32
Lentil7 7/Lentil Saskatchewan Pulse Growers

SPG Pulse Production Manual Web Version - NDSU · PDF fileSeeding Rate Target 12 plants/ft. 2 ... Registered Herbicides & Refer to Table 5.6 (Weed Control), ... Pulse Production Manual

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7/Le

ntil

Seeding Rate Target 12 plants/ft2 (130 plants/m2).(40 lb/ac or 45 kg/ha, Eston) (53 lb/ac or 60 kg/ha, CDC Richlea)(80 lb/ac or 90 kg/ha, Laird).

Seeding Depth 1.5 to 3 inches (3.8 to 7.6 cm).

Seeding Date Mid-April to early May.

Recommended Varieties Laird is standard, but being replaced. CDC Richlea, CDC Vantage and CDC Milestone are highest yielding. CDC Milestone for irrigation.Indianhead for green manure.

Ascochyta ResistantCDC Glamis, CDC Grandora, CDC Sovereign, CDC Vantage, CDC Milestone, CDC Robin, CDC Redcap, CDC Redwing.

Best Resistance to AnthracnoseCDC Robin

Best Performance On cereal stubble in the Dark Brown soil zone.

Rolling Up to 5-node stage.

Registered Herbicides & Refer to Table 5.6 (Weed Control), Table 7.6 or Registered Fungicides the Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food Guide

to Crop Protection.

Rotational Frequency of 4 to 5 years for anthracnose; 3 to 4 years Lentil Production for ascochyta.For Disease Control

Swathing or Desiccation 1/3 of bottom pods turn yellow to brown and seeds rattle when pods are shaken.

Direct Harvesting 16 to 22% seed moisture.

Storage Moisture 14%

Quicktips Lentil

Lentil QuickTips

Pulse Production Manual 2000 Saskatchewan Pulse Growers

NOTE
See SAFRR for latest info

Lentil 7.1

Saskatchewan Pulse Growers Pulse Production Manual 2000

Lentil Production Contents

Introduction 7.3

Table 7.1 Average concentration of major nutritional components in lentil seed and straw for livestock rations

The Lentil Plant 7.3

Figures 7.1.1 - 7.1.7Lentil seeds

Figure 7.2 Lentil growth stages

Adaptation 7.5

Table 7.2 Crop yields obtained on stubble and fallow cropping systems in the Brown soil zone over six years

Equipment and Modifications 7.6

Field Selection and History 7.6

Figure 7.3 Influence of stubble height on lentil at Swift Current

Varieties 7.7

Crop Management 7.8

Seeding ConsiderationsInoculation 7.9FertilizationTime of SeedingSeeding Rate 7.10Table 7.3 Lentil seeding ratesSeedingFigure 7.4 Influence of seeding rate and row spacing

on yield of Eston lentilIntercropping 7.12

In-Crop Considerations 7.12

RollingTable 7.4 Effect of post-emergent land rolling on

Laird lentil seed yield

continued...

7/Lentil Production

WeedsTable 7.5 The effect of weeds on lentil yieldInsects 7.14Diseases 7.16Figure 7.5 Leaf symptoms of ascochyta blight in lentil Figure 7.6 Ascochyta-infected lentil seedFigures 7.7.1 - 7.7.5

Anthracnose in lentilTable 7.7 Disease risk assessment to evaluate the need

for application of Bravo to control ascochytaand anthracnose on lentil

Figure 7.8 Botrytis in lentilFigure 7.9 Sclerotinia symptoms on lentil stemsFigure 7.10 Lentil plants infected with root rotFigure 7.11 Heat canker on lentil seedlingsFigure 7.12 Growth regulator herbicide injury on

lentil plantsIrrigation 7.21Harvest 7.22DesiccationSwathing 7.23Straight CuttingThreshing 7.24

Post Harvest 7.25

DryingTable 7.8 Days required for natural drying of lentils

with unheated ambient airStoring and Handling 7.26GradingFigure 7.13 Good natural colour lentil sampleFigure 7.14 Reasonably good natural colour lentil sampleFigure 7.15 Fair colour lentil sampleFigure 7.16 Not stained lentil sampleFigure 7.17 Not considered as stained lentil sample -

evaluated on colourFigure 7.18 Stained lentil sampleFigure 7.19 Mottled lentil sample - considered as stainedFigure 7.20 Damaged lentil sample - ascochyta also

