UNews - Michele Konschuh

Agricultural research at the heart of new collaboration between ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge and county partners

caroline.zentner — Wed, 27 Nov 2024 17:17:51 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge has partnered with Lethbridge County, the St. Mary River Irrigation District (SMRID) and the Lethbridge Northern Irrigation District (LNID) to conduct research into local agricultural priorities.

The funding, $50,000 per year, will support five ULethbridge researchers over four years.

“This research partnership, thanks in large part to the efforts of Professor Emeritus Dr. Jim Byrne, will provide information and results that are extremely relevant to our area,” says Dr. Dena McMartin, vice-president of research. “By helping to identify opportunities to improve efficiency in agricultural operations, evaluating and advising on the viability of new crops and improving soil health, these projects will contribute to a more robust and sustainable agriculture sector.”

Lethbridge County contains more than 297,000 irrigated acres, allowing local farmers to produce a multitude of crops. The County is also home to rich pasture and grazing lands which serve livestock industries such as feedlots, dairies, and meatpacking and poultry processing facilities.

“As the most productive ag community in Alberta, we recognize that collaboration and sustainability are critical to success,” says Cole Beck, Lethbridge County CAO. “We’re proud to partner with the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, LNID and SMRID to support research projects that will move the ag industry forward by seeking innovative solutions to challenges. We also appreciate the willingness of local producers to participate in research that will impact the future of agriculture in southern Alberta.”

“The St. Mary River Irrigation District is happy to collaborate with the Lethbridge Northern Irrigation District and Lethbridge County to support innovative research from the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge that will benefit farmers and livestock producers in southern Alberta,” says David Westwood, SMRID general manager.

“LNID shares an interest in supporting local researchers who can answer local questions applicable to stewardship of water within irrigated southern Alberta,” says Chris Gallagher, LNID general manager. “LNID recognized the value of partnering with Lethbridge County and SMRID to support ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge research projects that target our mutual interests and that of our constituents/irrigators. Having input into the selection of project areas of study, and some of the research questions to be answered, gives us a vested interest in the outcomes. The LNID Board is pleased to demonstrate a financial commitment to finding solutions to our mutual challenges as we continue to strive toward sustainable growth of irrigated agriculture in Lethbridge County.”

Dr. Neha Vaid, an assistant professor in the biology department, will study the potential for millets as a sustainable crop for marginal lands and as an aid in carbon sequestration and prevention of soil erosion in southern Alberta. She will test 11 millet varieties to analyze their potential as livestock feed, their impact on soil health, and seed and biomass yield.

Dr. Michele Konschuh, an associate professor in biology, will evaluate soil health in newly irrigated land parcels and compare it to land irrigated for longer periods. By comparing newly irrigated land, previously irrigated land and never irrigated land, Konschuh hopes to learn about the changes that occur when irrigation is introduced and what parameters need to be maintained to preserve soil health.

Dr. Dan Johnson, a professor in the geography and environment department, hopes to improve the forecasting of drought-related insect pests like grasshoppers. Johnson will conduct a spring survey of the grasshopper population to update the breeding survey usually conducted in late July and early August of the previous year. Johnson aims to develop better methods of forecasting grasshopper population growth, especially during droughts.

Dr. Hardeep Ryait, a professor at the Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience, will work on a project to improve sustainability and reduce the environmental impacts of livestock operations. Ryait wants to create a proof-of-concept livestock feedlot operation that incorporates solar panels for animal welfare, both for shade and electrical production. Cattle health would be monitored through an AI-powered video imaging system and radio-frequency identification (RFID) would be used to monitor feeding and watering behaviour to improve growth.

Dr. Paul Hazendonk, a professor in the chemistry & biochemistry department, will explore the production of biofuels from algae using hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL).

Agriculture research, innovation and training earns RDAR support, extending three important faculty positions

trevor.kenney — Mon, 27 Nov 2023 15:37:01 +0000

A trio of term-limited ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge researchers in the Department of Biological Sciences have secured nearly $700,000 in funding support from Results Driven Agriculture Research (RDAR) that will allow their important agriculture portfolios to continue through 2027-28.

