Francis J. Larney

Image Francis Larney
Research Scientist

Soil conservation

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Lethbridge, AB

Current research and/or projects

Current research projects focus on soil health, soil erosion and productivity, soil reclamation, beef feedlot manure management, organic amendments, and dryland and irrigated cropping systems.

Research and/or project statements

1. Integrating multiple beneficial management practices (BMPs) in organic cropping systems: Soil health, weed and insect interactions.

2. Assessment of occurrence of synthetic hormones (melengestrol acetate & trenbolone acetate) and beta agonist (ractopamine) in cattle operations and associated environments.

3. Optimizing agroecosystems resiliency – Systems productivity, resilience and sustainability in the major Canadian ecozones.

4. Use of legume crops to enhance N use efficiency, carbon sequestration, soil health and soil biodiversity in three ecoregions chosen to represent the different climatic conditions of Canada.

5. Resilient crop-livestock systems – Unravelling C and N stabilization and restitution mechanisms in manured soils.

Professional activities / interests

Adjunct Professor, Dept. of Renewable Resources, University of Alberta, 1995-2004

Adjunct Professor, Dept. of Soil Science, University of Manitoba, 2010-16

Adjunct Professor, Dept. of Biological Sciences, University of Lethbridge, 2015-18

Education and awards

B.Agr.Sc., General Agriculture, The National University of Ireland (University College Dublin), 1979

M.Agr.Sc., Soil Science, The National University of Ireland (University College Dublin), 1981

Ph.D., Soil Science, The National University of Ireland (University College Dublin), 1985

Fellow Award, Canadian Society of Soil Science, 2010

Fellow Award, Soil Science Society of America, 2012

Canadian Society of Agronomy, Best Paper Award, Canadian Journal of Plant Science, 2017

Outstanding Reviewer Award, Canadian Journal of Soil Science, 2017

Canadian Society for Horticultural Science, Best Paper Award, Canadian Journal of Plant Science, 2018

International experience and/or work

Visiting Scientist, Dept. of Land & Water Conservation, Gunnedah, New South Wales, Australia, 1997-98

Key publications

  1. Xu, S., Sura, S., Zaheer, R., Wang, G., Smith, A., Cook, S., Olson, A.F., Cessna, A.J., Larney, F.J., McAllister, T.A. (2016). Dissipation of antimicrobial resistance determinants in composted and stockpiled beef cattle manure. Journal of Environmental Quality, [online] 45(2), 528-536. http://dx.doi.org/10.2134/jeq2015.03.0146

    2016 - View publication details

  2. Tang, X., Hao, X., Xu, S., Larney, F.J. (2016). Residual effects of novel versus traditional organic amendments for rain-fed notill barley: Yield, nutrient uptake, and N2O emissions. Compost Science & Utilization, [online] 24(4), 219-229. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/1065657X.2015.1135766

    2016 - View publication details

  3. Khakbazan, M., Huang, J., Larney, F.J., Berry, N., and Pearson, D.C. (2015). "Soil quality and profitability effects of conventional and conservation irrigated potato rotation systems in western Canada.", 70th Soil and Water Conservation Society Conference, Greensboro, NC, USA, July 26-29, 2015.

    2015 - View publication details

  4. Hao, X., Larney, F.J., Ellert, B.H., Alexander, T.W., and McAllister, T.A. (2015). "Co-composting cattle feedlot manure with construction and demolition waste.", International Compost Conference, Beijing, China, November 22-25, 2015. (Abstract)

    2015 - View publication details

  5. Chantigny, M.H., Angers, D.A., Rochette, P., Larney, F.J., Bittman, S., Hunt, D.E., and Lapen, D.R. (2015). "Overwinter transformation and fate of fall-applied manure nitrogen. (https://www.eiseverywhere.com/ehome/wastetoworth/182071/)", Waste to Worth: Spreading Science and Solutions, Seattle, WA, USA, March 31-April 3, 2015, Keynote speaker.

    2015 - View publication details

  6. Khakbazan, M., Larney, F.J., Mohr, R.M., Huang, J., and Berry, N. (2015). "Economics of conventional and sustainable irrigated potato production systems.", Soils and Crops Workshop 2015, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada, March 16-17, 2015, Oral presentation.

    2015 - View publication details

  7. Beres, B.L., Pageau, D., Dion, Y., Turkington, T.K., Lupwayi, N.Z., Larney, F.J., Ellert, B.H., and Smith, E.G. (2015). "Rotational Diversity Effects in a Cereal-Based Cropping System.", Botany 2015, Shaw Convention Center, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, July 25-29, 2015.

    2015 - View publication details

  8. McAllister, T.A., Sura, S., Larney, F.J., Cessna, A.J., Amarakoon, I.D., Tymensen, L.D., Charest, J., Olson, A.F., Headley, J.V., and Zvomuya, F. (2015). "The Fate of Antimicrobial Residues in Livestock Manure.", Manure Management Update 2015, Lethbridge, AB, Canada, January 19, 2015.

