New semi-leafless field pea varieties could help Western Australian growers reduce the risk of wind erosion after harvesting.

Department of Agriculture development officer Ian Pritchard said field pea farming systems had traditionally involved removing cereal stubble and rolling field peas after sowing to lower harvest losses and produce a cleaner sample.

While these practices were effective, Mr Pritchard said they left bare paddocks after field peas were harvested which increased the risk of wind erosion.

Mr Pritchard said the new semi-leafless field pea varieties reduced wind erosion risk by reducing the grazing value of field pea stubbles and allowing the retention of cereal stubble.

“Grazing of field pea stubbles used to occur because of the amount of grain left on the ground after harvest,” he said. 

“The new semi-leafless varieties like Kaspa and Moonlight have reduced lodging, improved pod height and reduced pod shatter resulting in lower harvest losses in the paddock and a cleaner sample.

”With harvest losses as low as 90 kg/ha, even in a crop yielding over 3.5 t/ha, stock are less likely to graze field pea stubbles after harvest.   Even if pea seed is left on the ground, it contains nitrogen which recycles quickly once the field pea seedlings are killed by herbicide early in next year’s crop.”

Semi-leafless varieties also have better standing ability to allow the retention of cereal stubble while not affecting harvesting efficiency and sample quality.

Mr Pritcahrd said the amount and condition of the cereal stubble (standing or loose), soil type, aspect, grazed or un-grazed would determine the relative wind erosion hazard of the pea stubble.

“Ensuring that field pea paddocks have greater than 50 per cent ground cover ensures that the relative risk of wind erosion in these paddocks is greatly reduced.”