Growth and strength

The Green&White caught up with Laura Carruthers, a University of Saskatchewan (USask) College of Agriculture and Bioresources (AgBio) alumna, whose work aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and whose rigorous training keeps her on track to represent Canada in her sport of competitive weightlifting.

You majored in crop science as an undergrad. Why did you gravitate toward this area of AgBio? 

I chose crop science because I was initially interested in plant breeding, but through courses I uncovered my passion for horticultural crops and sustainable management practices. I also spent a summer during undergrad working in the Okanagan Valley doing export fruit agronomy, which furthered my interest in horticultural crops.  

Tell us about your current PhD research. What impact are you hoping it has? 

I am nearing the end of my PhD journey, just completing the final edits of my thesis and hoping to defend in the spring. My research identified cultivar-based differences in potato nitrogen and phosphorus use efficiency; I hope the improved efficiency cultivars I identified can be recommended to producers so fertilizer rates and fertilizer losses can be reduced.

My work also explored nitrous oxide emission dynamics from horticultural systems, including impact of fertilizer, soil, and management factors. I hope this work highlights how management factors beyond 4R nutrient stewardship—the right source of fertilizer used at the right rate, at the right time, and in the right place—can be used to manage nitrous oxide emissions.

Additionally, I hope it uncovers how important it is to consider past management history of a site as that can influence factors that determine emissions potential.