Zurich Citizens News, 1980-08-21, Page 19Experiments take many direction:
Citiz.ns News, August 21, 1980
Page 19
B_ecins are.big at. CCAT
When it comes to cluding corn, soybeans and new weeds coming into the Martin said much of the
agricultural research in rutabagas. province which could pose a research which the
Ontario one need not look too Various crop rotation control problem, Martin agronomy' section carries
far away from the heartland techniques of the white bean replied that prozomillet is a out is in conjunction with
of the white bean. are an on-going project of weed capable of covering a federal department of
About 15 miles south of the school and go on for field in three to four years agriculture research station
Zurich is the Centralia upward of 20 years. At the and that there are very few at Harrow. Martin joked
College of Agricultural school, varying crop rotation chemicals capable of con- ' "They do all the work and
Technology which has one of patterns have been practiced trolling it. we get all the benefit."
the most extensive research since 1976 with Martin Prozomillet and its.control Rutabagas which are an
programs on the white bean saying no firm conclusions are the subject of O'Toole's important crop in Huron
in all of Canada. on the project can be Master's degree thesis, County, are another crop
Nestled among the former gathered for another six to 12 Martin added. on which CCAT is doing
air force base is the Yea's. Traditionally, white beans extensive work.
agronomy section of the However, a test plot has have been grown in rows Turnips have problems
school headed by Jim shown that varying the crop which are 28 inches apart with both insects and other
O'Toole of Exeter. The rotation period of white and the plants are planted plants with the control of the
research department has beans can have a dramatic very closely together. flea beetle and the rotmaggof
another two full-time staff effect on the height of corn At the research plot the of interest to Martin and his
persons including technician which follows the white . school is trying rows which
Hugh Martin. beans. are only seven inches apart
According to Martin most Work is also being carried -but where there- is more
of the research of the white out on the most effective use space between each plant.
bean isconductedatCCAT for of herbicides. Martin said Martin said they believe
the simple reason that this is this is very important work the seven inch row will allow
where most of the white as the number of new her- for a better root structure, a
beans harvested in this bicides coming onto the reduction in moisture
country are grown. market dwindles and as requirements and better
Of the 15 acres which are certain plants develop a weed control.
devoted to agricultural degree of resistance to ' The application of growth
research, five acres are commonly applied her- regulators to the white bean
planted in the crop for which bicides. crop are being studied to
the bean festival is famous As a result of their ex- determine if their ap-
for. perimentation, the school plication could facilitate a
Several aspects of the has found certain chemicals better harvest.
cultivation of the white bean work better if the chemical is In the case of the white
are at present being lightly worked into the soil bean, the growth regulator
examined, including the just after spraying and which is a hormone treat -
effect of various herbicides, before planting. ment would facilitate the
different crop rotation The agronomy section is ripening of the bean plants at
techniques, unusual planting also researching the benefits the same rate.
practices and the application of "cocktail" herbicides or in Growth regulators have
of growth re&ulators. other words, . the mixing been used in the tomato -
Martin explained that together of two separate industry to insure that the
many of the agronomy herbicides to control dif- mechanically harvested
experiments are also being ferent weeds. plants ripen at the same
applied on other crops in- Asked if there are many time.
F
associates.
One of the projects in the
research plot is the trapping
of rutabaga maggots to
determine an average in-
festation per acre. The
purpose behind the maggot-
catching
aggotcatching is to determine a
cycle for heavy maggot
infestation.
"We hope to take the
unpredictability out df
controlling the insects,"
Martin stated.
on the tuber.
The school is constantly
trying out new ideas, some
which work and some which
don't.
Their latest example of an
"iffy" project is the use of a
greenhouse fumigant as a
control for weeds among the
turnip crop.
To date, this plot has no
weeds but then, it also
doesn't have any turnips.
Various types of Win or lose, the agronomy
unregistered herbicides are section of CCAT keeps trying
also being triedonturhipsAt and that's the important
present, there are two aspect of agricultural
herbicides licensed for use research.
1,4
EFFECTS OF CROP ROTATION — Among the agronomy section's 15 acres is a small plot
of corn. In this shot, the effects of differing crop rotation practices are dramatically
demonstrated among the corn crop. Staff photo
Sw
• dz
•1
Not
LOOKING FOR MOULD — The Centralia College of Agricultural Technology experiments
in different ways of growing crops which are common to •the area. In this photo Martin
looks for evidence of moulding among the school's white bean crop. Staff photo
MAGGOT TRAPPING — Among the many projects undertaken in the agronomy section of
the Centralia College of AgriculturalTechnology is a count of maggots which feed on the
rutabaga crop. Checking the maggot catcher is technician Hugh Martin. Staff photo
BRONZED BEANS -- Among the many ills which can strike the white bean crop is the bron-
zing of the leaves. Certain plants at the school's research plot have shown evidence of the
disease. Staff photo