Atmospheric and Oceanic Variability Associated with Growing Season Droughts and Pluvials on the Canadian Prairies

2010 ◽  
Vol 1 (-1) ◽  
pp. 1-17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amir Shabbar ◽  
Barrie R. Bonsal ◽  
Kit Szeto
Keyword(s):  
Growing Season ◽  
Canadian Prairies ◽  
Oceanic Variability

Atmospheric and Oceanic Variability Associated with Growing Season Droughts and Pluvials on the Canadian Prairies

2011 ◽  
Vol 49 (4) ◽  
pp. 339-355 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amir Shabbar ◽  
Barrie R. Bonsal ◽  
Kit Szeto
Keyword(s):  
Growing Season ◽  
Canadian Prairies ◽  
Oceanic Variability

Anthropogenic vegetation transformation and the potential for deep convection on the Canadian prairies

1998 ◽  
Vol 78 (4) ◽  
pp. 657-666 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. L. Raddatz
Keyword(s):  
Spring Wheat ◽  
Deep Convection ◽  
Global Radiation ◽  
Bowen Ratio ◽  
Growing Season ◽  
Perennial Grasses ◽  
Climatic Zone ◽  
Canadian Prairie ◽  
Canadian Prairies ◽  
Field Crops

Widespread agricultural cultivation has converted nearly 60% of the Canadian Prairie grasslands eco-climatic zone from native mixed perennial grasses to annual field crops, predominantly spring wheat. This study examined the effect this anthropogenic landscape transformation has had on the partitioning of latent and sensible heat. For each type of vegetation, a representative growing-season Bowen ratio curve, based on modelled evapotranspiration values, was determined for sample sites — Winnipeg, MB, in the transitional grassland, and Swift Current, SK, in the arid grassland. A relationship between the Bowen ratio, the noon global radiation and the change in the Lifted Index between morning and afternoon was used to asses how modifying the apportionment of surface heat flux may have changed the seasonal frequency and severity of thunderstorms. Prior to the emergence of annual crops, and again during their senescence and in the post-harvest period, Bowen ratios are generally higher (i.e., evapotranspiration rates are lower) than they would be if the Prairie grassland eco-climatic zone had remained a sea of perennial grasses. Thus, the available buoyant energy or the potential for deep convection has been reduced in these periods. Given similar atmospheric dynamic forcing and advection patterns, this change has likely reduced the frequency of thunderstorms during the early and the late portions of the growing season. In contrast, during rapid foliage expansion and seed production for spring wheat, and for similar annual field crops, Bowen ratios are generally lower (i.e., evapotranspiration rates are higher) than they would be without agriculture. Thus, the potential for deep convection has been enhanced in these periods. With similar dynamic and advection patterns, it is probable that thunderstorms are now more frequent in the middle of the growing season and increased available buoyant energy may have made them, on average, more severe. Key words: Agrometeorology, land-use change, thunderstorms

Stubble management effects on canola performance across different climatic regions of western Canada

2015 ◽  
Vol 95 (1) ◽  
pp. 149-159 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael J. Cardillo ◽  
Paul Bullock ◽  
Rob Gulden ◽  
Aaron Glenn ◽  
Herb Cutforth
Keyword(s):  
Snow Water Equivalent ◽  
Growing Season ◽  
Moisture Stress ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
Western Canada ◽  
Spring Precipitation ◽  
Canadian Prairies ◽  
Climatic Regions ◽  
Snow Water ◽  
Management Effects