Drs. Michele Konschuh, Shelley Hoover and Kim Stanford, who originally joined ULethbridge as part of the Agriculture Research Transition Project in 2020, have enhanced the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ’s capacity in agricultural research, innovation and training while expanding partnerships with the Alberta agri-food industry. Extending their faculty positions for an additional five years opens even greater opportunities for their respective research programs.

“The impact of their work has been substantial both on and off campus,” says Dr. Dena McMartin, ULethbridge’s vice-president (research). “With this five-year extension, it allows them the opportunity to take on longer-term research projects, apply for federal funding programs and train more students for our region and beyond. This arrangement also ensures that we continue to grow the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ’s partnerships with local and global agri-food industries.”

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ officials, faculty members and RDAR representatives were on hand for the funding announcement.

Working out of Science Commons, one of the most advanced transdisciplinary science facilities of its kind in Canada, Konschuh, Hoover and Stanford will utilize the RDAR support to enhance research programs that are closely aligned with the challenges and needs of local producers.

“RDAR is pleased to support the good work that these scientists are pursuing,” says RDAR Chair, Dr. David Chalack. “We cannot see great results for Alberta’s producers without investing in the people and building capacity for those who are driving positive change for the province. These scientists are leaders in their field, managing research and extension programs that are producer-led, outcome-driven, and industry-supported, filling a much-needed gap in the agri-food research ecosystem.”

One goal of Konschuh’s research is to improve the sustainability of crops given a changing climate. Her work in this area can help evaluate new crops and lead to the selection of new varieties. Current crops like potatoes, sugar beets and seed canola will remain as research focuses. This research also has implications for regenerative agricultural practices such as no-till farming, planting cover crops and rotational grazing.

“I’ll be working with local producers and agri-businesses like the Potato Growers of Alberta, Farming Smarter and Galaxy Ag Ventures,” says Konschuh. “It’s important to identify the priorities of crop producers and help them transition to more sustainable practices while reducing risks associated with climate change.”

RDAR Chair David Chalack speaks with ULethbridge President and Vice-chancellor Dr. Digvir Jayas.

Stanford continues to build on her research that investigates cattle feed and food-borne pathogens. She’s examining ways to improve the detection and control of pathogenic E. coli, as well as building knowledge of the factors that can lead to toxicity in cattle feed.

“Along with minimizing the negative effects on animals, my research aims to identify sustainable feed sources for producers, such as creating silage using food waste from grocery stores,” says Stanford.

Her research also examines pathogens that can transfer from cattle to humans or vice-versa to improve detection and prevent future outbreaks of foodborne disease. Several partners, such as Alberta Beef Producers, Beef Cattle Research Council, Alberta Agriculture, Forestry and Rural Economic Development and individual producers and feedlot owners, are involved to ensure the research supports the beef industry.

Whether it’s producing feed for cattle or bountiful crops, pollinating insects are an essential component. Hoover’s research into honeybees covers the gamut from nutrition, parasites and viruses to their management and economics. Hoover concentrates on honeybee health, commercial beekeeping and their work as pollinators. Her work aligns with the Alberta Beekeepers Commission’s emphasis on the health of honeybees, the honey industry and pollination.

“My work with various partners, locally, nationally and internationally, is aimed at ensuring our honeybees are healthy, not only for their important role as pollinators but also as producers of honey,” says Hoover.

RDAR is an arm’s length, non-profit corporation designed to enable Alberta producers to determine priorities and lead agriculture research. By collaborating with scientists and researchers, RDAR taps into existing talent and funds ideas generated by innovators to push the boundaries of Alberta’s agriculture potential.

Sustainable potato production the focus of new funding for ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge researchers

caroline.zentner — Thu, 13 Apr 2023 17:17:51 +0000

Potatoes are an important economic crop in southern Alberta and, around the world, the humble potato is a key component of global food security.

Researchers from the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge have been awarded nearly $250,000 through the Agriculture Funding Consortium to improve sustainable potato production by looking at ways to reduce disease in the field and in storage and to increase production while minimizing the use of resources.

Dr. Larry Flanagan, a biology professor, has received nearly $50,000 to test six types of potatoes used in fry and chip processing for their water-use efficiency under typical growth and irrigation practices in southern Alberta.

“Our research will benefit the potato industry in southern Alberta by providing new information to producers,” says Flanagan. “The efficient use of water in crop production in an arid region like ours is an important goal for increasing sustainable potato production.”

