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4R POTATO RESEARCH IN PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND

4R POTATO RESEARCH IN PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND. GENESIS CROP SYSTEMS INC. CURRENT SITUATION Yields not keeping pace with competition Soil erosion a major concern and ground water [NO3] levels higher than desirable Production is moving west Industry lives in a fishbowl. GENESIS

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4R POTATO RESEARCH IN PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND

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  1. 4R POTATO RESEARCH IN PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND GENESIS CROP SYSTEMS INC

  2. CURRENT SITUATION • Yields not keeping pace with competition • Soil erosion a major concern and ground water [NO3] levels higher than desirable • Production is moving west • Industry lives in a fishbowl GENESIS CROP SYSTEMS INC

  3. Generally speaking……………. • Most common fertilizer strategy relies on: • Soil testing either in the fall or spring prior to planting • Adjust soil pH to 5.8 – 6.0 (PEI has naturally acidic soils) • AN, Urea, DAP and KCl major components • Bulk of crops’ N-P-K requirements applied “down the pipes” (banded) at planting • Majority of soils test H-VH for P2O5 • Quite different from many other major potato production areas • Results • High salt index near seed • Excess levels of major nutrients before • being needed by crop, but! Remember, • we are in a dry land situation – • little opportunity for fertigation • Doing what we’ve been doing……. GENESIS CROP SYSTEMS INC

  4. Right Product • Right Rate • Right Time • Right Place • Closely related to Nutrient Management Planning, etc GENESIS CROP SYSTEMS INC

  5. WHY 4R? - Economics - Environment - Social Objective – to demonstrate 4R approach to profitable and sustainable potato production on PEI Note: No “current” template to work from, so we developed our own based on best available information from various sources GENESIS CROP SYSTEMS INC

  6. May not always be • Most convenient • Least expensive (on a per acre basis) GENESIS CROP SYSTEMS INC

  7. Should always be • Softer on environmental footprint • Might be…. more profitable? GENESIS CROP SYSTEMS INC

  8. FARMING 4 OUR ISLAND initiative • Follow up of some preliminary field work conducted in 2012 • Field scale trials initiated in 2013 • Side by side demos in commercial fields • Real life proof of performance • Funding Partners include Several Provincial Gov’t Departments, several Ag Industry Organizations, Local Watershed Groups and five interested commercial potato producers in 2013; thirteen in 2014 GENESIS CROP SYSTEMS INC

  9. In 2013….5 Sites Across PEI 2 Russet Burbank – irrigated 2 Shepody, 1 Ranger Russet GENESIS CROP SYSTEMS INC

  10. What was done…. • Review field inventory & select field • > 25 acres in size – min 10 acre Mod • Review current soil test report • Prepare “Modified” fertilizer program that took into account – variety, end use, soil status, rotation credits, etc • Set GPS sample points in each treatment area for subsequent soil/plant sampling • Hand harvest 6 X 15’ strips from each treatment in each field – same # of plants each time • Submit samples to Cavendish Farms Central Grading Facility for yield/quality/crop value analysis • Create N-P-K balance sheet to compare programs GENESIS CROP SYSTEMS INC

  11. Features of Mod programs • Reduction in N at three sites – N remained similar at other two. • N was split applied as two or three (RB) applications and sourced from various products including Urea, Ammonium Nitrate, Calcium Ammonium Nitrate and the two P2O5 sources (DAP or MAP) • Reductions of P2O5 at all sites • K2O adjusted up or down depending on soil test values • Portion of N (from urea) and • K20 (from KCl) broadcast and • incorporated prior to planting GENESIS CROP SYSTEMS INC

  12. Features of Mod programs (cont’d) • All KCl removed from planter mix – replaced with SOP • Mg levels increased to deliver additional Mg to crop – all via planter mix • B and Zn added as deemed necessary from soil test report • Growers were encouraged not to use any foliar fertilizer products without prior consultation GENESIS CROP SYSTEMS INC

  13. SO WHAT??? in 2013 • In Shepody* and Ranger, no noticeable difference in crop emergence, vigor, foliage color or days to senescence from either treatment • In Burbank, however, Mod treated plants were slower to reach full canopy, remained paler green in color for majority of the growing season and senesced earlier than the GSP treated plants at both sites • No consistent differences observed regarding mid season petiole/whole plant nutrient content values from either treatment at any site Shepody Brudenell Site July 8, 2013 GENESIS CROP SYSTEMS INC

  14. GENESIS CROP SYSTEMS INC

  15. ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS • Less N and P2O5 left on the balance sheet at four of four qualifying sites • Two of four sites had less NO3-N at the 0-18” zone; two of four were similar GENESIS CROP SYSTEMS INC

  16. In 2014, increased to 13 sites (eventually 15 due to 2 split irrigated/dry sites) 4R 4R 4R 4R 4R 4R 4R 4R 4R 4R 4R 4R 4R 6 Russet Burbank, 2 Prospect, 1 Shepody, 1 Ranger Russet, 1 Superior, 1 Goldrush, 1 Sifra and included use for processing, seed and fresh use - Kept strategy similar to past years GENESIS CROP SYSTEMS INC

  17. 2014 RESULTS • Generally similar to 2013 • Data from three of fifteen sites discarded • Data from three other sites placed in separate category – excess dockage with no relationship to fertility program • Remaining nine sites used for discussion GENESIS CROP SYSTEMS INC

  18. PEI 2014 4R DEMONSTRATION SITE SITE L LOCATION SEPT 8 MOD GSP GSP Photo: Evan MacDonald GENESIS CROP SYSTEMS INC

  19. PEI 2014 4R DEMONSTRATION SITE Site L Net Change in Crop Value $ / acre MOD GSP + $88/ acre GSP Photo: Evan MacDonald GENESIS CROP SYSTEMS INC

  20. Change in Net Crop Value ($/acre) 2014 PEI 4R Potato Trial ** ** Numerically……Equal or better net crop value in 4R treated areas at seven of nine sites GENESIS CROP SYSTEMS INC

  21. ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS • Less N on the balance sheet at thirteen of thirteen sites • Less P2O5 on the balance sheet at twelve of thirteen sites • Less NO3-N in the 0-18” zone at 8 of ten sites measured GENESIS CROP SYSTEMS INC

  22. ALL IN…….THIRTEEN QUALIFYING SITES 2013-2014 ** ** * Change in net crop value $/acre ** GENESIS CROP SYSTEMS INC

  23. GOING FORWARD……………… • Trials will continue in 2015; not sure of how many sites as yet • Will be looking at starting to make some additional adjustments - 5 years down the road may look quite a bit different from today but, one step at a time. • Does the 4R concept have merit under PEI conditions? ABSOLUTELY, we might be on to something • “WORK IN PROGRESS” GENESIS CROP SYSTEMS INC

  24. Thanks to……………. Staff from PEIDAF Cavendish Farms Research Division Cavendish Farms Central Grading Barry Murray & all participating growers Hunter Farms Brian Annear Willard Waugh & Sons MacLennan Propertries Birch Farms Oyster Cove Farms Don Godfrey Martin Visser & Sons Rollo Bay Holdings W & J Townshend Mo’Dhaicd’h Farms Linkletter Farms Island Holdings GENESIS CROP SYSTEMS INC

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