the use of a highly stable form of fertilizer can minimize nitrogen losses, provide nitrogen amounts closer to the plant’s actual needs.

Researcher: Christine Landry

Read more about the project

Christine Landry
2015-2019 • Market gardening

Selection and management of legume intercrops in organic vegetable production

This project proposes ways of using legume intercrops to control vegetable pests (insects, diseases, and weeds) while increasing soil productivity and quality and economic yields.

Researcher: Annabelle Firlej

Read more about the project

Annabelle Firlej
2015-2019 • Market gardening

Biological control of leek moth through the release of trichogramma wasps in organic leek production in Québec

This project as aimed at comparing the efficacy of two parasites (T. brassicae and T. ostriniae) on leek moth.

Researcher: Annabelle Firlej

Read more about the project

Annabelle Firlej
2014-2018 • Market gardening

Control strategies for swede midge in organic production

This project evaluated effective and economically viable control strategies for swede midge that are healthy for both humans and the ecosystem.

Read more about the project

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

F