The lentil yield and biomass were considered as dependent variables. The plant has many branches and can grow to the height of 15 to 75cm, with pods containing 1 to 2 seeds, stubble retention and reduced tillage systems where possible are beneficial plant support. Proceedings of a symposium sponsored by The Center For Alternative Crops & Products University of Minnesota. If harrowing or hoeing is planned, be sure to use the recommended seeding rates discussed earlier because the plant stand will be reduced slightly along with the weeds. If the field is uniformly mature, it is possible to combine lentil directly. Red lentils are generally more susceptible to the disease than green lentils. of annual rainfall will produce high yields of good quality seed. Lentils are more drought tolerant than other legumes, however, the yield will be less in dry conditions. Despite the tremendous improvement, the current lentil yield is much below as compared to other pulses. Compared to wheat settings a slower cylinder speed is necessary to prevent cracking, and the concaves should be set wider. Lentils were first grown in the Near East region of the Mediterranean. Without a trellis, lentils should be set 5 inches apart to ensure ample air circulation. Lentil is adapted to cool growing conditions, and the young plants are tolerant of spring frosts. https://harvesttotable.com/how_to_grow_lentil/, https://hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/proceedings1990/V1-391.html, How to Store Harvest, Cure, and Store Winter Squash. The number of seeds per pod remained unaffecte d by the disease. Lentil Production in Alberta. To keep your seeds alive, the ground temperature will need to be at least 40 degrees Fahrenheit (4 degrees Celsius) when you plant. It has been grown in that area since the 1930s as a rotation crop with wheat. •Early planting of lentil varieties is critical for maxi-mum economic yields. Lentil should be swathed when plants begin to turn yellow and the lower pods become brown to yellow-brown in color. The average yield of red lentil in Saskatchewan is approximately 1,905 to 2,129 kg/ha (1,700 - 1,900 lb./ac.). tall, the taller plants resulting from cool growing season temperatures, good moisture and good fertility. Dried, shelled lentils can be stored in a cool, dry place for 10 to 12 months. A number of lentil trials examining the relationship between time of sowing and yield have been conducted in recent years. Swathing should not be done during hot, dry periods of the day. Windrowing can be a very slow and difficult operation. The design must ensure good airflow through the seed, which usually means that thinner layers of the seed must be used in this process. Propagation Lentils are propagated by seed and are either sown by broadcasting or by drilling in rows. Beluga: This black variety got its name because it looks a bit like caviar. Lentil is adapted to all soil types, from sand to clay loam, if there is good internal drainage. tall and actively growing. Agdex 142/25-5 Alberta, Agriculture. Lentil also can be used as snap beans; harvest these green about 70 to 80 days after sowing. Mean seed yield losses up to 41.6% were recorded. It is used in soups, stews, casseroles and salad dishes. It is best to let the seed dry down in the field, if the drier plant material can be handled by the combines without major losses due to shattering of the pods. Yields in research trials in Minnesota (see Table 1) have ranged from 343 to 2,031 lb/acre, depending upon variety and location. Aphids may attack lentils. The USDA Plant Introduction Station at Pullman, Washington, has tested large numbers of lines from all over the world and scientists there continue to evaluate and develop new varieties. It may have been introduced to the United States in the early 1900s. Rotary hoeing is normally done 7 to 10 days after seeding. Proceedings of the Agronomy Society of New Zealand 19 . Plant lentils in full sun. Phosphorus and potassium are recommended for maximum yields on soils testing medium or low. Under good research management and excellent growing conditions, lentil has yielded in excess of 2,000 lb/acre. Since the lentil windrow has no strong stubble to hold it off the ground, air circulation through the windrow is poor. Plant 4 to 8 lentils per household member. Yield will also be reduced by high humidity which promotes vegetative growth. Lentil is an excellent supplement to cereal grain diets because of its good protein/carbohydrate content. . Harvest To Table Support lentils with a low trellis. A dry field surface which is level, firm and free of stones is necessary to reduce harvesting difficulties. To control annual grasses, Poast (sethoxydim) can be used in postemergence treatment when the grasses are 4 to 6 in. Privacy Policy. Harvest lentils when the plant begin to turn yellow and the pods become brown. The seeds (2 to 7 mm in diameter) come in colors of tan, brown, or black, and some varieties produce purple or black mottled seeds. At maturity plants tend to lodge because of their weak stems. For the latest information on new and old variety performance, contact your local extension office or crop consultant. Plant in the early spring. Sometimes they are difficult to cook because of the hard seed coat that results from excessively dry production conditions. leaves often fall from plants, leaving plants defoliated except for the youngest leaves at the top of the plant. Australia’s lentil industry has benefited from the release of ever-improving varieties o… Individual plant selection for yield in lentil is problematic at a commercial crop density primarily because of inter-plant entanglement by tendrils. Most of the lentil production in the United States and Canada is exported, but domestic consumption is increasing. Lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.) Narrower row spacing, less than 12 inches, has also shown increases in crop yield. Lentils will grow in poor soil but the yield will be reduced. Because of the slender early stem growth, the plants are easily damaged at this time. Lentils will grow in poor soil but the yield will be reduced. If lentil seed is harvested at moisture contents greater than 14%, it will have to be dried to prevent heating and molding in storage. Lentils grow best in a soil with a pH between 6.0 and 6.5. Natural air drying has advantages over heated air, but proper design of the system is necessary. This allows for early spring