Page 176 - Plant Canada 2024 Proceeding

PLANT CANADA 2024

additional trials planned in a controlled environment. This research has the potential to introduce seed
treatments as a novel and effective strategy for managing SCN in dry beans, contributing to sustainable
agricultural practices in affected regions. Our findings not only address a significant gap in the current
research but also offer practical implications for enhancing crop protection in a niche agricultural sector in
Ontario.

[O142] EFFECT OF HUMIC-BASED SOIL AMENDMENT ON PLANT GROWTH, YIELD AND
1
SYMBIOTIC NITROGEN FIXATION OF FIELD PEA (Pisum sativum L.) Pramod Rathor , Thomas D.

Warkentin , and Malinda S. Thilakarathna . Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Science,
1 1
2
University of Alberta, 9011- 116 St, NW, Edmonton, AB, Canada, T6G 2P5; and Crop Development
2
Centre, University of Saskatchewan, College of Agriculture and Bioresources, 51 Campus Drive,
Saskatoon, SK, Canada, S7N 5A8
Correspondence to: malinda.thilakarathna@ualberta.ca

The use of biostimulants, including humic-based soil amendments, in crop production has garnered
considerable attention in recent years due to their organic origin and their ability to improve soil health,
plant growth, yield, and nutritional quality. Humalite, a naturally occurring organic soil amendment rich in
humic acid and deposited in large amounts in southern Alberta, was investigated in this study for its
impact on plant growth, yield, and nitrogen fixation of field pea. Field pea plants inoculated with
Rhizobium leguminosarum bv. viciae (3841) were grown in pots under greenhouse conditions using
nitrogen deficit soil media prepared by mixing soil with sand at a ratio of 1:2 (v/v) and supplemented with
five different humalite rates (0, 200, 400, 800 and 1600 kg ha ). Symbiotic nitrogen fixation capacity was
-1
assessed using the N isotope dilution method. Results showed that plants treated with humalite
15
displayed augmented root traits [root length (21-50%), root surface area (24-51%), volume (26-53%),
average nodule weight (11-91%)], plant biomass [shoots (13-29%) and roots (29-54%)], shoot nitrogen
concentration (12-33%), shoot total nitrogen content (38-53%), nitrogen derived from the atmosphere (8-
14%), and total shoot nitrogen fixed (48-80%) per plant compared to the control plants at the flowering
stage (BBCH:65). Furthermore, at seed maturity stage (BBCH: 89), plants treated with humalite at 400
and 1600 kg ha exhibited a significant increase in plant biomass (4-14%), number of seeds (8-16%),
-1
seed weight (3-11%), seed nitrogen content (8-20%), and total seed nitrogen fixed (7-22%) per plant.
These findings demonstrate that humalite can effectively serve as a humic-based organic soil amendment
to enhance plant growth, root nodulation, symbiotic nitrogen fixation, and yield of field peas, thereby
supporting sustainable agricultural practices.

*[O143] ON-FARM ASSESSMENT OF YIELD RESPONSE OF GRAIN CROPS TO SOIL PH AND
1
1
LIMING IN CENTRAL ALBERTA. Chirchir Jedida , Dyck Miles , Enesi Rebecca , Gorim Linda .
2
1
1 Department of Agricultural, Food, and Nutritional Science, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada;
2
and Department of Renewable Resources, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
Correspondence to: chirchir@ualberta.ca

Soil pH, a measure of acidity and alkalinity, influences nutrient availability and crop yields. Millions of
acres in Alberta are believed to have pH <5.5, resulting in decreased yields. Soil pH variability within
fields has not been fully assessed, and agronomic lime research in the prairies is dated. One strategy to
address low soil pH is lime application. Agricultural lime is commonly used, but the effectiveness of other
liming materials, such as Cement Kiln Dust (CKD), is worth investigating. CKD is a by-product of cement
manufacturing, and it has the potential to ameliorate soil acidity. The aim of this study was to (i) evaluate
soil pH variations within whole fields and their effects on crop grain yield in a two-year rotation, and (ii)
understand the effects of a single lime (CKD) application on crop yields within this rotation. A study was
conducted in two fields, in 2022 and 2023, in Central Alberta, using CKD. One field had a canola-wheat
rotation and another oat-wheat rotation. Topsoil estimation of soil pH and organic matter (SOM) was
conducted using soil Optix. Geo-statistical techniques were used to link soil pH and crop yield maps in
each field. A Before-After Control-Impact (BACI) design with at least three replications per field was used
to assess the effects of liming on crop yields. Two treatments, CKD lime, and no-lime control, were
evaluated in strips within the fields. Soil pH variability results from the generated maps indicated that
within the canola-wheat rotation, canola and wheat yields increased by 50 % and 18.8 %, respectively, as
soil pH increased to higher levels ranging from 5.5 to 7.5. In the oat-wheat rotation, oats, and wheat
175