Research roundup
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Hand held device in the works for mycotoxin detection in grains
Maritza Vatta
An affordable hand-held test for mycotoxins is being developed for farmers. University of Guelph Professor Richard Manderville is creating the test device by using something called aptamers. These are long pieces of DNA that bind well to molecular targets, such as mycotoxin molecules.
When the binding occurs a fluorescence signal is emitted, which lets the user know a mycotoxin is present. “We are hoping to improve on the present system for detection,” says Manderville. “We want farmers to be able to efficiently test for mycotoxin at any point by themselves.”
Collaborators on this research are PhD student Kaila Fadock and MSc student Darian Blanchard.
This research is funded by NSERC and NeoVentures Biotechnology Inc. •
Use one pass of Roundup, not two, for sustainability
Brittany Hall
Sustainable weed management studies in soybeans show that one pass of a pre-emergent herbicide followed by another pass of post-emergent Roundup is better than two passes of Roundup.
Professor Peter Sikkema, Field Crop Weed Management at the University of Guelph Ridgetown Campus, worked with Dr. Nader Soltani and Agriculture and Agri- Food Canada’s Dr. Robert Nurse over a three- year period on test plots near Ridgetown, Harrow, and Exeter.
They found that generally the two weed control programs provided equivalent weed control, equivalent soybean yield, and comparable net returns per acre.
“Rather than applying two passes of Roundup, incorporating multiple modes of action into weed control programs will reduce the selection intensity for glyphosate resistant weeds,” says Sikkema. “Ontario soybean producers are encouraged to include alternate modes of action in their weed control programs.”
Weeds evaluated in this study included velvetleaf, pigweed, common ragweed, lamb’s-quarters, barnyard grass, and green foxtail, demonstrating the robustness of the study.
Funding for this study was provided by BASF, Dow AgroSciences, Syngenta, and Valent. •
Research Roundup is provided by members of SPARK (Students Promoting Awareness of Research Knowledge) at the University of Guelph’s Office of Research. For more information, contact a SPARK writer at 519-824-4120, ext. 52667.
