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Olds College is located on 2,000 acres of prime farmland in central Alberta. The Olds College Centre for Innovation’s Crops division has a dedicated fields for applied research purposes.
Crops research focuses on assisting companies in seeking answers to the scientific questions that they have about prototype or late-stage product performance and efficacy. We design scientifically-rigorous and statistically meaningful experiments to address the underlying questions.
Our Services
Olds College offers extensive service to agriculture companies. We primarily run small plot trials for companies interested in variety comparisons, herbicide and fungicide ratings or fertilizer assessments.
Companies running multi-site trials using a standard protocol will find expertly managed trial sites and final reporting in ARM. Site visits are encouraged.
- Variety trials (wheat, barley, canola, flax, oats, etc.) for yield and moisture on-board
- Fertilizer trials (broadcast or side banded, foliar sprays)
- Herbicide and fungicide trials (disease or efficacy ratings)
- specialized small plot combine with on-board weighing and moisture-adjusted yields
Our Research
Types of experiments we are currently undertaking include:
Small plot experiments for inputs such as foliar fertilizers, new desiccants, organic inputs, soil health improvers and conditioners
Small plot experiments for new crops (regionally) such as quinoa, hemp and hop
Large strip trials for crop interventions such as air-spraying comparisons
Greenhouse trials on planting tray or pot scale (usually to test efficacy of fertilizer or soil conditioners)
Lab to field studies such as non-labelled pesticide efficacy on target pests for possible label expansion.
Shabeg Briar (pictured above) earned his B.Sc. degree in Agronomy and a Ph.D. in Plant Pathology and Nematology from the Ohio State University, USA. Currently, as an Agronomist at the OCCI, he is responsible for conducting small plot crop trials. He is experienced in using field equipment and conduct herbicide efficacy, crop variety evaluation & pest management studies. He is skilled in identification of bacterial, nematode & fungal plant pathogens. He possess univariate & multivariate data analysis skills using SAS & ARM. Prior to this, he was working as a Research Scientist Agronomy with Montana Agricultural Exp. Station, where he focused on biological control of canola insect pests using predatory nematodes. During his Ph.D. work at The Ohio State University, he focused on soil health of organic and conventional farming systems & studied bio-indicators of soil health and their role in the soil food web. He has published 25 peer reviewed journal articles/book chapter & several extension articles. LinkedIn | Google Scholar | Research Gate
4500 - 50th Street Olds, AB, Canada T4H 1R6