Flanagan and partners, Drs. Michele Konschuh and Dmytro Yevtushenko from ULethbridge and Dr. Jonathan Neilson from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, will apply stable isotope techniques to identify water-efficient potato varieties for use in crop production under expected future warmer and dryer conditions that will stress our available water resources.

In a separate project, Yevtushenko, a biology professor, was awarded $200,000 to develop and validate protocols to detect potato pests and pathogens.

“Disease incidence in both the field and in storage remains a major limiting factor in sustainable potato production,” says Yevtushenko. “The aim of this study is to develop diagnostic molecular protocols for fast and reliable identification of the major existing and emerging potato pests and pathogens in Alberta.”

Yevtushenko and partners, Drs. Michele Konschuh and Jie Feng, a research scientist with Alberta Agriculture and Irrigation, will focus on identifying nematodes, which are parasites, and fungal diseases like pink rot, potato stem canker and black scurf, that are known to cause substantial potato losses in Alberta.

The researchers expect the study will generate data and lead to the implementation of new technologies that will maintain Alberta’s reputation as a leading Canadian producer of top-quality potatoes and enhance the profitability and sustainability of the potato industry.

Burgeoning research partnerships key factor in driving ULethbridge Research InfoSource ranking

trevor.kenney — Wed, 18 Jan 2023 18:01:52 +0000

A continued focus on strengthening research partnerships and strong performance in federal grant agency support are at the heart of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge’s 2022 Research Infosource rankings that sees ULethbridge among Canada’s Top 50 Research Universities.

The annual ranking report, released today by Research Infosource Ltd., identifies the country’s top research universities in relation to research income. ULethbridge once again finds itself among the top 50 of all universities in Canada, spurred by a second-place ranking amongst all undergraduate universities in the growth of research income as it relates to industry partnerships.

“The partnerships we have forged in recent years highlight the fact our researchers are helping solve important issues facing small and big businesses, industrial partners, agri-food, tech and many other sectors,” says Dr. Dena McMartin, ULethbridge’s vice-president (research). “We have long excelled in fundamental research, something that continues to earn strong support from our federal granting partners, and more recently garnered the attention of valuable partners who recognize our researchers have answers to issues they need addressed.”

Recent examples include Dr. Michele Konschuh’s work supported by Results Driven Agriculture Research (RDAR) and potato industry stakeholders. Konschuh, working out of the Department of Biological Sciences, is seeking to understand and mitigate the appearance of blackleg of potato, which can reduce yields by 20 to 25 per cent.

“This is a nearly $1-billion industry in Alberta and is vital to our provincial economy,” says McMartin. “The work of Michele and her team, which includes graduate and undergraduate students, is essential for the agri-food industry and also trains our students for future careers in this field — a further positive impact for society.”

Dr. Robert Sutherland, left, and researchers are pushing Parkinson's disease research forward through a new industry partnership.

Likewise, researchers in the Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience have struck a partnership with Gb Sciences, Inc., a leading plant-inspired biopharmaceutical research and development company, completing a dose range study of Gb Sciences’ patent-protected formulations in a rodent model of Parkinson’s disease (PD). Gb Sciences uses cannabinoid-containing therapeutic mixtures for the treatment of PD.

“Gb Sciences is an international company that has recognized the expertise and state-of-the-art methods Dr. Robert Sutherland and his group utilize,” says McMartin. “The partnership enhances the work they are doing in CCBN, offers our researchers exceptional opportunities and pushes PD research forward in the quest to develop these new therapeutics.”

In addition to placing second in Corporate Research Income Growth, ULethbridge also had fourth place standings in the undergraduate tier rankings for research income via the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). A fifth-place standing in research intensity dollars per graduate student also stood out as the university placed 10th overall in ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Research Income amongst all Canadian undergraduate schools.

“Throughout the university there is a dedication to excellence and innovation, as well as a commitment to creating a research environment that provides unparalleled access to both undergraduate and graduate students,” adds McMartin. “Funding support is just one measure of how successful our faculty and their research teams are, and these rankings capture a snapshot of this. A better measure is the impact our research makes on society and the lives that are changed for the better because of the work we are doing.

