Lygus bugs are known for attacking canola, alfalfa and sunflowers (you can probably blame the lygus for that gross seed), but they can also be a significant pest in fababeans — especially after their canola food source is harvested. In general, lygus bug species like to feed on the reproductive parts of plants. “Similar to… Read more »
Category: Pulse School
Pulse School: Avoiding bleaching in peas
With pea and lentil harvest underway, the question on the forefront of many growers’ minds — what is the quality of my crop that’s coming off? We think about what sort of season and conditions the crop has gone through, and while sometimes you are prepared for the sample you’re looking at, sometimes you aren’t…. Read more »
Pulse School: CGC urges growers to submit harvest samples
When marketing your peas, lentils, or any other crop, it can be helpful to have a third-party assessment showing the grade, protein content and other attributes of what you’re selling. Every year the Canadian Grain Commission (CGC) looks for samples from farmers from across Canada as a part of its Harvest Sample Program. The program, which… Read more »
Pulse School: Deciding whether to desiccate
As the hot, dry weather continues across much of the prairies, many growers are wondering “do I even need to desiccate my pulse crops?” It’s not always easy to know what the benefits of desiccation are (or aren’t) in your peas and lentils, and in this Pulse School episode, Sherrilyn Phelps, agronomy specialist with Saskatchewan… Read more »
Pulse School: A look at how pulses are faring in dry conditions
Mother Nature has given the prairies many different crop conditions this year, and Saskatchewan is no exception to this rule. For the most part, Saskatchewan pulse growers are seeing very dry conditions, although this has helped keep disease levels down, notes Sherrilyn Phelps, agronomy specialist with Saskatchewan Pulse Growers, in this latest Pulse School episode…. Read more »
Pulse School: Checking up on disease development and nodulation
With variable conditions across the prairies, pulse crop development also varies, but many fields are either in flowering, or beginning to flower. In this Pulse School episode, Robyne Bowness-Davidson, pulse research scientist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, fills us in on what she’s been seeing so far this season, and what growers should be keeping… Read more »
Pulse School: Fusarium doesn’t just impact your wheat crops
When most producers hear the word “fusarium” they think of fusarium head blight, and how it impacts their wheat crops. Fusarium also attacks pulse crops, but in this situation, it goes after the roots. Fusarium avenaceum is the species that’s commonly associated with root rots in peas. It’s also a fungus that causes fusarium head blight… Read more »
Pulse School: Delivering fungicide to the part of the plant that needs it
When it comes to fungicide applications, pulses can be some of the more difficult crops to work with. Dense canopies and susceptibility to many different diseases makes disease management more complicated. In this Pulse School episode, we talk to Tom Wolf of Agrimetrix and Sprayers101.com about how to get fungicide to the part of the… Read more »
Pulse School: It’s time to scout for ascochyta
When it comes to economic impact, ascochyta — also referred to as mycosphaerella blight — is a serious concern in peas, lentils and chickpeas. In this Pulse School episode, we talk to Nevin Rosaasen, about how to scout for ascochyta, and the importance of timing when it comes to fungicide application. “When you are going out… Read more »
Pulse School: Assessing the culprit(s) causing a root rot problem
For parts of Western Canada, the rain keeps on pouring. Early wet conditions could be conducive to root rot problems in pulses. Fortunately, for three of the four main culprits —rhyzoctonia, fusarium and pythium, the plants will generally grow through the vulnerable early seedling stage if a seed treatment has been applied, notes Robyne Bowness-Davidson, pulse… Read more »
Pulse School: What you need to know about the critical weed free period
Pulse crops tend to not be as competitive as other crops, such as cereals, which is why we refer to it as the critical weed free period early in the growing season. By definition, these are growth stages in the crop that must be kept weed free to prevent yield loss. In this Pulse School episode,… Read more »
Pulse School: Preventing damage by the pea leaf weevil
As peas and fababeans emerge, at least one potentially devastating pest already has made an appearance — the pea leaf weevil. In this Pulse School episode, we talk about how to deal with the weevils if you are seeing them now, economic thresholds for control, and how to avoid them in the future. Pulse research… Read more »
Pulse School: Assessing In-Field Tools for Managing Aphanomyces (Do I Have to Wait Six Years?)
Taking a break from peas or lentils for six years is a tall order for fields where aphanomyces has been a problem. Are there in-field options or tools for managing this relatively new disease? Syama Chatterton, pulse crops pathologist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada in Lethbridge, has been conducting field trials across the prairies over the last two… Read more »
Pulse School: Sorting Out the Pulse Export Problem With India
With seeding just two months away, Canada’s pulse crop industry is in limbo, facing the threat of not having access to its largest export market as of the end of March. India’s government says it will not extend a derogation (or an exemption) allowing pulses from Canada to be fumigated with methyl bromide upon arrival, rather than… Read more »
Pulse School: Pulse Crop Rotation Options in the Face of Root Rots
Tough to say and even harder to control, aphanomyces has the potential to significantly reduce pea and lentil yields, and can stick around in the soil for an extremely long time. It’s recommended that farmers not plant pea or lentil for five to six years if aphanomyces has been confirmed in a field, but that’s… Read more »