Lentils trials

There appears to be renewed interest from growers and the agricultural community in legume break crops to complement canola and cereals in the rotation. For example in the Esperance region a number of farmers bulked up lentil seed in 2016 in anticipation of sowing larger areas in 2017. This paper summarises some of the experiments conducted in 2016 by DAFWA in partnership with the GRDC via the Tactical Break Crop Agronomy Project DAW00227 which supports the growing interest in legume crops.

To demonstrate that growing canola (with effective weed control options) followed by a high value legume (with higher economic value) can lead to an effective and profitable double break crop sequence. The contribution of an early sowing date to increase the profitability of these crops will also be evaluated.

To evaluate different sequences of pulses and canola after soil amelioration when transitioning into cereal cropping to capture maximum benefit from amelioration.

To evaluate the rotational benefit of different sequences of pulses and canola after soil amelioration when transitioning back into cereal cropping following amelioration.

This project set out to contribute to an understanding of legume agronomic and financial management in the Esperance Port Zone in an effort to support the decision-making process undertaken by growers in deciding the best crop sequence for their farms, including which break crop best suits their needs.

This project aims to:

1. Contribute to the agronomic understanding of best practice pulse agronomy in the EPZ.
2. Contribute to the financial decision-making process undertaken by growers in deciding the best crop sequence for their farms, including which break crop is the best option to suit their needs.

To identify suitable Lentil varities for WA growers.

Identify suitable lentil varieties for Western Australian farming systems.

To identify herbicide sensitivities of new lentil varieties with the view to reduce their yield losses due to herbicide damage.

Identify suitable lentil varieties for WA growers.

1. Demonstrate that growing canola (with effective weed control options) followed by a high value legume
(with higher economic value) can lead to an effective and profitable double break crop sequence. The
contribution of an early sowing date versus a traditional sowing date to increase the profitability of
these crops will also be evaluated.
2. Determine the economic value of growing canola followed by a high value legume, and the impact of
this rotation on the grain yield and profitability of a cereal crop in the first year following the double
break crop sequence.

To investigate the suitability and profitability of alternative legume crops in the Western Region.
 

To compare three legume crops in farmer scale seeding strip trials at three locations in the Albany Port Zone. Demonstrations will compare several legume crops in different soil types in different micro-environments. The same trial sites will be monitored in 2019 to determine the effects (positive or negative) of the legume break crop on the subsequent barley/wheat crop and soil nitrogen status. The legume demonstration trials will provide growers with current agronomic information for pulses/legumes as a break crop in farming systems for the Albany Port Zone. Information from both the legume demonstration and effect on the subsequent crop will complement the Crop Sequence Calculator Workshops to be run concurrently by Farmanco.  

To demonstrate the profitability of alternative grain legume crops across the Western Region.

To investigate the fit of high value pulse crops (faba bean, lentil, and chickpea) in the sowing program and their rotational (agronomic and economic) benefits to the following cereal crop.

• To better define the sowing and flowering window of lentil and chickpea in WA.
• To evaluate the response of released and near-release lentil lines to a wide range of sowing times.
• To determine if chickpea lines being developed have improved cold tolerance.

• To better define the sowing and flowering window of lentils in WA.
• To evaluate the response of released and near-release lentil lines to a wide range of sowing times.

To demonstrate tolerance of latest lentil varieties to herbicides.

• Demonstrate how to improve the safety of soil applied herbicides by the timing of application and the condition of the furrow.
• To demonstrate tolerance of latest lentil varieties to old and new herbicides.

To determine the susceptibility of new chickpea varieties and fungicide treatment against Ascochyta Blight. However, due to herbicide damage the chickpeas weren’t harvested, therefore only Lentils and Fenugreek are discussed in this trial.

Identify suitable lentil varieties for WA growers.

Identify suitable lentil varieties for Western Australian farming systems.

To investigate the suitability and profitability of alternative legume crops in the Western Region.

