It seems to be the summer of storms across the Prairies, with some extreme weather events bringing devastating hail and damaging crops. Many farmers are walking their fields and seeing varied amounts of impact, and are asking the question: What now? Will my crop grow through this? Pulses can be extremely resilient crops, and as… Read More
Pulse crops are efficient water users. Field pea, lentil and chickpea are all great at adapting to drought-like conditions, which makes them a great option in just about every soil zone of the Prairies. However, being well adapted for drought means that most pulse crops do not like wet conditions, which isn’t really something farmers… Read More
In-crop herbicide application season can be a busy time, and there are many factors to consider to make your herbicide application efficient. Technical marketing specialist of herbicides with BASF, Andrew Reid, talks herbicide efficacy with RealAgriculture’s Kara Oosterhuis in this episode of Pulse School. Before you jump in the sprayer there are a few questions… Read More
Harvest weed seed control is one option when it comes to managing some of our resistant weeds across the prairies. However, when it comes to wild oats, they shed their weed seeds before harvest time comes around. Breanne Tidemann, research scientist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC), has published a paper on some of the… Read More
Before any crops go in the ground, many producers are already thinking, “How can I make my harvest go smoothly?” When it comes to growing pulse crops — especially peas and lentils — one of the ways you can get ahead is by land rolling. This is done to ensure uniformity in the field, by… Read More
It can be challenging to get a reliable weed control system in place for pulse crops, due to several market and technical barriers. However, we still need to do what we can to set ourselves up for success, especially during that critical weed-free period. Andrew Reid, technical marketing specialist with BASF, says one of the… Read More
When you look at the landscape across the Prairies, there’s currently all weather happening — from sunshine and seeding, to snow still covering fields. Pulse crops require a little bit of different attention in numerous ways, but an imperative thing you have to keep in mind before that seed goes in the ground is —… Read More
Growing pulses can be tricky at times, and getting proper emergence keeps the crop competitive. Ensuring the crop has the proper amount of nutrients is key to a high and healthy yield, and that means choosing the right type and amount of inoculant. But inoculants aren’t like other crop production products, as they have a… Read More
There are several downgrading factors in the pulse crop that farmers have no control over — snow or rain at harvest that causes sprouting and bleaching being perhaps the most common. Other factors, however, such as dirt tag, staining, and cracks can be managed to some degree through harvest management and gentle handling. For this… Read More
From a too-early pre-harvest application to environmental stresses through the growing season, there are many factors that can impact the quality of harvested pulse seed. To find out more about the quality of the crop, it’s important to test the seed as soon as possible, to find out what’s going on, and whether or not… Read More
Pulse crops like a warm, dry bias — something that has eluded much of the pulse growing region of Western Canada this year. Peas especially don’t like wet feet, preferring instead well drained, lighter soil, along with that drier weather. For the 2019 growing season, many pulse growers saw plenty of pea crops with lots… Read More
The pulse harvest in Alberta and Saskatchewan is in its late stages now, and although there are some anecdotal observations of better-than-expected quality, it’s not all ideal. “There is some sprouting, and there is a lot of earth tag,” says Chuck Penner, of Leftfield Commodity Research, adding the visual damage is worst for green lentil… Read More
“There’s lots of things to consider when you’re thinking about growing pulses, and the very first thing that comes to mind is rotations.” Sherrilyn Phelps, agronomy manager with the Saskatchewan Pulse Growers, joins us for this Pulse School, where she identifies a few of the key factors to consider when selecting a field for pulses…. Read More
If you are considering spraying either a pre-harvest application of herbicide or a desiccant on your pulse crops, keeping maximum residue limits —MRLs — in mind is imperative. In order to do this, growers have to be very cognizant and aware of how mature the crop is and the crop’s moisture level. “If you aren’t… Read More
A hot, dry growing season has pulse crops charging towards maturity — is it time for a desiccant or pre-harvest pass of glyphosate? Nevin Rosaasen, policy and program specialist for Alberta Pulse Growers, says that accurately staging a pulse crop, in this case lentils, is incredibly important to ensure farmers aren’t losing yield, crop quality,… Read More