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Lakehead University Agricultural Research Station continues to help local farmers

THUNDER BAY — The Lakehead University Agricultural Research Station (LUARS) is continuing to test new fertilizers and other products, with 51 experiments happening in total this summer.

At the annual tour on Aug. 1, Andrew Brekveld, a farmer at Woodstar Farm, said having LUARS is a huge benefit.

“Tarlok Sahota (the LUARS director) and his crew over here do research on a small scale so that, as farmers, we can take those results and apply them to a larger field with less risk because it's been trialled.

“It's been a great thing to have this station here,” he said.

Brekveld said this station is a necessity for the area.

“It has allowed farmers to increase their acres of production and involve new practices. We're very thankful for the work that Tarlok and his crew here does for us,” he said.

Farmers are not the only ones benefitting from the research station.

Harsh Bagria completed his master’s degree in forestry at Lakehead University and LUARS. Under Prof. Brian McLaren and Sahota’s guidance, Bagria performed research on spring wheat.

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Sclerotinia and Lygus in Seed Canola: Field Update with George Lubberts, CCA | Enchant, Alberta

Video: Sclerotinia and Lygus in Seed Canola: Field Update with George Lubberts, CCA | Enchant, Alberta

Join Certified Crop Advisor George Lubberts for this Prairie Certified Crop Advisor (Prairie CCA) field update from Enchant, Alberta. In this 12th video of the series, George takes us into a seed canola field where the male rows have been removed and the female plants are filling pods. This video was taken in the third week of August 2025.

George discusses the early signs of sclerotinia stem rot, explaining how infection begins in the stem, impacts pod development, and leads to premature ripening. He also shares insights on lygus bug management, including timing of spray applications to minimize feeding damage and maintain seed size and quality.

With cool, damp summer conditions, George notes that while disease pressure is present, overall field health remains good. The crop is just beginning to show early seed colour change, signaling progress toward maturity.

Topics Covered:

•Sclerotinia stem rot identification and impact

•Managing lygus bugs in seed canola

•Crop stage and seed colour change observations

•Timing insecticide sprays for optimal protection

•Insights from a CCA field perspective in southern Alberta