This project is being conducted by Université Laval, and IRDA is in charge of the economic analysis. The purpose of this initial, three-year project is to examine the impact of flower plantings on bumblebee biodiversity in apple orchards in southern Québec.
From 2017 to 2020
Project duration
Fruit production
Activity areas
Ecosystem protection
Service
IRDA's economic analyses help assess the implementation costs and cost-effectiveness of farming practices.
Ministère de l'Agriculture, des Pêcheries et de l'Alimentation du Québec | Université Laval
Exclusion nets have proven to be effective against nearly all of these insect pests, which means that it’s possible to develop apple growing practices in Québec that are not only neonicotinoid free, but also devoid of all pesticides (including acaricides, given that mite problems are a consequence of broad-spectrum insecticide use). Although the net exclusion microsystem studied in Québec since 2012 has demonstrated its effectiveness in controlling insect pests, some issues remain to be studied before it can be unreservedly recommended. Among these are the handling times for the nets, i.e., installation/removal and opening/closing, and the system’s profitability and durability over the long haul for various cultivars.
Researcher: Mikaël Larose
Developing a fast and sensitive molecular detection methodology able to accurately identify raspberry and strawberry viruses.
Researchers: Richard Hogue Luc Belzile