Researcher, Ph.D.
418 643-2380
ext 420
Agronomic, environmental, physical, chemical, and biological parameters are the main parameters used to determine soil health and agrosystem sustainability. However, the biological parameters that currently used are not accurate enough. Recent advances in biological and genomic analysis techniques have improved the affordability of detailed structural and functional characterizations of numerous biological communities that play essential roles in soil health and agroecosystem sustainability. The project was aimed at identifying and incorporating biological indicators into decision support tools used to assist producers and agroenvironmental regulatory bodies seeking to preserve soil productivity and use sustainable production systems. The project was a major innovation that enhanced our knowledge of factors that disrupt cropping programs and farming practices in Québec grain crops.
From 2016 to 2018
Project duration
Field crops
Activity areas
Soil health
Service
DNA sequencing can be used to inventory all the organisms living in a soil sample.
Centre de recherche sur les grains | Université Laval | Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada | Ministère de l'Agriculture, des Pêcheries et de l'Alimentation du Québec | Growing Forward 2 : Innov’Action programme
This research project, initiated by the CÉROM grain research centre, looks to assess the cost-effectiveness of nitrogen fertilizer applications improved by the addition of urea, for use with winter wheat crops grown in Québec.
Researcher: Luc Belzile
Canola and wheat (wheat-corn-canola rotation) were planted in 2016 and 2017, respectively, on 12 experimental plots with tillage practices on the main plots (minimum tillage and chisel plow) and fertilization methods (mineral fertilizers, 25 m3/ha of pig manure and 50 m3/ha of pig manure) in the subplots.
Researchers: Caroline Côté Marc-Olivier Gasser
This project was carried out by Club agroenvironnemental de l’Estrie and IRDA was in charge of conducting the economic analysis.
Researcher: Luc Belzile