considered as stainedFigure 7.21 Damaged lentil sample - frost

Fall Land Preparation 7.26

Table 7.9 Primary and export grade determinants for lentils

Appendix / Lentil 7.29

Table 7.6 Insecticides registered for use in lentil

Pulse Production Manual 2000 Saskatchewan Pulse Growers

7.2 Lentil

Lentil 7.3

Saskatchewan Pulse Growers Pulse Production Manual 2000

Introduction

Lentil was one of the earliestcultivated crops in the world witharcheological evidence from theearly Stone Age. India leads theworld in lentil production, and mostof the lentils are consumed by Indiaand its neighbours. The Palousearea of Washington and Idaho wasthe main area of lentil production inNorth America after WW II, butCanada began production in 1969and soon surpassed these areas.Currently, Canada and Turkey arethe world’s largest lentil exporters.Saskatchewan produces about 97%of the Canadian lentil crop and therest is produced in Alberta andManitoba.

Historically, lentil was widelyused in India, Southwest Asia, andthe Mediterranean areas in the formof split lentil (dhal) and it is still animportant source of dietary protein inthese areas. Lentil contains approxi-mately 22% protein, and is high infibre, Vitamin A, calcium, starch, iron,phosphorus, copper and manganese.While the lentil seed is used mainlyas food, the straw can also be usedas a high quality animal feed or as asource of organic material for soilimprovement. The chemical composi-tion of lentil is shown in Table 7.1.

Lentil production provides anumber of advantages to producers.

• It can be used to diversifyand lengthen the crop rotation,which reduces disease pressurein other crops and has weed con-trol advantages.

• Lentil also improves soiltilth and reduces the requirementfor nitrogen fertilizer.

Lentil prices vary, but netreturns are often higher than thoseobtained from wheat. On the prairies,lentil yields range between 450 and2500 lb/ac (500 and 2800 kg/ha),with an average yield of about 1200lb/ac (1345 kg/ha).

The Lentil Plant

Lentil is classified into twogroups by seed size. The large-seeded Chilean type has a seedsize that averages 50 grams ormore per 1000 seeds. The small-seeded Persian type has a seedsize which averages 40 grams orless per 1000 seeds. For both typesof lentils, the seeds are lens-shapedwhich is the source of the namelentil. Seed coat colours range fromclear to green, brown, grey,blotched purple or black. The cotyle-dons can be yellow, red, or green(Figures 7.1.1 - 7.1.7).

The lentil seeds remain underthe ground after germination. Thisoffers some protection to the youngseedling. If the main shoot is dam-aged above ground by a late springfrost, heat canker, or Sencor/Lexone(metribuzin) burnoff, the plant canregrow from buds (at the secondscale node) below ground. The firsttwo very small nodes are known asscale nodes (Figure 7.2). The firstscale node is typically below the soilsurface. The first leaf usually devel-ops at the third node position, andnew leaves are produced on suc-ceeding nodes on the stem every 4- 5 days under good growing condi-tions. The number of leaflets perleaf will vary from 9 - 15.

Lentil plants are typically short,but with variations in crop conditions

Lentil

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Figure 7.1.1 CDC Glamis Lentil

Figure 7.1.2 CDC Milestone Lentil

Lentil Seed Straw

Protein (%) 22 6.4

TDN (%) 44 – 46

D.E. (swine) (Kcal/kg) 3250

Calcium (%) 0.10 0.65

Phosphorus (%) 0.39 0.20

Crude fibre (%) 4.80

Fat (E.E.) (%) 1.50

Lysine (%) 1.60

Methionine + cystine (%) 0.48

Individual samples are required for more accurate analysis.

Table 7.1 Average concentration of major nutritional components in lentil seed and strawfor livestock rations.

and variety, height can range from 8to 30 inches (20 to 75 cm).

Just before flowering, leavesstart to produce a tendril at the leaftip. Early maturing varieties such asEston, flower at about the 11th or12th node stage. Later maturingtypes, such as Laird, flower at the13th or 14th node stage. Flowersare self-pollinated so they do notrequire insects for pollination orseed formation. The flowers areborne on short flower stalks at thebase of the upper leaves in clustersof 2 to 3 flowers per flower stalk.The first few flower clusters on themain stem often shrivel withoutseed formation (flower abortion).This is especially likely to occur if

conditions favour vegetative growthover seed production such asoccurs with good moisture and highnitrogen fertility.

• Lentil plants have an inde-terminate growth habit. Plantscontinue to flower until theyencounter some form of stress,such as drought, heat, frost,nitrogen deficiency, mechanicaldamage, or chemical desiccation.