Cardillo, M. J., Bullock, P., Gulden, R., Glenn, A. and Cutforth, H. 2015. Stubble management effects on canola performance across different climatic regions of western Canada. Can. J. Plant Sci. 95: 149–159. Previous research in the most arid region of the Canadian prairies has shown that wheat stubble cut tall the previous year can improve performance of the following canola crop. This study aimed to determine if tall stubble could benefit canola across the climatic conditions typically experienced in western Canada. Tall stubble impacts on canola were monitored over 11 site-years located throughout the prairies. At each site, tall stubble (50 cm) was compared with short stubble (20 cm). At some sites the stubble lodged allowing an unintended comparison between stubble that remained intact and stubble that was flattened. The comparison of snow water equivalent showed tall stubble caught more snow than short stubble but the benefit of additional spring soil moisture was masked by heavy spring precipitation in both 2011 and 2012. Canola biomass and yield were significantly lower in damaged versus intact stubble, either short or tall. In both years, wet spring conditions were followed by hotter and drier weather in the mid to late growing season. Soil under the damaged stubble (short or tall) likely warmed and dried more slowly in the spring, limiting early-season growth, biomass and yield. At sites where both tall and short stubble remained intact, there was a significant yield advantage with tall stubble. The intact tall stubble may have slowed evaporation and soil drying compared with intact short stubble, which reduced moisture stress later in the growing season, imparting a yield advantage.

Redstem Filaree (Erodium cicutarium) Development and Productivity Under Noncompetitive Conditions

1998 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 590-594 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert E. Blackshaw ◽  
K. Neil Harker
Keyword(s):  
Integrated Management ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Growing Season ◽  
Yield Response ◽  
Growing Degree Days ◽  
Degree Days ◽  
Canadian Prairies ◽  
Erodium Cicutarium ◽  
Winter Annuals ◽  
Emergence Date

Redstem filaree is becoming widespread and abundant on the Canadian prairies. A field study was conducted to determine the growth, development, and seed yield response of redstem filaree when grown under noncropped conditions and planted at various dates throughout the growing season in Alberta. Redstem filaree emerged within 7 to 13 d of planting with an accumulated 57 to 134 growing degree days (GDD). Flowering occurred within 46 to 65 d (327 to 779 GDD) of planting. Plants that emerged in August or later did not flower in that season and survived as winter annuals. Spring-emerging redstem filaree plants matured within 79 to 100 d (729 to 1,193 GDD). Plants that emerged in May and June attained more biomass and produced threefold more seeds than plants that emerged in July or later. Redstem filaree seed production ranged from 2,400 to 9,900 seeds/plant depending on emergence date and environmental conditions. Information from this study will assist in developing integrated management strategies for this increasingly important weed.

Risk simulation of the economics of manure application to restore eroded wheat cropland

1993 ◽  
Vol 73 (2) ◽  
pp. 267-274 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian S. Freeze ◽  
C. Webber ◽  
C. W. Lindwall ◽  
J. F. Dormaar
Keyword(s):  
Moisture Content ◽  
Growing Season ◽  
Soil Animal ◽  
Manure Application ◽  
Canadian Prairies ◽  
Soil Zone ◽  
Animal Wastes ◽  
Risk Simulation ◽  
Growing Season Precipitation

The economics of hauling manure as an amendment for restoring the productivity of artificially eroded wheat cropland was investigated using a simulation model. The model incorporated data on the long-term variability of wheat price, growing season precipitation and manure moisture content, and data from manure application experiments conducted on land where topsoil had been removed in levelling. Results showed that on average over the long term, the value of manure as an amendment for restoring the productivity of slightly eroded wheat cropland (< 20 cm soil lost/removed) is sufficient to allow manure to be hauled 3–5 km further than would be the case on non-eroded soils. On heavily eroded wheat cropland (> 80 cm soil lost/removed), hauling distance can be extended approximately 20 km. The disposal market for feedlot manure can be expected to extend to a distance of about 55 km from its source. Results are applicable to the dryland wheat areas of the dark brown soil zone of the Canadian prairies. Key words: Feedlot manure, fertilizer economics, eroded soil, animal wastes

Soil water use, biomass accumulation and grain yield of no-till winter wheat on the Canadian prairies

