In recent decades, the many negative effects of tillage, the practice of turning over soil after harvesting crops, have become increasingly evident: It disrupts soil structure, accelerates soil erosion, and causes runoff of pesticides and fertilizer, damaging adjacent ecosystems. No-till farming, a practice that involves leaving the soil largely undisturbed,[Read More…]
Tag: farming
Mapping provincial variations in Canada’s nitrogen output
Reactive nitrogen (Nr) is a primary plant nutrient fertilizer that plays a critical role in agricultural production. For the past century, the availability of Nr in soil has become increasingly important to farmers as they attempt to grow the crops that contribute to nitrogen fixation, the process by which microorganisms[Read More…]
Engineering students to develop solar-powered drone
For their required MECH 463D1 Design 3 Mechanical Engineering Project course, four U3 Mechanical Engineering students aspire to build a solar-powered unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that will exceed the continuous flight time of agriculture UAVs currently on the market. A Design 3 course, commonly referred to as a “capstone project,”[Read More…]