    2015 - View publication details

  9. Beres, B.L., Pageau, D., Dion, Y., Turkington, T.K., Lupwayi, N.Z., Larney, F.J., Ellert, B.H., and Smith, E.G. (2015). "Rotational diversity effects in a cereal-based cropping system.", Canadian Journal of Plant Science. (Abstract)

    2015 - View publication details

  10. McAllister, T.A., Xu, S., Larney, F.J., Reuter, T.R., and Stanford, K. (2015). "A green goodbye to dead stock: Historical linkages of dead stock composting research in Lethbridge over 20 years.", 3rd Annual Biology Graduate Research Symposium, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, AB, Canada, January 30, 2015.

    2015 - View publication details

  11. Blackshaw, R.E., Pearson, D.C., Larney, F.J., Regitnig, P.J., Nitschelm, J.J., Lupwayi, N.Z. (2015). Conservation Management and Crop Rotation Effects on Weed Populations in a 12-Year Irrigated Study. Weed Technology, [online] 29(4), 835-843. http://dx.doi.org/10.1614/WT-D-15-00071.1

    2015 - View publication details

  12. Miller, J.J., Beasley, B.W., Drury, C.F., Larney, F.J., Hao, X. (2015). Influence of long-term manure application on mineral composition of irrigated barley silage. Canadian Journal of Plant Science, [online] 95(4), 759-770. http://dx.doi.org/10.4141/cjps-2014-329

    2015 - View publication details

  13. Sura, S., Degenhardt, D., Cessna, A.J., Larney, F.J., Olson, A.F., McAllister, T.A. (2015). Transport of three veterinary antimicrobials from feedlot pens via simulated rainfall runoff. Science of the Total Environment, [online] 521-522 191-199. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2015.03.080

    2015 - View publication details

  14. Forge, T.A., Larney, F.J., Kawchuk, L.M., Pearson, D.C., Koch, C., Blackshaw, R.E. (2015). Crop rotation effects on Pratylenchus neglectus populations in the root zone of irrigated potatoes in southern Alberta. Canadian Journal of Plant Pathology, [online] 37(3), 363-368. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/07060661.2015.1066864

    2015 - View publication details

  15. Smith, E.G., Janzen, H.H., Larney, F.J. (2015). Long-term cropping system impact on quality and productivity of a dark brown chernozem in southern Alberta. Canadian Journal of Soil Science, [online] 95(2), 177-186. http://dx.doi.org/10.4141/CJSS-2014-104

    2015 - View publication details

  16. Li, L., Larney, F.J., Angers, D.A., Pearson, D.C., Blackshaw, R.E. (2015). Surface soil quality attributes following 12 years of conventional and conservation management on irrigated rotations in southern Alberta. Soil Science Society of America Journal, [online] 79(3), 930-942. http://dx.doi.org/10.2136/sssaj2015.02.0051

    2015 - View publication details

  17. Amarakoon, I., Zvomuya, F., Sura, S., Larney, F.J., Cessna, A.J. and McAllister, T.A. 2015. Persistence of excreted veterinary antimicrobials in soils amended with beef cattle manure. Remediation & Prevention Conf. Manitoba Environmental Industries Assoc., February 25, 2015, Winnipeg, MB.

    2015 - View publication details

  18. Miller, J.J., Beasley, B.W., Drury, C.F., Larney, F.J., Hao, X. (2015). Influence of long-term (9 yr) composted and stockpiled feedlot manure application on selected soil physical properties of a clay loam soil in Southern Alberta. Compost Science & Utilization, [online] 23(1), 1-10. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/1065657X.2014.963741

    2015 - View publication details

  19. Larney, F.J., Pearson, D.C., Li, L., Blackshaw, R.E., Lupwayi, N.Z. (2015). Conservation management practices and rotations for irrigated dry bean production in Southern Alberta. Agronomy Journal, [online] 107(6), 2281-2293. http://dx.doi.org/10.2134/agronj15.0062

    2015 - View publication details

  20. Miller, J.J., Beasley, B.W., Drury, C.F., Larney, F.J., Hao, X. (2015). Influence of long-term application of manure type and bedding on yield, protein, fiber, and energy value of irrigated feed barley. Agronomy Journal, [online] 107(1), 121-128. http://dx.doi.org/10.2134/agronj14.0321

    2015 - View publication details

Contact

Research facility

Lethbridge Research and Development Centre
5403 1st Avenue South
Lethbridge, AB T1J 4B1
Canada

Expertise

Agriculture›Agriculture-environment interactions
Agriculture›Agro-Ecosystem productivity and health
Agriculture›Crops›Alternative crops and diversification
Agriculture›Environmental science›Soil and environmental science
Agriculture›Land management›Land use
Agriculture›Soil science›Manure and slurry management
Agriculture›Soil science›Nutrient cycling
Agriculture›Soil science›Soil conservation
Agriculture›Soil science›Soil fertility
Agriculture›Soil science›Soil management
Agriculture›Soil science›Soil physical quality
Agriculture›Sustainable systems agronomy

Affiliations

Canadian Society of Soil Science

Soil Science Society of America

Language

English