2000 ◽  
Vol 80 (4) ◽  
pp. 729-738 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. R. Domitruk ◽  
B. L. Duggan ◽  
D. B. Fowler
Keyword(s):  
Winter Wheat ◽  
Grain Yield ◽  
Soil Water ◽  
Water Use ◽  
Growing Season ◽  
Triticum Aestivum L ◽  
Yield Potential ◽  
Canadian Prairies ◽  
No Till ◽  
Winter Wheat Cultivars

Higher water use efficiency provides no-till-seeded winter wheat with an advantage over spring-sown crops in western Canada. However, like all crops, winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L) is subject to large yield losses due to drought. This study was undertaken to identify the effect of weather and crop soil water status on water use, aboveground biomass production and grain yield of no-till winter wheat grown on the Canadian prairies. Five winter wheat cultivars were grown over a 3-yr period at a total of 17 sites scattered across the different climatic zones of Saskatchewan. Both the establishment and expression of grain yield potential were limited by drought in these dryland environments. Early-season moisture was required to set up a high grain yield potential while low ET and high precipitation during grain filling were necessary to secure yield. Rapid growth under cool temperatures during April and early May consumed much of the available water in the top 50-cm of the soil profile and large ET deficits, as a consequence of a continuous decline in available water, characterized drought stress in most trials. While stored soil water at greenup was not sufficient to support a crop, there was growing season rainfall at all trial sites and improvements in water availability led to higher grain yields and an increased range in mean environmental grain yield. Rainfall had its greatest influence on grain yield during tillering, while atmospheric conditions and soil water content were more important from heading to anthesis. Because environmental differences in drought stress were related to the volume and distribution of growing season precipitation, some dryland environments were exposed to intermittent stress while stress was terminal in others. Therefore, to be successful, winter wheat cultivars and management systems for the Canadian prairies must be able to accommodate variable patterns of growing season water availability. Key words: Triticum aestivum L., evapotranspiration, precipitation, water use, biomass, grain yield

Genotypic and environmental variation in grain, flour, dough and bread-making characteristics of Western Canadian Spring Wheat

2007 ◽  
Vol 87 (4) ◽  
pp. 679-690 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. J. Finlay ◽  
P. R. Bullock ◽  
H. D. Sapirstein ◽  
H. A. Naeem ◽  
A. Hussain ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Growing Season ◽  
Total Variance ◽  
Wheat Bread ◽  
Wheat Quality ◽  
Bread Making ◽  
Canadian Prairies ◽  
Flour Dough ◽  
Genotype By Environment ◽  
Environmental Contribution ◽  
The Impact

Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) grain, flour, dough and bread quality characteristics are strongly influencedby growing-season weather conditions. Understanding the impact of genotype, environment, and their interactions on Canadian wheat quality is important for Canada to maintain its high standard for delivery of consistent quality wheat to domestic and international customers. The effects of genotype, environment and genotype by environment (G × E) interaction on numerous grain, flour, dough and bread-making characteristics were assessed. The Canadian Western Red Spring (CWRS) cultivars were AC Barrie, Superb, AC Elsa, and Neepawa; the Canadian Prairie Spring (CPS-white) cultivar was AC Vista; and the Canadian Western Hard White Spring (CWHWS) cultivar was Snowbird. These genotypes were grown at five locations across the Canadian prairies in 2 yr to provide a total of 7 site-years of milling quality wheat for analysis. Genotype, environment and their interactions had significant effects on most parameters tested. The relative magnitude of the environmental contribution to wheat quality variance, depending on the trait, was considerably larger (14 to 89%) than the variance contribution of either genotype (0 to 33%) or G × E interaction (0 to 17%). The greatest environmental contribution to total variance (83%) was, on average, for grain traits including yield. Genotypic contribution to variation was greatest (~15%) for flour characteristics. The G × E interaction contributed relatively little to total variance and was comparable for flour, dough and bread properties (~6.5% on average). This large difference in variance between environmental and genotypic influences clearly demonstrates the importance of growing-season weather impacts on yield and quality for adapted bread wheat genotypes and strategies to mitigate these effects are discussed. Key words: Wheat, bread-making quality, Canadian prairies, environment, genotype, genotype by environment

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