Seedpods are small, usuallyless than 1 inch long (2.5 cm), andgenerally contain 1 or 2 seeds.Vigourously growing lentil plants withadequate space will produce two ormore primary shoots from the baseof the stem. However, the main con-tribution to seed yield is made by

Figure 7.1.3 CDC Robin Lentil

Figure 7.1.4 Crimson Lentil

Figure 7.1.5 Laird Lentil

7.4 Lentil

Pulse Production Manual 2000 Saskatchewan Pulse Growers

Plumule

Radicle

Root EmergenceStage

Shoot EmergenceStage

Seedling at 3rdLeaf Stage

Tap Root

2nd Node(2nd Scale Leaf)

3rd Node

1st Node(1st Scale Leaf)

2nd LeafStage

5th Node

1st LeafStage

3rd LeafStage

4th Node

Figure 7.2 Lentil growth stages.

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secondary (aerial) branches thatarise from the uppermost nodes ofthe main stem just below the firstflowering node. Up to five aerialbranches may develop on the mainstem. When growing conditions aresuitable for an extremely high yield,the secondary branches also pro-duce additional seed-bearingbranches.

Adaptation

Lentil is a cool season cropwith moderate resistance to droughtand high temperature. The crop per-forms best on level or slightly rollingland with a soil pH of 6.0 to 8.0.

• Lentil plants do not do wellon waterlogged soils and will nottolerate flooding or salinity.

• Although lentil plants aresomewhat drought tolerant, theydo require at least moderatemoisture (6 to 10 inches, or 15 to25 cm) during the growing sea-son to produce a full seed set.

Excess moisture before theplant is in full bloom can delay andreduce seed set, and excess mois-ture near the time of harvest encour-ages the spread of fungal diseases.Lentil plants are short and must becut near the soil surface, so fieldsshould be free of surface stones anddirt lumps. To obtain the best surfacepossible, a land roller is used tosmooth the soil surface after planting.

• Lentil seedlings are tolerantof light frost (-4˚C), and can regrowfrom the scale nodes below thesoil surface if early frost damageis severe.

• Frost in late summer or earlyfall will damage young pods andimmature seeds.

In the Brown soil zone:• Lentil performance is best

on fallow on medium to fine tex-tured soils, or when grown underirrigation.

Results from Swift Current indi-cate that lentil can be successfullygrown on stubble in the Brown soilzone, however yields will be lowerthan when grown on fallow (Table7.2). Growers planting lentil on stub-ble fields in this soil zone should con-sider a direct seeding system oragronomic practices that minimizespring soil disturbance.

In the Dark Brown, moist DarkBrown, and Thin Black soils:

• Lentil generally can begrown successfully on stubblewith good soil moisture reserves.

• Lentil yield on stubble in theDark Brown and moist Dark Brownsoil zone averages about 90% ofthe yield of lentil on fallow. In con-trast, stubble-seeded wheat mayyield only about 75 – 80% of fal-low-seeded wheat. The indetermi-nate growth habit of lentil and itsability to respond to a mid to lateseason rain makes it very suitableas a stubble crop in the DarkBrown and moist Dark Brown soilzones.

In the moist Black and Greysoil zones:

• Soils are often too wet forconsistent production of highquality lentil as excess moistureaggravates disease problems andgreatly delays maturity.

• The growing season isoften not long enough for pro-duction of later maturing andstrongly indeterminate varieties,such as Laird, especially if seed-ed late.

Lentil 7.5

Saskatchewan Pulse Growers Pulse Production Manual 2000

Figure 7.1.6 Redcap Lentil

Figure 7.1.7 CDC Vantage Lentil

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998.Crop Fallow Stubble Stubble/Fallow

lb/ac (kg/ha) %

CWRS Wheat 2580 (2892) 1700 (1906) 66

Lentil 1380 (1547) 1090 (1222) 79

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Table 7.2. Crop yields obtained on stubble and fallow cropping systems in the Brown soilzone over six years.

Equipment and Modifications

Most existing farm equipmentcan be used or modified to success-fully produce lentil. One exception isthe need for a roller, which is usedto smooth the soil surface and makeit easier to harvest pods close to thesoil surface. The roller substantiallyreduces cutterbar damage and mayimprove seed quality by reducingearth tag (earth sticking to seeds)and speeds up swathing or directharvesting.

