Lacombe Research and Development Centre
The Lacombe Research and Development Centre (Lacombe RDC) was established in 1907 in Lacombe, Alberta. It is one of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada's (AAFC) network of 20 research and development centres.
The Centre is associated with one satellite location: Beaverlodge Research Farm.
Areas of Research
The Lacombe RDC conducts research on two major strategic activities, related to livestock and meat production, and to crop sciences.
Research on livestock and meat production aims to enhance the economic stability and reduce the environmental impact of Livestock production systems and to support the Canadian fresh meat processing sector in supplying safe, high quality fresh meat with good storage life, mostly beef and pork.
Research in crop sciences includes plant breeding (field pea and oats), integrated crop protection (weed science and pathology), and the development of best agronomic practices.
In addition, the Beaverlodge Research Farm is host of AAFC’s national honey bee research program, with an emphasis on bee health.
Search Research projects from the Lacombe Research and Development Centre to learn more about what we do.
Sector Needs
The Lacombe RDC carries out innovative research, development, technology and knowledge transfer activities in support of the AAFC's Strategic Plan for Science.
Meet our Scientists
Find out more about the scientists at Lacombe Research and Development Centre through their profiles below.
You can also visit the Fields of Science campaign featuring 11 Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada scientists from coast to coast. Discover why they chose to pursue a career in agriculture and learn more about their research.
More information
Scientists and researchers


Publications
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Smith T, Hoover SE, Labuschagne R, Pernal SF, Rueppell O (2022) Beyond body size: Using honey bee queen behaviour to predict queen quality and colony success. 2022 Entomological Society of America, Entomological Society of Canada and Entomological Society of British Columbia Joint Annual Meeting, 13-16 Nov 2022, Vancouver, BC.
2022 - View publication details
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Pernal SF, Lu R, Ibrahim A, Macias-Samano J, Plettner E Field trials of a new compound to control Varroa destructor, an ectoparasite of honey bees (Apis mellifera). 2022 Entomological Society of America, Entomological Society of Canada and Entomological Society of British Columbia Joint Annual Meeting, 13-16 Nov 2022, Vancouver, BC.
2022 - View publication details
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MacInnis CI, Luong L, Pernal SF (2022) Two's a party, is three a crowd?: How honey bees respond to infection with Nosema ceranae and Lotmaria passim. 2022 Entomological Society of America, Entomological Society of Canada and Entomological Society of British Columbia Joint Annual Meeting, 13-16 Nov 2022, Vancouver, BC.
2022 - View publication details
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Raičević J , Cunningham M, Griffiths JS, Wu L, Pernal, SF, Deckers T, Tran L, Ortega Polo, Zorz J, Clarke K, Newman T, Lansing L, Rott ME, Bilodeau GJ, Bishop C, Jabbari H, Guarna MM (2022) Honey bees as biomonitors of plant pathogens, pesticides, and antimicrobial resistance. EurBee 9 – 9th European Congress of Apidology Proceedings, p. 352, 20-22 September 2022, Belgrade, Serbia. (Poster) https://zenodo.org/record/7239012#.Y4BgMnbMKUk
2022 - View publication details
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Hoover SE, Melathopoulos AP, Waytes R, Robinson S, Pernal SF, Adamidis G, Cartar RV (2021) A sweet relationship: bees and canola production in Canada. Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Manitoba, 77: 79, 3-4 Dec 2021,Winnipeg, MB.
2022 - View publication details
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Fang, Y., Stanford, K., Yang, X. (2022). Lactic Acid Resistance and Population Structure of Escherichia coli from Meat Processing Environment. Microbiology Spectrum, [online] 10(5), e0135222. http://dx.doi.org/10.1128/spectrum.01352-22
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Zhang, P., Ruan, E., Holman, D.B., Yang, X. (2022). Effects of a Carnobacterium maltaromaticum strain at natural contamination levels on the microbiota of vacuum-packaged beef steaks during chilled storage. Food Science and Technology - LWT, [online] 168 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.lwt.2022.113944
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Ferland, J, Kempers M, Kennedy K, Kozak P, Lafrenière R, Maund C, Menzies C, Mesher C, Muirhead S, Nasr M, Pernal S, Sproule J, van Westendorp P, Wilson G (2022) CAPA report on honey bee wintering losses in Canada (2022). https://capabees.com/shared/CAPA-Statement-on-Colony-Losses-2021-2022-FV.pdf
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Pernal SF, Borba R, Hoover SE, Currie RW, Guarna MM, Giovenazzo P, Zayed A, Foster LJ (2022) Analysis of pathogens associated with winter colony losses in Canada. 47th International Apimondia Congress, pp. 42-43, 24-28 Aug 2022, Istanbul, Turkey.
2022 - View publication details
https://www.apimondia.org/uploads/7/6/4/3/76436993/47th_apimondia_congres_abstract_book_compressed.pdf
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Pernal SF, Plettner E, Lu R, Rueppell O, Macías-Sámano J, Ibrahim A (2022) A new acaricidal compound against Varroa. 47th Apimondia International Apimondia Congress, p. 8, 24-28 Aug 2022, Istanbul,Turkey. https://www.apimondia.org/uploads/7/6/4/3/76436993/47th_apimondia_congres_abstract_book_compressed.pdf
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