Dr. Laura Van Eerd

Plant Nutrition and Soil Fertility
Associate Professor

Degrees:

Ph.D. Plant Protection - University of Guelph
M.Sc. Plant Protection - University of Guelph
B.Sc. (Env.) Environmental Protection - University of Guelph

Research Interests:

My research program focuses on vegetable crop production systems looking at soil fertility, crop rotation, and cover crops. This research has the potential to benefit:

1. the growers by maximizing economic returns,
2. the government by insuring that current, accurate Ontario vegetable data are used in developing regulations, and
3. the public by developing best management practices that reduce the detrimental environmental impact.

Complementary to this research and a minor component of my research program is evaluating the environmental impact of pest control products. Based on this research, growers can use this information in their decision making process to select pesticides with reduced environmental risk.

Recent or current projects include:

• Minimizing nitrogen losses after harvest by applying high carbon soil amendments
• Fall cover crops on processing tomato/snap beans/sweet corn yield, quality, pest pressure, nitrogen availability, and profit margins
• Remote sensing imagery to detect N deficiency in vegetable production
• Environmental impact of weed management
• Influence of winter wheat management practices on subsequent processing tomato yield and quality

Research Associates:

Mike Zink Phone: 519-674-1500 x63607 mzink@ridgetownc.uoguelph.ca

Jessica Turnbull Phone: 519-674-1500 x63296 jturnbul@uoguelph.ca

Graduate Students:

Katelyn Congreves PhD Student School of Environmental Sciences Phone: 519-674-1500 x63296 kcongrev@uoguelph.ca

Lance Ouellette M.Sc. Student School of Environmental Sciences Phone: 519-674-1500 x63296

Teaching:

I teach in the Environmental Management Diploma and Bachelor of Bio-Resource Management (Environmental Management Major) degree program at Ridgetown Campus. Courses include:

• DENM*1000 Environmental Science & Issues
• ENVM 1000 Introductory Environmental Science
• DENM*3160 Agricultural Chemicals in the Environment

For potential graduate students:

Click here for currently available postitions. Posted June 15,2010.
For more information, please email me.