Any of a number of factors can cause a pulse crop to become nitrogen deficient, particularly issues with inoculant. Using the wrong Rhizobium species, applying inadequate rates or storing bacteria improperly can decrease the likelihood of proper root nodulation. Less controllable factors, like extreme plant stress or inoculant/soil desiccation can also have a huge impact…. Read More

The pea leaf weevil can cause devastating economic losses to both peas and faba beans. Though the adult beetles feed on these crops after overwintering in perennial legumes, it is actually the larvae that cause the greatest damage. Larval feeding occurs on Rhizobium nodules for roughly six weeks. This may limit or completely inhibit nitrogen-fixation… Read More

Thriving in wet, soggy soils (and thus seldom acknowledged as a problem-pathogen in Canada), aphanomyces is difficult to differentiate from other root rot microorganisms based on symptomology alone. Molecular techniques and identification of spores in the lab are the best means of identification, and as of right now, there is no commercial test available for… Read More

Ascochyta blight is a disease caused by three species of fungi, which are very difficult, if not impossible, to differentiate in the field. Fortunately, diagnosis of a specific pathogen causing ascochyta symptoms is not usually necessary, as control measures are very often the same. Out scouting? Look for purple-brown lesions on the stem, tendrils and… Read More

Applying fungicides to pulses early is crucial, particularly with polycyclic diseases which can spread through the canopy quickly. Downy mildew is one of these polycyclic diseases, but it’s trickier than most to control due to a few factors, says Kan-Fa Chang, research scientist with Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development. Chang says limited fungicide options makes in-crop… Read More

Does your farm have the cleavers? In this episode of the Pulse School, Ken Sapsford, research assistant at the University of Saskatchewan, explains issues surrounding the abundance of cleavers across the prairies. With the shift towards no-till farming practices, cleavers, which were once considered a summer annual, are now overwintering, particularly in the presence of… Read More

Each seed treatment product protects against a specific list of diseases or insects, but it’s the overall impact of early season protection on stand establishment that has much more far-reaching impacts than simply avoiding disease infection. In this Pulse School episode, Wes Anderson, agronomy manager for Richardson Pioneer, does outline which seed treatments will protect… Read More

Getting to know your field should start early. You can most effectively notice when something has gone wrong with your field if you are familiar with it. The benefit of starting that process early is that you can see things like crop establishment issues and other stresses on the plants that you might not be… Read More

 

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