Swather and combine modifica-tions can also significantly reduceseed loss, increase harvest efficien-cy, and improve seed quality. Vinelifter guards, pick-up reels, flexheaders and air reels improve thecutting of plants with pods close toor in contact with the soil surface.Generally, lentil production results inhigher wear on swathers and com-bines than cereals, which increasesthe cost of repairs and leads tomore frequent machine replace-ment.

Lentil requires gentle handlingto prevent splitting and chipping ofthe seed. Even non-visible minutedamage to the seed can result in asubstantial loss in germination.Seed with low moisture content isparticularly susceptible to damagewhen handled in cold temperatures.To reduce damage during extensivehandling of lentil, special conveyingequipment should be considered.Refer to PAMI Research Update#660, Conveying Equipment ForPulse Crops, for detailed informa-tion on handling pulse crops.

Field Selection and History

Field history is an importantconsideration in field selection forlentil. Lentil is sensitive to residuesof herbicides such as Accord, Ally,Amber, Assert, Curtail, Lontrel,

Muster, Odyssey, Poast FlaxMax,Prestige and Unity. Cropping restric-tions apply with the usage ofExpress Pack and Poast Ultra.Short-term residual herbicides, suchas Banvel and 2,4-D/MCPA can,under certain conditions, have adeleterious effect on lentil growth.Refer to the SaskatchewanAgriculture and Food "Guide toCrop Protection" regarding residualherbicide carryover.

• Always follow label recom-mendations and check productlabels carefully.

If active residual herbicide is apotential problem, a test plot shouldbe planted the year before lentilsare planted. The plot should begrown to maturity to ensure that nolate-season herbicide effects occuron yield or crop quality.

• In rotation, lentil should notfollow lentil, even for resistantvarieties, as this can result in asevere infection of ascochytablight and anthracnose and has-ten the breakdown of resistance.

Sclerotinia and volunteer cropsmay be a problem, if lentil followspea, faba bean, sunflower, canola,or mustard. Fields free of Canadathistle or perennial sow thistle offerthe best probability of success aslentil competes poorly with theseweeds and effective herbicide con-trol methods in the lentil crop arenot available.

Lentil fits well into a direct-seeding crop production system.Lentil seedlings can emerge throughcereal crop residue because of theirstrong seedling vigour.

• If lentil is direct seeded intostubble, it is important to matchthe lentil with the previous crop.

Volunteer canola or mustardmay be difficult to control in someyears. Volunteer cereals, such asbarley or durum, are difficult to sep-arate from large-seeded lentil duringthe cleaning process and must be

7.6 Lentil

Pulse Production Manual 2000 Saskatchewan Pulse Growers

NOTE
See SAFRR's Guide to Crop Protection for more info

controlled in the field. Likewise,small-seeded lentil is difficult to sep-arate from red spring wheat. If thetwo crops cannot be separated,lentil grade can be severelyreduced. In areas where anthrac-nose is widespread, avoid seedinglentil next to other lentil fields orlentil stubble to avoid the possibilityof disease transfer in wind-blowndust. In areas where ascochyta isthe main risk, avoid lentil fields andlentil stubble. A buffer strip of cerealat least 50 feet (15 m) widebetween a lentil stubble field and anew lentil planting will delay the rateand onset of ascochyta spread fromthe lentil stubble.

Studies conducted at SwiftCurrent demonstrated the benefit ofproducing lentil on untilled stubbleand the influence of the previouscrop stubble height (Figure 7.3).

Lentil yield increased signifi-cantly as the stubble height of theprevious crop increased. Fields thatwere pre-worked produced the low-est yields. The influence of seedinginto tall standing stubble helpedreduce soil moisture evaporation,particularly during the period prior toflowering. This results in greaterwater use efficiency (amount ofgrain produced per unit of waterused) by the crop, an extremelyimportant factor in dryland produc-tion in drier regions. As stubbleheight increased, the height of thelowest pod also increased, whichcan make swathing or combiningeasier and possibly reduce shatter-ing losses. Lentil sown into standingstubble or heavy crop residue isprone to greater late spring frostinjury than lentil grown under con-ventional tillage. This is becausebare soil absorbs more heat fromthe sun during the day and releasesit at night relative to a stubble field.Straw residue must be spread even-ly, to assist in minimizing potentialfrost injury.

Varieties

The first lentil grown commer-cially in Canada was commonChilean, an unregistered type fromthe United States. Small quantitiesof other unregistered types are stillgrown in Canada, primarily commonChilean, Spanish brown and Frenchgreen or dark speckled.

