Controlling weed populations in fields destined for pulse crops is complicated by a few factors, including pulse sensitivity to carryover, poor early crop competition, and herbicide-resistant problem weeds. Sean McKnight, technical marketing specialist for herbicides with BASF, explains in this Pulse School episode how the concept of herbicide layering is an especially useful one for… Read More

Scientists and plant breeders have their sights set on root rots, given the risk that one in particular — aphanomyces — poses to pea and lentil production in Western Canada and the Northern Plains. Federal funding for a new five-year Pulse Crop Research Cluster, leveraged by funding from farmer check-off organizations, was announced earlier this… Read More

Producers have limited means to test for the presence of aphanomyces ahead of the growing season, but some new tools are coming online, literally, to help determine aphanomyces risk. Meagan Reed, agronomy manager with Saskatchewan Pulse Growers, says that growers do have some tools in the toolbox to manage for aphanomyces risk, including rotating away… Read More

Once applied, herbicide active ingredients that land on the soil surface are broken down by soil microbes. Those microbes require moisture and warmth to chew through and neutralize the herbicide. When in-season water is limited, those active ingredients can stay in the soil, sometimes for years. Cory Jacob, acting provincial weed specialist for the Saskatchewan… Read More

It’s the tale of two very different markets when it comes to red and green lentils, with both markets seeing early excitement to the upside earlier this year. But now, Chuck Penner says, red lentil prices have dropped off sharply from the highs, while green lentil prices are strong enough there are new-crop bids already… Read More

Pulse crops are notoriously poor competitors against weeds due to their slow growth in the spring. This makes fall weed control essential for establishing a healthy pulse stand in the following year. According to Lyle Jensen of Agro Plus Inc., there are several key reasons why fall is the preferred time for weed control. First, it… Read More

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

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