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Olds College expands Smart Farm research into Saskatchewan

Olds College of Agriculture and Technology is expanding its Smart Farm research into Saskatchewan. 

Todd Ormann, Associate Vice President of Strategic Partnerships says the expansion into Saskatchewan was made possible with the donation of 800 acres of land west of Craik by Margery and her late husband George Steckler.

"They initially grew up in Saskatchewan, that's where their homestead was, then they moved into Alberta and farmed. They pledged the land to us, so that 800 acres in Saskatchewan is part of that pledge. The intent of that land is to do exactly what we're doing here in Olds, Alberta and make that very strongly focused on applied research."

He notes work at the Smart Farm is primarily focused on five key areas of applied research, autonomous agricultural equipment, sensors, data utilization, technology development and validation, and regenerative agriculture.

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LALEXPERT: Sclerotinia cycle and prophylactic methods

Video: LALEXPERT: Sclerotinia cycle and prophylactic methods

White rot, also known as sclerotinia, is a common agricultural fungal disease caused by various virulent species of Sclerotinia. It initially affects the root system (mycelium) before spreading to the aerial parts through the dissemination of spores.

Sclerotinia is undoubtedly a disease of major economic importance, and very damaging in the event of a heavy attack.

All these attacks come from the primary inoculum stored in the soil: sclerotia. These forms of resistance can survive in the soil for over 10 years, maintaining constant contamination of susceptible host crops, causing symptoms on the crop and replenishing the soil inoculum with new sclerotia.