Grant: Collaborative Research and Development Grants

Laval University in partnership with Hortau, Bieler Cranberries, Transport Gaston Nadeau, Nature Canneberge, Ferme Daniel Coutu, Atocas Blandford and Pampev strengthen their efforts within this NSERC collaborative research and development grant to diagnose and optimize drainage performances in a subirrigation context under cranberry production at the farm scale. This project aims to validate experimentally the impact of subirrigation on the subsurface water availability and the soil profile evolution, and to adapt drainage and fertilization methods to a subirrigation practice. This integrated management of drainage and subirrigation will be based on the complex relationship between soil matric potential, soil water levels and various parameters reflecting the evolution of climatic and edaphic properties. The performance of the integrated management will be implemented at different spatial scales of integration. The economic relevance of such control systems will then be assessed. An innovative water resources management software at the farm scale will then be developed by integrated modeling and will constitute a strong technical tool for industrial partners. About forty students will be trained at different scholar levels in an economic sector of importance. This project will have important economic and environmental benefits in Canadian cranberry production. It will also have implications for the productivity of partners, specifically in the improvement of Hortau's products and field performances.