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USA - Choosing the right lentil for your farm


February 2018

Choosing the Right Lentil for Your Farm

The first thing to consider when planting lentils is what color you are going to choose, red or green. Both colors have benefits, but green is chosen most often for Montana farms. Although green lentils fetch a higher premium than red, their disadvantage Is that green lentils are subject to more quality discounts. For example, if a producer gets an untimely
rain at harvest and it bleaches the lentils they would be subject to larger discounts. Or if the lentils oxidize in the bin the green lentils will again be subject to larger discounts. Also red lentils are usually a lower cost of production than Green lentils.

After you’ve chosen which color lentil you want to plant, the next step is size. Green lentils have three choices, large, medium and small. Red lentils come in small and extra small.

Large green lentils are referred to as Lairds and the seeding rate is usually between 90-120 lbs per acre. Medium lentils are the most commonly grown in this area. These are known as Richleas and Avondales. Avondales are a newer variety with an improved disease package and taller plants. The seeding rate on the medium lentils is 60 to 75 lbs per
acre. Small green lentils are referred to as Viceroy. There is a Clearfield version of the Viceroy called Invincible. If you want to follow a Clearfield wheat or would like to use Beyond on your lentils, this is the one to choose.

Varieties of red lentils include Small Red Cliff and Red Coat. Clearfield Red varieties include; Maxim(small) usually 50-55 lbs per acre, and Impala (extra small) around 38-42 lbs per acre.

Northern Seed tests all the lentils for Germination, Purity (from weeds, inert matter, other crops), Seed Count to determine proper planting rates, and a full disease spectrum test including; Ascochyta, Alternaria, Fusarium ssp, Rhizoctonia, among others.

When selecting a field for lentils, you need to keep a couple things in mind. Lentils are short, so a rocky hilly field may not be the best option come harvest time. Also, lentils like a well-drained field. They don’t do well in an overly wet field where the root zone stays wet for long periods of time. In many cases lentils are better suited for some of the more marginal soils.

Lastly, planning is very important when considering adding pulse crops to your rotation for a couple of reasons. First, Lentils are more of a niche market and product and contracts go quickly so reserving early will ensure you get the lentils you want to plant. And secondly, to protect your soil from diseases that can devastate a pulse crop; peas, lentils, and chick peas should not be grown on the same field for a minimum of 3 years between pulse crops.



More news from: Northern Seed, LLC


Website: http://northernseedllc.com/default.aspx

Published: February 21, 2018

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