Most registered varieties inCanada were introduced or devel-oped by the Crop DevelopmentCentre in Saskatoon (refer toChapter 3./Variety Selection, Lentil).

• More than 60% of the lentilgrown in Canada, up to 1999, isthe variety "Laird", which hasextra large seeds that suit thequality preferences of many inter-national markets.

Laird has a strongly indetermi-nate growth habit and in cool moistareas, it may continue to grow lateinto the season. This thick vegeta-tive growth and late maturity pro-vides an excellent environment forthe development of disease, particu-larly in moist weather.

• As a result, Laird is bettersuited to drier production areasthat have longer growing sea-sons.

Lentil 7.7

Saskatchewan Pulse Growers Pulse Production Manual 2000

YieldPod Height

0

8

16

24

32 (bu/ac) Yield & Pod Height (in)

0

540 (20)

1075 (41)

1614 (61)

Yield kg/ha / Pod Height (cm) 2150 (82)

Worked Stubble Short Stubble Tall Stubble

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.

Figure 7.3 Influence of stubble height on lentil at Swift Current.

NOTE
See SAFRR's Varieties of Grain Crops for more info

A series of ascochyta-resistant,large-seeded varieties such as CDCGlamis, CDC Sovereign and CDCGrandora are being introduced asreplacements for Laird.

Eston is a small-seededascochyta-susceptible variety that isbeing replaced by CDC Milestone, ahigher-yielding, ascochyta-resistantvariety. These varieties are lessindeterminate and earlier maturingthan Laird, and perform better inmoist conditions. When affected bydrought conditions, however, theplants may be so short that theypresent difficulties in harvesting.Eston and CDC Milestone lentil areespecially suited to markets where afirm cooked seed is important asthey remain intact after cooking.

CDC Richlea is a medium-seed-size variety with a greenishyellow seed coat and yellow cotyle-dons. It is produced on approxi-mately 10% of the lentil productionarea. CDC Vantage resembles CDCRichlea, but has ascochyta resis-tance.

CDC Redwing is an ascochytaresistant lentil with red cotyledonsand a greenish yellow seed coat. Itis sold into markets where lentil issplit before consumption. Crimson isa U.S. variety with red cotyledonsand a brown seed coat. It is soldinto both splitting and whole con-sumption markets. It is susceptibleto both ascochyta and anthracnose.Other red cotyledon varietiesbecoming available in 2001 - 2002are CDC Redcap and CDC Robin.CDC Redcap has a greenish yellowseed coat, but is plumper than CDCRedwing. It is resistant to ascochy-ta. CDC Robin resembles Crimsonexcept the seed is smaller thanEston.

• At present no anthracnoseresistant lentil varieties are avail-able. However, CDC Robin, a red-seeded variety with an intermedi-ate level of anthracnose resis-

tance plus ascochyta resistanceis being increased and will beavailable for commercial produc-tion in 2002.

Indianhead is a black-seededlentil used as a green manure orplow down crop. It is seeded at 30to 35 lb/ac (34 to 39 kg/ha) and willproduce seed, if seeded early and ifdrought stress occurs in July andAugust. To use it as a greenmanure, it is generally planted inmid to late May to avoid seed pro-duction, and the plants are killedwith 2,4-D herbicide or by cultivationwhen flowering begins. Either herbi-cides or a high residue retentionmethod of cultivation helps to pro-tect the soil from erosion and pro-vides for greater snow-trap capabili-ty. Indianhead lentil does not add asmuch nitrogen to the soil as a plowdown of pea or faba bean, but it canbe a cost-effective alternative as it’ssmall seed size makes it relativelyinexpensive to grow.

Crop Management

Seeding ConsiderationsLentil production success is

highly dependent on the quality of theseed used.

• Lentil seeds are susceptibleto mechanical damage during har-vesting, handling, storage, andseeding.

Mechanical damage and herbi-cide misuse in the parent crop canreduce both germination and seedlingvigour. Lentil diseases can also bespread by infected seed. To avoidpotential problems, it is best to haveseed tested for germination, seedlingvigour, weed seed contamination andseed-borne ascochyta blight infection.A list of accredited seed testing labo-ratories is provided in Chapter3./Variety Selection, Table 3.1.

• Dry lentil seed (14% or lessseed moisture) is very brittle and

7.8 Lentil

Pulse Production Manual 2000 Saskatchewan Pulse Growers

penny
See SAFRR's Varieties of Grain Crops for more info

difficult to handle without chip-ping and splitting the seed so allhandling should be done as gen-tly as possible (see Chapter 2./General Production). Even nearlyinvisible seed cracks can resultin a reduction in germination.

