Aside from irrigation, there is no sure way to avoid the impact of drought on crops. Irrigation is not always possible, however, so other management strategies must be used to try and reduce the effects. Minnesota Farm Guide recently interviewed Joe Pedretti of the Midwest Organic and Sustainable Education Service (MOSES), who offered several practices […]
Read MoreBlog
Canola’s Growing Potential
A record number of canola acres were seeded in Canada for the 6th straight year in 2012. The United States planted a record number of acres as well. Part of this increase in acreage is due to the relative newness of canola as a large-scale commercial crop. Plenty of opportunity remains for improved production, so […]
Read MoreCementing the Role of a Plant Growth Promoting Bacteria
Soil bacteria are frequently studied in the context of soil health and soil-plant-microbe interactions. But one known plant growth promoting bacterium has beneficial effects outside of growth promotion. An innovative team at Northumbria University has found that Bacillus megaterium can be used to extend the life of concrete and even repair existing concrete. How this species […]
Read More4 Steps to Checking Root Nodules for Nitrogen Fixation
Legumes can supply their own nitrogen, provided that appropriate species of Rhizobium bacteria are present. This allows legumes to produce greater yields without additional nitrogen and also helps succeeding crops in the rotation. Checking root nodules for nitrogen fixation is a straight forward process: Wait 4-6 weeks after planting. It takes this long for nodules […]
Read More
Intentionally Polluting Lakes
Polluting lakes on purpose in the name of science. This is everyday life at the Experimental Lakes Area (ELA), a collection of 58 freshwater lakes in the province of Ontario, Canada. Under government protection since 1968, these lakes are designated for the sole purpose of conducting experiments over an entire lake ecosystem. These lakes […]
Read More
Thriving Through Innovation
I believe innovation is the most powerful force for change in the world. – Bill Gates As the problems facing the world become more challenging, the solutions needed to overcome them require us to be more creative. In a report delivered at the G20 summit in November 2011, Bill Gates provided an example […]
Read MoreWelcome!
Hello and welcome to Growing Possibilities, the new blog hosted by XiteBio Technologies. Here you’ll find conversations, news, and perspectives relating to agriculture and the environment. In our daily lives at the IRD (Innovation, Research, & Development) Centre, we constantly keep ourselves up-to-date with the knowledge we need to innovate, test, and provide microbial technologies […]
Read More