| | Beaverlodge Research Farm, Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada Information on Forage Seed Production
compiled by Nigel A. Fairey
Beaverlodge Research Farm, Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada
P.O. Box 29, Beaverlodge, Alberta T0H 0C0Over the past few decades, the Beaverlodge Research Farm of Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada has been involved in conducting research for the forage seed industry in Canada, with particular emphasis being directed toward the development of opportunities for the grass and legume seed growers of the Peace River region of Alberta and British Columbia.
Many of the reports on projects conducted by the staff of Beaverlodge Research Farm were published and distributed prior to the advent of the Internet which can provide instant access to vast amounts of useful information. Much of the historical information generated at Beaverlodge Research Farm remains useful to today’s growers and their commercial partners in the forage seed industry. Hence, a number of reports have been converted into electronic files to make them accessible to the present participants of the forage seed industry. The information was released in various types of documents:
Forage Cultivar Trials
The original objective of this series of bulletins was to provide relative information on seed production capability and general adaptability of named foreign cultivars of perennial grasses and legumes to assist the Canadian forage seed industry in the development of production contracts and seed export markets. The original emphasis was on crops economically suitable for the Peace River region and which formed part of Canada’s forage seed export industry. Initially, the experimental plots for seed and herbage yields were comprised of two rows, each 6.1 m long and spaced 30 cm apart. Each plot was replicated six times. The published bulletins of the results included the following:
Forage Cultivar Trials 1979 (Publication 79-16B)
This bulletin has results from four locations (two near Beaverlodge on different soil types, one at Falher and one at Fort Vermilion) and supplements “Forage Introductions 1979 (Publication NRG 79-16A)” that has results from the non-replicated plots.
Forage Cultivar Trials 1980 (Publication 80-16B)
This bulletin has results from five locations, the same four as for Publication 79-16B plus High Level. The results supplement “Forage Introductions 1979 (Publication NRG 79-16A)” which reports on all forage varieties evaluated since 1969.
Forage Cultivar Trials 1981 (Publication 81-16B)
This bulletin has results from five locations, the same four as for Publication 79-16B plus High Level. The results supplement “Forage Introductions 1979 (Publication NRG 79-16A)” which reports on all forage varieties evaluated since 1969.
Forage Cultivar Trials 1982 (Publication 82-16B)
This bulletin has results from five locations, the same four as for Publication 79-16B plus High Level. The results supplement “Forage Introductions 1979 (Publication NRG 79-16A)” which reports on all forage varieties evaluated since 1969.
Forage Cultivar Trials 1983 (Publication 83-16B)
This bulletin has results from six locations, the same five as for Publication 80-16B plus Gimle near Beaverlodge. The results supplement “Forage Introductions 1979 (Publication NRG 79-16A)” which reports on all forage varieties evaluated since 1969. This bulletin contains the results from two types of trials, the first with plots of four 6.1 m long rows spaced 30 cm apart and with each variety replicated four times at each site, and the second with plots of two 6.1 m long rows spaced 30 cm apart and with each variety replicated three times.
Forage Cultivar Trials 1984 (Publication 84-16)
This bulletin has results from two sets of trials, similar to those described for Forage Cultivar Trials 1983 (Publication 83-16B) above, and also includes a summary of the long-term variety performance information at each of several trial locations for each of the principal forage species.
Forage Cultivar Trials 1985
This bulletin has results from three sets of trials, similar to those described for Forage Cultivar Trials 1984 (Publication 84-16) above. The summary of the long-term variety performance information includes cultivars licensed in Canada and cultivars eligible for inclusion in the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development’s Schemes for the Varietal Certification of Seed Moving in International Trade.
Forage Cultivar Trials 1986
This bulletin has results from three sets of trials, similar those described for Forage Cultivar Trials 1985 above.
Forage Cultivar Trials 1987
This bulletin has results from three sets of trials, similar to those described for Forage Cultivar Trials 1985 above.
Forage Cultivar Trials 1988
This bulletin has results from three sets of trials, similar those described for Forage Cultivar Trials 1985 above except that seed production information only was collected from the screening trials.
Forage Cultivar Trials 1989 (Publication NRG 89-19)
This bulletin has results from screening trials and evaluation trials. The screening trials were conducted at Beaverlodge for seed production in two-row plots (6.1 m long and spaced 30 cm apart, replicated three times), and were harvested for two production years. The better cultivars from the screening trials were included in the seed and herbage evaluation trials which were conducted at three sites (Research Farm and Foster’s farm near Beaverlodge and Fort Vermilion Experimental Farm) in two-row plots (6.1 m long and spaced 30 cm apart, replicated four times), and were harvested for two production years. Information was also provided on the agents of the seed of each cultivar entered in the trials.
Forage Cultivar Trials 1990 (Publication NRG 90-12)
This bulletin has results from screening trials and evaluation trials similar to those described for Forage Cultivar Trials 1989 (Publication NRG 89-19) above. An index of cultivars entered in the trials, and their seed agents, was provided.
Forage Cultivar Trials 1992 (Publication NRG 92-22)
This bulletin has results for separate seed and herbage production trials that were both conducted at the Beaverlodge and Fort Vermilion Research Farms. For both seed and herbage trials, the plots were replicated four times and were comprised of four rows, each 6.1 m long and spaced 30 cm apart, with the central 5 m from the two central rows in each plot being used for observations and yield assessment. An index of cultivars entered in the trials, and their seed agents, was provided.
Forage Cultivar Trials 1993 (Publication NRG 93-11)
This bulletin has a similar trial format to that described above for Forage Cultivar Trials 1992 (Publication NRG 92-22) except that there is an additional trial site in the central Peace, and the herbage trials were established at the Beaverlodge Research Farm site only.
Forage Cultivar Trials 1995 (Publication NRG 96-01)
The bulletin has results for seed production trials only that were conducted at the Beaverlodge Research Farm and at Falher. The plots were comprised of three rows, each 11 m long and spaced 30 cm apart, and were replicated three times; a 10 m length from the centre row of each plot was used for assessing seed yield.
Forage Cultivar Trials 1998 (Publication NRG 99-01)
The bulletin has results for seed production trials only that were conducted at the Beaverlodge Research Farm and at Rycroft. The plots were comprised of three rows, each 11 m long and spaced 30 cm apart, and were replicated three times; a 10 m length from the centre row of each plot was used for assessing seed yield.
The seed production trials conducted at Beaverlodge Research Farm subsequent to the publication of Forage Cultivar Trials 1998 (Publication NRG 99-01) were part of the Western Canada Grass Seed Variety Trial Program. These results are accessible at the forage seed page of the Alberta Agriculture Food and Rural Development website. |
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