planting dates. Doll1. Ten to twelve in. Instructions. This will occur within several days and should be carefully watched, as pods can readily shatter. lentils with rhizobia is not necessary in fields that have a history of pea or lentil production. Plants can have single stems or many branches depending upon the population in the field. Lentil is reported to require environments ranging from cool temperate steppe to wet through subtropical dry to moist forest life zones. Even if seed yield increases are not achieved every year, a lentil crop may benefit from improved stress tolerance as a result of phosphorus application. Grow plants in pots at least 8 inches deep. However, it is likely similar to that of other leguminous vegetables - 6.0 on mineral soils and 5.6 on organic soils. Sow lentils outdoors in spring as early as 2 to 3 weeks before the average last frost date. Add aged compost to planting beds before sowing; this provides most nutrients needed during the growing season. Space plants 8 to 12 inches apart. Grain Legumes As Alternative Crops. Later seeding dates produce shorter plants and late maturing pods which increase harvest losses. At 20.0 mmhos/cm salinity, seed yields are reduced 50%. The lentil plant usually has two or more secondary branches rising from the main stem. Lentils will not grow well in water-logged soil. a significant influence on seed yield, pods per plant and seed mass. Soil structure and drainage are important for higher yields. Avoid fababean, fieldbean, field pea, mustard, canola, rapeseed, soybean, sunflower, sugar beet and potato in too close a rotation, because these crops are susceptible to the same diseases. Control Measures i) After harvest, the affected plant trash should be burnt; ii) … Keep the soil where lentils grow evenly moist. 2011. For dried seeds, harvest pods when they have matured and hardened. The production and productivity of lentil has increased from an average yield of 565 kg ha -1 in 1961–63 to 1153 kg ha -1 during 2016–2017 [ 3 ]. Lentil is not very competitive (especially as seedlings) with many of the grasses and/or broadleaf weed species that infest farm fields, so weed control before planting and early in the growing season is critical. Seeding rates vary depending upon seed size, but a target population of 400,000 plants/acre should be reasonable. Add aged compost to planting beds before sowing. Then, they reach maturity in the hot temperatures of summer. Growing Lentils in Washington. Thus lentil plants were higher than control plants 43% in plots treated with GA 3, while they were lower 34% in plots treated with Prohex-Ca or Topflor (Fig. Three common lentil varieties are flat brown ones, small yellow ones, and large pea-shaped ones. A floating cutterbar mounted on a windrower can further minimize windrowing losses and difficulties. Lentil is a protein/calorie crop. Other pests that may attack lentils are thrips, Lygus bugs, seedcorn maggots, and wireworms. Always use good quality disease-free seed to prevent introduction of disease into clean fields. Unshelled green-pod lentils will keep in the refrigerator for one week. Lentil (Lens culinaris) – A relative of beans, it is an annual legume that is self-pollinating. may have been one of the first agricultural crops grown more than 8,500 years ago. Pick-up reels, lifter guards, floating or flexible headers, and air reels can be added to harvest equipment to ease the handling of short-statured, tangled or lodged crops. Container and Pot Sizes: How Much Soil Do I Need? Extension Bulletin 590, Cooperative Extension Service, Washington State University, Pullman, WA. Wash 3/4 cup dry lentils under running water, then add them to a pot along with 2 cups of vegetable stock. Lentils are quantitative long-day plants, some cultivars tending to be day-neutral. Mechanical: Harrowing or rotary hoeing fields after emergence is recommended only if there is a serious weed problem. Plants normally range from 12 to 20 in. Unlike their wild ancestors, domesticated lentil crops have indehiscent pods and non-dormant seeds. Ascochyta blight, Sclerotinia (white mold), Fusarium root rot and Rhizoctonia root rot are possible disease problems for lentil. Lentil plants produce one leaf per node, but have 5–15 leaflets per leaf depending on species and genotype. Initial wind and sieve settings for wheat may be used. Bueckert, R. A. With favorable prices, lentil has provided a very attractive alternative crop for good producers. The steps … Lentil has hypogeal emergence, which means that the growing point emerges but the cotyledons remain in the soil. This should only be attempted at moisture levels of 18 to 20%, to prevent excessive preharvest shattering. Production of this cool season annual crop spread from the Near East to the Mediterranean area, Asia, Europe and finally the Western Hemisphere. The primary causal agents of root rot of peas and lentils are the fungal pathogens Rhizoctonia solani and Fusarium species and the fungal-like water mold pathogens Aphanomyces euteiches and Pythium species.. Fusarium species are most frequently identified as causal agents of root rot of peas and lentils in North Dakota. Once in the combine, lentils thresh easily. Kelling1, and J.D. Because most of the lentil production in the United States is in the dryer, less humid environments of the west, the crop is relatively free from major diseases. Lentils can be divided into large lentils and small lentils. Lentil is a pulse (grain legume) crop. Smaller amounts of N (10 to 30 lb/acre) may provide some benefit on higher organic matter soils, especially where drainage is somewhat restricted. The contracted selling price was $14 per hundredweight. If a serious problem is developing in a field, you should consult your local Extension office for information about obtaining threshold values and recommendations for control. 1982. J. However, the main contribution to seed yield is made by secondary (aerial) branches that arise from the uppermost nodes of the main stem just below the first flowering node. Lentils which fail to meet food grade standards (graded #3 or below) can be used as livestock feed because of their high protein content and lack of digestive inhibitors. Depending on the weather, windrowed lentil may take a week or more to dry down. Lentil plant growth performance was affected by PGRs (Fig. Lentils are a pulse crop, a grain legume. Avondale: A medium-sized green lentil, this plant has a large yield.