Science at the heart of vegetable production in Quebec

On March 21, 2024, vegetable growers and other industry stakeholders were invited to the Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu Research and Development Centre (RDC) for a networking event. This was an opportunity for participants to learn more about RDC researchers’ areas of expertise and the research projects underway at the centre related to vegetable production.

Organized in collaboration with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) and the Association des producteurs maraîchers du Québec (APMQ), the event brought together some 50 participants, including around 35 producers, as well as representatives from the Ministère de l'Agriculture, des Pêcheries et de l'Alimentation du Québec (MAPAQ), private consultants and other stakeholders in the field vegetable sector.

The purpose of the event was to bring together research teams and vegetable growers from the region to increase opportunities for collaboration and encourage dialogue in order to provide a better understanding of their individual needs and challenges.

Innovative activities to support the horticultural sector

The Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu RDC is helping the Canadian horticulture sector to remain competitive and sustainable. The RDC’s research focuses on developing new knowledge and technologies in horticultural crop protection, using biovigilance and precision agriculture.

More than 10 RDC research scientists gave presentations on optimizing control methods to counter biotic and abiotic stresses in vegetable production, precision agriculture and digital agriculture technologies as well as on postharvest storage.

Some examples:

• Benjamin Mimee presented a variety of alternative tools for controlling plant-parasitic nematodes, which are tiny, microscopic worms that can cause significant damage to plant roots.

• Mamadou L. Fall presented a high-precision tool that he and his team have developed to detect viruses in horticultural crops. This tool is available at MAPAQ’s Laboratoire d’expertise et de diagnostic en phytoprotection. He also presented a guide to managing corky ringspot in potato. In addition, his team is in the process of developing a mycovirus-based bioproduct for the biological control of Botrytis spp., which causes grey mould in a number of horticultural crops.

• Annie-Ève Gagnon introduced her work on the use of flower strips for the biological control of thrips, an insect pest that can cause significant damage to onion crops. She also presented her research on the introduction of a castrating nematode, an insect-parasitic worm, into carrot fields for the biological control of carrot weevil populations.

• Hervé Van Der Heyden shared his research on the pathology of soil-borne plant pathogens, that is, the study of root diseases caused by fungi and oomycetes. He uses DNA to model and monitor pathogens in order to reduce the risk of plants developing root diseases.

• Étienne Lord gave a presentation on using digital agriculture in promoting plant health and productivity. He highlighted the benefits of robotics applications in horticulture, including the development of a research program to optimize profitability maps, the ability to measure biodiversity using soundscapes and reduced agricultural inputs. He also presented a method for the detection of biotic and abiotic stresses using artificial intelligence and hyperspectral cameras.

• Martin Filion presented his research on the introduction of plant beneficial bacteria into lettuce and potato fields. Plant beneficial bacteria, which are strains of micro-organisms developed as bioinoculants, can be used in plant disease biocontrol and to support plant growth and crop resilience in the face of climate change.

• Pierre-Luc Chagnon presented a suite of new agro-ecosystem management tools used to evaluate the impacts of agricultural practices on soil microbial communities and the physico-chemical properties of soil.

• Marie-Josée Simard and Martin Laforest presented a series of genetic tests that they developed for the early detection of herbicide resistance in weeds. Other tests included a method for the detection of weed emergence and weed stage using imaging, as well as a greenhouse evaluation of the effects of root competition from weeds on lettuce.

Participants were also able to tour the laboratories at the Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu RDC, as well as to attend 3 workshops on:

• alternative methods to the use of insecticides in muck soils, including an introduction to predatory worms that attack an insect pest of carrots;
• the conservation and restoration of muck soils using mulch created from different types of plant biomass; and
• a robotics platform that uses artificial intelligence to more rapidly detect biotic and abiotic stresses in lettuce.

Networking events, such as the one held at the Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu RDC, help to build connections with producers and foster closer collaboration with the sector. The sharing of information helps AAFC science teams better understand the challenges facing vegetable producers in order to better adapt their research projects to industry needs. These events also allow farmers and stakeholders to learn more about the latest findings by AAFC science teams and what AAFC is doing to address issues in the horticultural sector.

Read more about the research projects led by the Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu Research and Development Centre.