Pulse School: Analyzing new and novel pulse crops to help fight root rot

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 mainstay crops such as lentils and peas.

Sherrilyn Phelps, director of research and development for the Saskatchewan Pulse Growers, joins us for this episode of the Pulse School where we discuss new and novel pulse crops that are being tested to see if they would be a viable option for growers’ rotations. She talks about some of the crops they are researching throughout the province.

“We have some fava beans, chickpeas, dry beans which are well adapted to certain areas within the province. We don’t have soybeans in here, but that’s another legume. It’s more of an oilseed, but it is a legume. So nitrogen fixing crop that that has some of the same benefits as a post crop and rotation. Some of the new novel ones that we’re looking at here in this particular project are mung bean, there’s cow pea, fenugreek, and lupin,” says Phelps.

Fenugreek is already a crop found in Saskatchewan, however, only in very few acres. Phelps says lupins could be a good option for growers with more acidic soil conditions, if there’s a market for the crop.

Listen to the full episode below to learn more about new and novel pulse varieties that could prove to be good rotation options for growers.

 

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