Soil compaction is a pervasive problem in potato fields across Prince Edward Island, which often goes undetected. With the continued use of agricultural machinery and the repeated tiling of fields, leads to a decline in soil quality, resulting in the formation of hardpans posing a threat to sustainable agriculture. Hardpans are characterized by reduced water and nutrient uptake in crops, due to restricted root growth and soil penetration. These issues exacerbate waterlogging and erosion, ultimately leading to decreased crop yield.

The aim of this research is to use electromagnetic induction (EMI) to determine the relationship between soil’s apparent electrical conductivity (ECa) with the compaction below the soil surface (up to 40 cm) within potato fields. Various potato fields across Prince Edward Island will be surveyed by DUALEM-II and SWAT BOX technology to collect soil ECa data. Soil samples will be collected at depths of 0-15 cm, 15-30 cm, and 30-40 cm for laboratory analysis of soil properties, along with penetrometer readings to assess soil compaction. All the collected data will be georeferenced using global positioning system (GPS) and interpolated using geographic information systems (GIS) to detect and estimate the extent of soil compaction. The delineation of compaction zones assists farmers to conduct variable rate tillage. By minimizing soil disturbance, farmers can promote soil health, increase crop yield, and achieve higher profit margins. Overall, this study will contribute to the development of efficient and sustainable management strategies for potato fields, resulting in improved soil quality and crop production.

The University of Guelph is developping the Elora Research Farm with the addition of the new Ontario Swine Research Center. the main research orientations are related to swine nutrition, animal performance, genetic, environment protection and animal well-being. these aspects are reviewed: 1- technical and functional program for the swine population and production cycles, 2- biosecurity for swine and humans, 3- flow diagrams for material, animals and personnel, 4- novel technologies for precision feeding such as gestating sows electronic multiration feeding system, multiration feed preparation and distribution for pigglets and finishers, IVOG precision data for weaner and finisher, multiration electronic feeding system for lactating sows, 5- complete barn air quality control system with a centralized control system and fully automatic air intake, distribution and chimney exhaust. the construction phases are illustraded to visualized the different construction steps. the engineering design and construction general review mandate is summerized.

The population dynamics of Tribolium castaneum was studied at 30℃ using long vertical columns (LVCs) (diameter 150 mm, length 1020 mm) and shallow containers (SCs) (length 460 mm, width 660 mm, height 150 mm), containing 14 kg of whole wheat or a diet made of whole wheat and cracked wheat in 19:1 ratio by mass. The moisture content of the wheat or mixed diet was 14.5% (wb). Every 4 wk and up to 24 wk the live and dead adults were counted in the SCs or in each section of the LVCs. Each LVC was separated into 10 equal sections before removing grain from the LVC. After counting, the grains were incubated at 30℃ and 70% RH for 4 wk, and emerged adults after re-incubation were counted as offspring. No significant difference was observed in the insect densities in the entire LVCs and SCs containing whole wheat. The maximum insect density was observed in the top section of LVC, therefore, comparison of insect densities between the top section of LVCs and SCs were made. Nevertheless, no significant difference was found between the insect densities at the top section of LVCs and SCs, implying that surface area did not produce any significant effect on the population dynamics. The diet materials used in the present study also did not produce any significant effect on the insect population dynamics.

Since there are numerous types of nutrition-sensitive agriculture (NSA) interventions, many NSA indicators to measure their impact, as well as many other factors (e.g., context of the community) to consider when designing an NSA project, the task may become overwhelming. By using a multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) method, it was determined that a nutrition education intervention was the most suitable for Jesús de Machaca, a Bolivian population. Data on the local gastronomy was obtained: a total of 150 dishes were identified, and the composition (i.e., macronutrients, micronutrients, and caloric content) of each was assessed using the Bolivian table of food composition. Based on the context of the community, a behavior change communication program was designed, aiming to improve the diet quality and, eventually, the health status of the population. Once the theory of change was formulated, pathways were prioritized using the following inputs: conceptual frameworks, published empirical evidence, a feasibility study, formative research, and local knowledge from the members of the Bolivian Association Pro-Rural. After prioritizing the key pathways, the specific behaviors to address were identified and prioritized. We based the prioritization on the formative research, local knowledge and impact pathways. The intervention is plan to be monitored using several types of NSA indicators. Impact and process evaluations will reveal whether these approaches are effective for improving the diet quality and health status, and what effects are on each hypothesized impact pathway.