Could rice be the next crop in southern Alberta?

caroline.zentner — Fri, 29 Jul 2022 20:33:26 +0000

Probably the last place one could imagine growing rice would be southern Alberta, but, as one ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge researcher is finding out, it may not be outside the realm of possibility.

Dr. Michele Konschuh, a research associate in the Department of Biological Sciences, in collaboration with Galaxy Ag Ventures and Farming Smarter Association, is examining the potential for rice to be a value-added crop in this region. Rice is a gluten-free food staple that provides valuable byproducts like rice starch, protein and oil. Galaxy Ag Ventures is a Calgary-based company involved in strategic investment and product development in agri-foods. Farming Smarter is a farmer-led, not-for-profit organization based in Lethbridge dedicated to driving innovation at the farm level.

“One of the big questions is how you are going to grow rice in Alberta,” says Konschuh. “I wasn’t all that confident when they first approached me, but they did bring some technology from Korea called seed film cultivation (SFC). It’s essentially a biodegradable plastic layer that they attach the seed to and lay over moist soil.”

A rice plant with panicles (flower clusters) grows in the Ulethbridge greenhouse.

Konschuh explains the SFC helps warm the soil and prevent moisture loss, as well as prevent weeds from taking root. Alberta’s climate tends to be cold and dry with a short growing season. However, as rice is grown in some mountainous regions, some varieties are adapted to lower temperatures and shorter seasons. Also problematic are Alberta’s long summer days because rice likes shorter days to flower. And irrigation will be needed; Konschuh says rice needs about the same amount of water as a potato crop.

After a short-term pilot project this spring, the experiment has now moved to the field. With Galaxy Ag providing the funding and Farmer Smarter the land, technological expertise and equipment, a ULethbridge undergraduate student funded through Mitacs was hired to work on the project. Three methods for planting were used: the SFC technique, transplanting plants grown in a greenhouse, and direct seeding. The researchers also opted to try two types of irrigation: overhead pivot and subsurface drip.

Technicians plant rice in the field.

“All three methods of planting have been successful so far,” she says. “What we don’t know is if we can get them all the way to rice seed production and maturation by fall. This is really early steps and the nice thing is that both B.C. and Ontario have successfully grown rice. So, we know rice can grow in Canada; what we don’t know is if rice can grow in Alberta because our conditions are a little bit different.”

Blackleg of potato focus of second project

Konschuh is also continuing her research into blackleg of potato. Blackleg, one of numerous seed-borne diseases that have been identified in potato production around the world, is caused by Pectobacterium and Dickeya bacteria.

Konschuh and her collaborators, Drs. Larry Kawchuk and Jonathan Neilson from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, are using a multi-pronged approach that includes an information campaign outlining best practices for seed growers and sharing findings from their research.

The researchers are also investigating rapid diagnostic tools available on the market and possibly developing new additional tools to detect blackleg early. Such tools would allow producers to obtain a diagnosis when they see a suspicious plant in the field instead of having to wait for laboratory results. In addition, the scientists are examining the potential of biocontrol agents — bacteriophages and endophytes.

The group has received additional funding from Results Driven Agriculture Research (RDAR) to expand the work to include genetic analysis of the pathogen causing blackleg and different potato varieties to determine if there’s a relationship between susceptibility in the host and aggressiveness in the pathogen.

“Research provides valuable information to producers and ag businesses to support their decision making,” says Konschuh. “Research also helps reduce risks associated with changes in agricultural practices.”

U of L researcher leading the fight against blackleg of potato

caroline.zentner — Tue, 27 Apr 2021 16:01:43 +0000

Dr. Michele Konschuh, a research associate in the Department of Biological Sciences, is leading a study to help ensure Alberta’s potato industry stays healthy, thanks to a three-year grant from the province’s Results Driven Agriculture Research (RDAR) fund and in-kind support from stakeholders in the potato industry.

“We’re going to try a biocontrol approach and some information and diagnostics to see if we can help the industry stay strong,” says Konschuh. “We have a very good potato industry here and we want to keep it that way. We’re very grateful for the support from industry and RDAR.”

The potato industry comprises about 55,000 acres in Alberta. The majority of potatoes are grown for processing, with about 13,000 to 15,000 acres devoted to growing seed potatoes. The industry is worth nearly $1 billion to the province’s economy.

