Muck Crops Research Station

Various long-term research projects analyze and assess the impact of indigenous and invasive pests and parasites. Since 1998, the site has studied the over-wintering ability of the pea leafminer{{Cite journal

|doi=10.1603/0046-225X-34.4.743

|title=Overwintering Ability of Liriomyza huidobrensis (Blanchard) (Diptera: Agromyzidae) in Southern Ontario, Canada

|author1=D. Martin |author2=R. H. Hallett |author3=M. K. Sears |author4=M. R. McDonald |year=2005

|name-list-style=amp |journal=Environmental Entomology

|volume=34

|issue=4

|pages=743–747

|s2cid=56390002

|doi-access=free

}} in southern Ontario, as well as associated parasitoid complexes collected from leafminer pupae.{{Cite journal

|title=Endoparasitoid Assemblage of the Pea Leafminer, Liriomyza huidobrensis (Diptera: Agromyzidae), in Southern Ontario

|author1=C. A. Bahlai |author2=S. A. Goodfellow |author3=D. E. Stanley-horn |author4=R. H. Hallett |year=2006 |name-list-style=amp |journal=Environmental Entomology

|volume=35 |issue=2 |pages=351–357 |doi=10.1603/0046-225X-35.2.351

|hdl=10214/2065 |s2cid=20952090 |hdl-access=free }}

Protection from fungi and molds during storage is also studied at this station. For example, the mold Sclerotinia releases oxalic acid, a compound that allows the mold to infect carrots. Researchers are studying the use of "calcium formulations to deter Sclerotinia growth".{{Cite web

|url = http://res2.agr.ca/London/orep/spark21_25_e.htm

|title = Mad about mucks

|last = Boersma

|first = Sigrid

|publisher = Cosmic Crops Research Magazine

|accessdate = 2007-07-13

|url-status = dead

|archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20070814025805/http://res2.agr.ca/london/orep/spark21_25_e.htm

|archivedate = 2007-08-14

}}

Another focus is to establish sustainable methods of dealing with agricultural pests, such as the carrot weevil and the carrot rust fly.{{cite news|url=https://www.newmarkettoday.ca/local-news/researcher-takes-on-beetle-wreaking-havoc-in-local-carrot-fields-1481855|title=Researcher takes on beetle wreaking havoc in local carrot fields|last=Dunning|first=Jenni|newspaper=Newmarket Today|date=2 June 2019|access-date=20 January 2022}}

One of the site's important functions is to determine the viability and suitability of specific crop cultivars in the Holland Marsh.{{cite web|url=http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/crops/facts/vegtrial.htm|title=Where to Find Vegetable Variety Trial Information|publisher=Ontario Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Rural Affairs|accessdate=2007-07-13}} The area is a major producer of onions, carrots, lettuce, celery and Asian vegetables.

The aim of research into storage of crops is to identify crops that may be grown in the Holland Marsh and stored for eventual winter distribution, so that residents of Ontario may have access to Ontario-grown vegetables year-round.

{{cquote|Onions, especially, and carrots go into long-term cold storage here," says McDonald. "So Ontario could supply the market year round and avoid importing from other countries.}}

To improve yield and reduce the negative impact of agricultural practices on farmland, studies at this research station have attempted to identify conditions under which it is most appropriate to apply specific fertilizers. For example, nitrogen fertilizers are typically applied to carrot crops to improve yields and reduce leaf blight. Research at this station suggests that by matching the use of nitrogen fertilizers to the type of soil in which carrots are grown, high yields may be achieved. Moreover, this can be done with less nitrogen fertilizer and minimizing the use of fungicides to control leaf blight, decreasing costs and mitigating some environmental concerns.{{Cite web

|url=http://www.columbiapublications.com/carrotcountry/fall2006/nitrogen.htm

|title=Optimizing Nitrogen Fertilizer Application

|author1=Sean Westerveld, Alan McKeown |author2=Mary Ruth McDonald

|name-list-style=amp |publisher=Columbia Publishing

|date=Fall 2006

|accessdate=2008-02-15}}

{{reflist}}

{{Portal|Wetlands}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20160123143729/http://www.uoguelph.ca/plant/stations/muck_crops/ Kettleby Research Station]
• {{Cite web |title=Ontario Crops Research Centre – Bradford |url=https://bradford-crops.uoguelph.ca/ |access-date=2023-10-09 |website=University of Guelph}}

{{Wetlands}}

{{King, Ontario}}

{{University of Guelph |state=expanded}}

{{coord|44|2|36.7|N|79|35|34.25|W|region:CA-ON|display=title}}

Category:University of Guelph

Category:Agricultural organizations based in Canada

Category:Buildings and structures in King, Ontario

Category:Educational institutions in Canada with year of establishment missing

Category:Wetland conservation

Category:Agricultural research stations