What We Do
The SynergyAG Research Facility has the capability to do soil testing, disease diagnostics, as well as field scale and in-lab trials and research.
Soil Testing
The soil testing lab uses cutting-edge spectroscopic technologies to analyze soils, providing quick and reliable results for soil management and fertilizer planning. We report a wide range of soil parameters, and pay particular attention to sample handling to ensure standards are met.
To submit a soil sample, please download and fill in the submission form provided.
Soil Sample Submission Form
Disease Diagnostics
The microbiology lab has capacity for disease diagnostics and crop infection studies. Diagnosis involves primary isolations from diseased and healthy-looking plant material (such as seed, leaf, stem, root) and soil using general and specific media to determine the causative pathogen or pathogens.
Research
Research at SynergyAG research facility is aimed at providing answers to the questions that growers and agronomists encounter in the field. With our controlled environment chambers as well as our replicated field trials, we carry out studies to determine how various products react under different growing environments. The research conducted by our experts helps our agronomists make expert recommendations, customized to their customers unique needs to maximize the value of their crop – both in quality and yield. Our research facility gives us the opportunity to have access to and knowledge of the most recent and cutting-edge options to support our customers. We are also involved in collaborative research with university, government, and industry research teams to provide solutions to pressing agricultural issues in Western Canada.
Who We Are
Located in Pense, SK, our research facility helps SynergAG take sound agronomy to the next level. We constantly push the frontiers of knowledge and bring scientifically-based solutions from our lab to your field.
Ikenna (Ike) Mbakwe, PhD, PAg
Ike is a Soil Scientist and Professional Agrologist (PAg) with experience in crop production, land remediation, soil fertility and irrigation water management, as well as environmental and agricultural research. Before he joined SynergyAG, Ike had been part of SARM’s Plant Health Network assisting Rural Municipalities and First Nations in the development of best practices to identify, monitor and control emerging agricultural threats in Saskatchewan. He also served as coordinator of an international project funded by the Australian government that helped farmers in three developing countries improve agricultural water productivity. Ike has authored scientific publications in top journals, and contributed a chapter in a book published by the International Union of Soil Sciences (IUSS). As Director of Research for SynergyAG, he provides scientific support to the agronomy team to ensure that growers are getting maximum benefit from the right agricultural input.
Tayo Adegeye, MSc, P.Biol.
Tayo is a Professional Biologist (P.Biol.) with close to 8 years of work experience spanning research in plants, microbes and soil. Her expertise is in microbiology and molecular biology. She has a MSc in Crop Biotechnology and Entrepreneurship from the University of Nottingham, UK and is currently completing her PhD thesis on Fusarium. Prior to SynergyAG, Tayo has worked in two international research institutes: Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI), South Africa and International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA, CGIAR). Her role in both institutes encompassed molecular disease diagnostics, crop trials and the management of the Fusarium culture collection (in FABI). With SynergyAG, she is a Research Biologist who is involved in the planning and management of our research endeavors with the ultimate aim of providing solutions to our growers.
