Erosion could be an issue for pulse crop fields after harvest, especially if the header was set very low and there’s minimal residue leftover. Edible beans in particular are a tricky crop for “field aftercare” as there is very little residue left over, and harvest requires undercutting, increasing the potential for soil wind erosion. Scott… Read More
The majority of the Prairie lentil crop has been harvested and some may be wondering what the market for the commodity holds. Marlene Boersch, managing partner of Mercantile Consulting Ventures (MCV), joins Kara Oosterhuis for this Pulse School episode to talk about what the global markets have in store for lentils. Boersch recently spoke at the… Read More
Drought across much of the Prairies has caused pulse crops to become, for lack of a better term, “stagey.” Knowing how to stage a crop for, say, desiccation timing can be particularly tricky during such adverse growing conditions. In this Pulse School episode, Nevin Rosaasen, sustainability and government relations, Alberta Pulse Growers Association (APG), outlines… Read More
Summer is generally a time when the pulse markets go through a bit of a lull, but it’s always good to know what might happen in the markets come harvest. Chuck Penner of LeftField Commodity Research says that both farmers and buyers are sitting on the sidelines at this time of year, especially with widespread… Read More
Pea leaf weevils are out and active, and if they’re present in your fields they’re doing foliar damage to pea and faba bean crops. Meghan Vankosky, field crop entomologist at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Saskatoon, Sask., joins Kara Oosterhuis for a discussion about pea leaf weevil scouting and thresholds in this Pulse School episode. “You… Read More
Pulse crops can show a lot of height variability during the growing season, and this early on, staging a pulse crop for a herbicide application certainly requires more than just a drive by. “You really have to get out in a field to get staging on peas right,” says Daniel Packer, senior brand manager of… Read More
When the drill gets parked, it’s time to hook up the land rollers. Ken Wall, grow team advisor at Federated Cooperatives Ltd., says there are two reasons why you’d want to roll lentils (and other pulse crops); one of which is to smooth out the ridges from seeding. Lentils in particular are a low growing… Read More
What can growers do, right now, to help reduce the devastating effects pathogens, such as aphanomyces and fusarium, have on pulse crops? Michael Wunsch, plant pathologist with North Dakota State University, joins Kara Oosterhuis for this Pulse School episode to talk about what is and isn’t in farmers’ control. Wunsch’s approach to disease management includes… Read More
Depending on where you farm across the Prairies, you might have some concerns about herbicide carryover from the previous year, especially after a dry fall. “If you’re in some of the drier areas of the prairies, especially southern Alberta or across Saskatchewan, you might want to take a look at some of the herbicides you… Read More
Decisions, decisions. There are many early season considerations that will factor into where to put your next crop of peas, lentils, chickpeas, or faba beans. Seed quality, environmental conditions, whether or not to treat seed, and pest concerns are just some that make the list. One of the great things about pulse crops is that… Read More
Inoculants are produced each year, and a fresh batch will start rolling off the production line just before spring arrives. An inoculant product is different from other crop inputs, and there are some do’s and don’ts when it comes to storing your pea, lentil, chickpea, or faba bean inoculant products. In this episode of the Pulse… Read More
If you’re crunching numbers and figuring out ways to tighten up margins, one overlooked option could ensuring you’re getting the full value of the pesticides you apply. One way to measure this is by evaluating the amount of pesticide leftover after spraying. Tom Wolf of AgriMetrix and Sprayers 101 joins Kara Oosterhuis for this episode… Read More
When it comes to marketing grain crops, we all seem to have different strategies, and there isn’t necessarily one ‘correct’ answer. In the late 2020 oilseeds market, we are seeing highs that haven’t been experienced in years. And the prices just keep climbing. Those that sold weeks ago at what they thought were the highs,… Read More
Planning concerns for next year’s pulse crops stem mostly from disease concerns, especially aphanomyces. 2020 was a really wet year, and there were pockets that saw a lot of moisture, which resulted in increased roots rots and that nasty soil-borne disease — such as aphanomyces — which makes planning for the future crucial. “We saw… Read More
Before the freeze up, sprayer operators might be doing their routine winter maintenance and getting the unit ready for storage — but the more philosophical side of sprayer maintenance is sometimes forgotten about. Don’t worry, we don’t get too deep about spraying in this Pulse School episode, but Tom Wolf of Sprayers 101 and AgriMetrix… Read More