Development of better biologicals as a more sustainable approach to Canadian agriculture

在接下来的几十年里，我们必须提高农业生产力，以应对不断增长的人口和燃料供应，以及农业的可持续性。生物输入是实现这一目标的一种方式。有百年历史的大豆接种剂行业是这方面的典范：一种非常便宜的产品应用于大面积的土地，减少了氮肥的施用，减少了温室气体排放，减少了水道富营养化和地下水污染。拟议的工作将导致对一组微生物提高肥料利用效率和加拿大东部主要作物生产力的能力的广泛理解。我们将评估环境变量（土壤pH值，温度，水的可用性，土壤盐度，土壤有机质水平和土壤质地）对一种新型接种剂的效力的影响，该接种剂由根际细菌（5）和酵母菌组成。还将调查微生物竞争的影响，并寻找潜在的新的促生长微生物。将收集作物生理学、基因表达和农艺学方面的数据。Synagri SENC已经对加拿大东部微生物联合体的效用进行了初步研究，现在寻求与麦吉尔大学的史密斯实验室研究团队合作，以阐述和实施他们迄今为止的流程和理解。这项研究将确定加拿大东部微生物联合体的有效性，并将筛选当地微生物菌群，寻找新的植物生长促进植物微生物组成员，可能为Synagri带来新产品。目前的微生物联合体的生长刺激能力，以及通过这项工作发现的任何新的生长促进菌株，将在玉米和马铃薯上进行评估，Synagri在这方面拥有大量的专业知识和销售额;这将使Synagri更好地了解其当前产品的适用性，并为新产品和进一步产品奠定基础，建立了它作为一个领导者在迅速扩大的生物制品部门。这也将提高加拿大农业的可持续性和经济性，使加拿大在生物制剂的农业应用方面进一步领先。

Over the next few decades we must increase both agricultural productivity, to deal with growing populationsand fuel supply, and agricultural sustainability. Biological inputs are one way to achieve this. The century-oldsoybean inoculant industry is the model for this: a very inexpensive product is applied on large land areas thatreduces the application of nitrogen fertilizer, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, waterway eutrophication andgroundwater contamination. The proposed work will lead to a broad understanding of the ability of a set ofmicrobes to improve fertilizer use efficiency and productivity of key crops in eastern Canada. We will evaluateand the effects of environmental variables (soil pH, temperature, water availability, soil salinity, soil organicmatter levels and soil texture) on the efficacy of a novel inoculant, comprised of a consortium of rhizobacteria(5) and a yeast. The effects of microbial competition will also be investigated and potential new growthpromoting microbes will be sought. Data will be collected on aspects of crop physiology, gene expression andagronomy. Synagri SENC has conducted preliminary research regarding the utility of the microbial consortiumin eastern Canada, and now seek to work with the Smith laboratory research team at McGill University in orderto elaborate and implement their processes and understandings to date. The research proposed will determinethe effectiveness of the microbial consortium in eastern Canada, and will also screen the local microflora fornew plant growth promoting members of the phytomicrobiome, potentially leading to new products forSynagri. The growth stimulation capacity of the current microbial consortium, and any novel growthpromoting strains discovered through this work, will be evaluated on corn and potato, for which Synagri hassubstantial expertise and sales; this will provide Synagri with a better understanding of the applicability of theircurrent product, and with new products and the foundations for even further products, establishing it as a leaderin the rapidly expanding biologicals sector. This will also enhance the sustainability and economics ofCanadian agricultural, giving Canada further leadership in the agricultural application of biologicals.