Blackleg, one of numerous seed-borne diseases that have been identified in potato production around the world, is caused by Pectobacterium and Dickeya bacteria. Of the two, Dickeya is especially aggressive and has reduced yields by 20 to 25 per cent in Europe and Israel, where the pathogen is established. It causes a blackening of the plant stem and that decay prevents nutrients from getting to the tuber and water from going up to the plant.

“We absolutely have blackleg, but blackleg is a lay person’s term for the disease,” says Konschuh. “The one we have in Alberta is caused by Pectobacterium species and it’s fairly common in all potato-growing regions. At this time, we have no Dickeya and we want to keep it that way.”

Because no pesticides are available to prevent blackleg, seed potato growers rely on agronomic practices that include cleaning and sanitizing equipment between seed lots, cleaning storage units and rotating crops. One of the trickier aspects of blackleg is that it can remain latent in the potato tuber. If planting is done under warm and dry conditions, the disease may never appear. However, in a cool, wet spring the disease can show up.

“We want to develop solutions both to prevent that latent infection and also to address the disease in the field,” says Konschuh.

Konschuh and her collaborators, Drs. Larry Kawchuk and Jonathan Neilson from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, will use a multi-pronged approach that includes an information campaign outlining best practices for seed growers and sharing findings from their research.

The researchers also plan to investigate the rapid diagnostic tools available on the market and potentially develop additional tools to detect blackleg early. Such tools would allow producers to obtain a diagnosis when they see a suspicious plant in the field instead of having to wait for laboratory results.

In addition, the scientists will investigate the potential of biocontrol agents — bacteriophages and endophytes. Bacteriophages are viruses of bacteria that can kill or dissolve bacteria. Endophytes are organisms that live within a plant and can have beneficial properties, like the good bacteria that live in the gut.

The project will focus on seed potatoes to make the most impact with a smaller number of acres. Keeping the disease out of seed potatoes will help prevent it from showing up in commercial fields. This will help ensure seed growers maintain the high-quality standards they’ve already achieved and potato growers continue to generate high-yield crops.

“We don’t just supply seed domestically to other parts of Alberta for the commercial industry; we’re the largest exporter of seed potato in Canada,” says Konschuh. “Southern Alberta potato growers have a really good reputation for producing high-quality potatoes for value-added processors.”

The research project will also provide training opportunities for students to help process samples from the field, identify disease organisms and work on the biocontrol agents.

“We need the help and we would also like to work on training the workforce,” says Konschuh. “We need skilled people joining the agricultural industry.”

Provincial support expanding agricultural research at U of L

trevor.kenney — Thu, 15 Oct 2020 22:26:42 +0000

In July, Alberta’s government and the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge signed a $1.8-million agreement, which saw three programs transferred to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and provided it with the financial capacity to recruit three researchers.

Drs. Shelley Hoover, Michele Konschuh and Kim Stanford are introduced to campus.

On Thursday, Drs. Shelley Hoover (apiculture and pollination), Michele Konschuh (irrigated crops) and Kim Stanford (livestock pathogens) were introduced.

These researchers bring world-leading experience and expertise to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and create even greater learning experiences for students. Welcoming these researchers brings together multiple disciplines and opens up even more chances for collaboration.

“The addition of Doctors Konschuh, Hoover and Stanford will expand the breadth of agriculture research on our campus, while their programs and experience will inform and enhance the greater work of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ’s talented faculty members. Our institution values collaboration and trans-disciplinary research. Having these talented individuals working in tandem with our existing researchers will lead to new discoveries benefiting the communities we serve," says Dr. Robert Wood, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's vice-president (research).

This agreement is a part of the Alberta government’s commitment to ensuring farmers and ranchers lead agriculture research priorities. Establishing Results Driven Agriculture Research (RDAR), an arm’s-length non-profit corporation, is a first step in making sure research funding priorities are producer-led. Over the long term, RDAR will assume ongoing responsibility for the funding agreement with the U of L.

“The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge is closely connected to southern Alberta’s agriculture activities through its research, teaching and outreach activities," says U of L President and Vice-Chancellor Dr. Mike Mahon. "The addition of these three research programs will further our agriculture research capacity on campus, and allow the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ to enhance its already close connectivity to this critical industry in the years ahead.”

UNews - Michele Konschuh

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