The aim of this project is for the Corrigin Farm Improvement Group (CFIG) to compare the profitability of a range of crop rotations, including chemical fallowing, on a medium textured, loamy soil type east of Corrigin. Gross returns are assessed both on an annual basis and on an accumulative multi-year basis.

This project was designed to test the relative benefit of chemical fallow with a range of different crop types. The trial compared different crop types on chemical fallow with the aim to identify which crop is likely to produce the highest return. The project also aims to investigate the profitability of different rotations over multiple years which include both chemical fallows and continuous crop.

In these trials Corrigin Farm Improvement Group aimed to test the benefits of growing crops on chemical fallowed soil. The trials specifically compared which crop species were most profitable under a chemical fallowing regime. In season 2013 barley was most profitable and in 2014 albus lupins were the most profitable crop grown on chemical fallow.

This project was designed to test the relative benefit of chemical fallow with a range of different crop types. The trials compared different crop types on chemical fallow with the aim to identify which crop is likely to produce the highest return. The trials was a joint effort with Pulse Australia with the aim also to demonstrate and test pulse species in the Corrigin district.

To investigate the suitability and profitability of alternative legume crops in the Western Region.

This was a small trial in which alternative break crops were sown into a deep sand.

The goal of the project was for grain growers in the Western Region to understand the current level of grain losses (tonnes and cost) from harvesters, for all of the major grain crops in Western Australia and understand where these losses occur. Growers will be able to calculate acceptable losses irrespective of varying yield levels.

To answer the questions of whether applying a preventative spray regardless of conditions was good practice (i.e. does it help in controlling disease?) and was it cost effective?

To look at the potential benefits of applying additional nutrients as foliar sprays during the season, and we also investigated an alternative nutrient product called Hibrix.

To investigate the potential of new chickpea and lentil varieties in the high rainfall zone of Victoria.
 

• To investigate the potential of new lentil varieties in the high rainfall zone of Victoria.

To identify Pulse Breeding Australia (PBA) lentil genotypes which may offer yield improvements over current varieties grown in the low rainfall northern Mallee environment. 

To evaluate herbicides options for the pre-harvest desiccation of lentils in the low rainfall Northern Mallee. 

The aim of this trial was to investigate alternative chemicals for the control of ryegrass in wheat; and in broadleaf crops, canola, lentil and field pea.

To investigate the effect of deep ripping and gypsum on root and plant growth of wheat, canola and lentils.

To identify best management practices for the production of red lentils.

To demonstrate the yield and dry matter responses of field peas, lentils and chickpeas to the application of phosphorus and zine in the southern Mallee.

To demonstrate the grain yield and dry matter responses of field peas, lentils and chickpeas to the application of phosphorus and zinc in the southern Mallee.

To raise the awareness of the carry-over or residual effect in alkaline soils of some herbicides on the following crop and show the visual phyto-toxic effects of these herbicides.

To trial a number of herbicide treatments applied to field peas, chickpeas, lentils and lupins to determine effective weed control and their effects on the crops.

• To compare a number of herbicides and herbicide mixes to control broadleaf weeds in a variety of legume and canola crops.
• To compare a number of herbicides and herbicide mixes to control broadleaf weeds in a variety of legume and canola crops before sowing another crop.

To demonstrate the effects on plant density, nodulation and yield from inoculating legume seed using the correct method, applying inoculum dry and sowing 7 days after inoculating seed.

To determine the effect of lentil yield of the four most commony used seed treatments.

To determine whether there are differences in herbicide tolerances between the four most commonly grown lentil varieties: Digger, Cobber, Northfield and Matilda.

To determine differences in herbicide tolerances between the four most commonly grown lentil varieties - the red types: Digger, Cobber, Northfield; and the green type: Matilda.

To determine safe and effective techniques for using Trifluralin and Lexone in Digger lentils.

To determine safe and effective techniques for using Trifluralin, Simazine and Lexone in lentils.

To determine the optimum sowing rate and time of sowing for Digger lentils in the Southern Mallee.

To (over a number of years and different seasons) determine the optimum sowing time of lentils (Digger).

To compare the performance of current and potential new lentil varieties under low rainfall Mallee conditions.