Pulse crops, for the most part, prefer drier conditions; however, the level of drought in some areas of the Prairies over the past few years has been too much for even them. Following multiple years of drought, it becomes more important for farmers to conduct soil tests ahead of planting pulse crops, such as lentils… Read More
Category: Pulse School
Small plot research has its place, however, there is a need for field-scale research, too. When you take research to field scale, it allows for genetic and environmental interactions that may not show up in small-plot results, says Jagroop Kahlon, of Alberta Pulse Growers (APG). Kahlon presented about the APG Plot to Field program at… Read More
Drought or even just dry conditions can significantly impact a crop’s ability to make use of applied fertilizer. What happens when there’s plenty of nitrogen left in the soil ahead of rotating to pulses? That’s the question being asked in a trial happening across three Saskatchewan sites through the Agri-ARM research network. Mike Brown, agronomy… Read More
Growing a new crop can be tricky for a number of different reasons. There are so many unknowns, and at the end of the day, a farmer needs to know they will make a profit off the crop. Robyne Bowness Davidson, pulse specialist at Lakeland College, has been working with lupins for 20 years. The… Read More
The pea crop may not be a perfect 10, but that’s because its actually aiming for 13. What’s that now? Nodulation is key to pulse crops’ biggest super power: nitrogen fixation. But nodulation doesn’t always go as planned, and assessing a crop’s nodulation score can help determine yield potential and highlight where inoculation management may… Read More
As the lentil crop begins to emerge, there are many lessons to learn from walking fields early and assessing stand establishment. How does this stand look? Was emergence even? What could be done different next year? These are just some of the many questions that likely need asked every season. Ken Wall of Federated Co-operatives… Read More
For all crops, there’s a critical weed free period — a time early in the season where the crop must be kept weed-free to prevent yield loss potential. For pulses, the length of time ranges depending on the pulse type. Ken Wall of Federated Co-operatives Ltd., joins this Pulse School episode to discuss why early… Read More
Growers spend the winter making sure the equipment is ready, the seed variety is selected, and the inputs are budgeted for. Some may forward sell crops, while others want to hold off and store it in their bins. Farmers work hard to make sure seeding timing is correct, and the soil conditions are fit. But… Read More
Creating new varieties of any crop type is never a speedy process. Over the years of development, the end goal can shift so much so that selection priorities must shift as well. In the case of peas, root rot pressure, including from aphanomyces, has been an emerging concern. Ascochyta was the key disease focus for… Read More
Trying to “cure” aphanomyces of pea and lentil is similar to trying to find a cure for something as complex as cancer. The organism is hardy, spreads easily, and persists in soil for a long time. Dr. Sabine Banniza, with the University of Saskatchewan Crop Development Centre, says the root rot pathogen is likely native… Read More
First found in Canada in southern Alberta in the 1990s, the pea leaf weevil is continuing to expand its territory to the east. The invasive pest whose larvae feed on the rhizobia in nitrogen-fixing root nodules has since spread across most of the pea-growing areas of Alberta and Saskatchewan. It was first detected in Manitoba,… Read More
Every year, pulse growers are on the lookout for root rots which can wreak havoc on not just the current crop but also have impact on future crop rotation decisions. Aphanomyces and fusarium are the main root rots of concern, and can be tough to distinguish from each other. In this episode of the Pulse School, Sabine… Read More
Disease management can make or break any given crop year, and on this episode of the Pulse School we are taking a look at chickpeas and the most important disease to scout for, ascochyta blight. Dr. Michelle Hubbard is a research scientist in pulse pathology with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. She says disease prevention starts before putting… Read More
Fungicides are integral for preventing disease in many pulse crops, however, just like how weeds have become resistant to certain herbicides, diseases can become resistant to commonly-used fungicide chemistries. The majority of pulse fungicides on the market in Western Canada contain a Group 11 — the category of fungicide most likely to be overcome by… Read More
Root rot continues to be a concern for pulse growers and although work is being done on creating varieties that are more resistant to diseases such as aphanomyces, that reality is likely at least eight years away. In the interim, growers are encouraged to employ a comprehensive rotation schedule to best combat root rot in… Read More