Trials / Projects

2023 Trials

This is another busy year for the GRO crew with 3000+ plots and several field scale trials. Thank you to all of our cooperating producers and seed companies, and our many supporters! Without you, this work would not be possible.

This is an overview of what we’re up to this year, and may not include everything. Watch this page for more information as the year progresses. Results of the trials conducted by GRO can be obtained at the end of each year by becoming a member.

  1. GRO Local Wheat Variety Trial Results
    • yield and agronomic information on varieties not included in regional variety trials
  2. GRO Regional Canola Variety Trial Results
    • Yield and Agronomic information for various canola varieties
  3. Regional Variety Trials (Cereal and Pulse)
  4. Regional Variety Trials (Silage)
  5. Producer run field scale trial
    • Intercropping – Hemp-Legumes, Corn-Soybean
    • Lupin agronomics
    • Small ruminant grazing in brush pasture
  6. Wheat and Barley Agronomic Demonstration Trials
    • protecting yield from weeds
    • varietal mixtures to discourage pests and stabilize yield across environments
    • advanced agronomics for barley production
  7. Prairie Oat Growers Assoc. Milling Oats Trials
    • yield and beta-glucan attributes of various varieties
  8. Cereal breeding nursery for seed companies & researcher for local advanced breeding lines
  9. Innovative Intercropping of Oilseed-Legume combinations 
    • yield and quality data for mono-crop vs intercrop production
    • proof of local viability of Yellow and Brown Mustard, Camelina, Lentil, Quinoa
    • benefits and downfalls of inter-cropping
    • observations of potential new crops for area
  10. Compost/Humate Trial
    • Compost, Wood Ash, Gypsum & Humate as soil amendments – yield, soil sustainability and farm economics
    • collaboration with University of Alberta
  11. Small scale Hemp Trial
    • yield and quality information for different varieties
    • evaluation of various seed treatments
  12. Lupins – various trials and demonstrations
    • variety viability information
    • disease and insect variability compared with fababeans and peas
    • pest observations
    • pod sealant demonstration
  13. Innovative use of deep-rooted cover crops (13 mixes) to improve soil infiltration and water holding capacity and affects on subsequent annual crops
  14. Perennial cereal grain adaptability and utilization for Alberta conditions
    • partnership with AAFC, U of A, and ARAs to examine effects of various nutrient amendments
  15. Thistle control in pasture
    • comparing use of molasses at bud stage, bale grazing on thistle patches, mowing at bud stage vs control
  16. Pasture soil amendment trial
    • measuring yield differences with various amendments such as biochar and wood ash
    • measuring soil microbial changes
  17. Bale Grazing Trials
    • effects on weed control and soil health
    • perennial forage variety evaluation and demonstration 
  18. Grazing management alternatives soil testing
  19. Alternative Silage Options Trial
    • evaluation of alternation planting options for use as silage: winter/spring cereal silage and cereal/legume silage 
  20. National Grasslands Inventory Survey