• If seed testing revealsascochyta infection levels inexcess of 10%, an alternativeseed source should be used.

• In the Brown and DarkBrown soil zones seed testing 0 -5% ascochyta infection is suit-able for planting, levels of 5 - 10%infection levels should be treatedwith Crown fungicide, and infec-tion levels greater than 10%should not be used.

• In the Black soil zone, plant0% ascochyta infected seed ifpossible.

• Seed from fields treatedwith pre-harvest glyphosateshould be avoided, as seed maycontain residue, which canreduce germination, vigour, nor-mal root development and inocu-lant efficacy.

Seed treatment of lentil for fun-gal diseases is generally not recom-mended. However, Crown (carbathi-in and thiabendazole) is registeredfor control of seedling blight, seedrot, and seed-borne ascochytainfection in lentil. Crown should beconsidered if seed-borne ascochytainfection levels exceed approximate-ly 5%. Crown is safe to use withinoculants but should always beapplied, and allowed to dry, prior toadding a rhizobium inoculant.

InoculationFor detailed information on

inoculation refer to Chapter 4./PlantNutrition, Inoculation. The legume-Rhizobium combination has thepotential to fix up to 80% of thenitrogen needed by the lentil cropso it is important to ensure properinoculation. The inoculant must be

stored in a cool place prior to useand must be used before the expirydate. Seedcoat-treated inoculant(peat-based or liquid) should bethoroughly mixed with the seed justprior to seeding and after any fungi-cidal seed treatment.

FertilizationFertilizer requirements of lentil

are discussed in Chapter 4./PlantNutrition, Fertilization.

Time of SeedingLentil seedlings tolerate light

frosts and can even regrow from theuppermost scale node after asevere frost. This allows for earlyseeding which usually results in thebest yields and quality.

• Seeding can begin whenthe average soil temperature atthe depth of seeding reaches5˚C, providing it is not exces-sively wet.

Early seeding generallyoccurs in late April to early May.Early seeding increases plantheight and the height of the lowestpods. Higher pods are desirable asthey are easier to swath and theystay cleaner which helps to main-tain a higher grade. In most yearsseeding may be delayed in south-ern areas to as late as May 25 forLaird or June 10 for Eston, thoughlate seedings rarely yield as wellas early seedings. Early seedingmay help reduce flower abortioncaused by high temperatures dur-ing flowering.

Plant development may bemore rapid for plants that are seed-ed later because of warmer growingconditions and longer days duringearly growth. Early maturing vari-eties may be able to nearly "catchup" with plants seeded at an earlierdate, but late maturing varietiesgenerally will not. The rate of plantgrowth and development generallyincreases with daily maximum tem-

Lentil 7.9

Saskatchewan Pulse Growers Pulse Production Manual 2000

peratures up to about 27˚C afterwhich heat stress starts reducinggrowth rate.

Seeding RateRecommended seeding rates

are based on 12 plants/ft2 (132plants/m2). The actual seeding rateby weight of lentil will depend uponseed size and germination. Typicalseeding rates of registered varietiesin Saskatchewan are shown inTable 7.3.

•Seeding equipment shouldbe calibrated using inoculatedseed as the inoculant may reducethe flow rate through the meter-ing system.

Seeding rates should beadjusted for germination as lowerthan recommended plant numberswill severely reduce the alreadyweak competitive ability of the lentilseedlings. Lentil yields are oftenlower at lower seeding rates orwider row spacing (Figure 7.4).

Overall lentil yields weregreater in the Brown soil zone ontilled summerfallow as opposed todirect-seeded stubble. Within eachcropping system yields werereduced with lower than recom-mended seeding rates and withwider row spacing. Narrower row

spacing will result in faster canopyclosure and reduced soil moistureloss through evaporation frombetween the rows. Narrower rowspacing also encouraged quickerrooting exploitation of the soilbetween the rows and the use ofmid-row soil moisture. Differencesdue to row spacing would be lessdramatic in higher moisture regions.

Higher than recommendedseeding rates are often used as ahedge against expected losses. Forinstance, if harrowing is planned asan early season weed control mea-sure and plant losses of 15% areanticipated, then a 15% boost inseeding rate will help offset theselosses.

Established plant stands higherthan the target recommendationmay facilitate more rapid infectionand spread of foliar diseases, partic-ularly in wet years.

SeedingSeeding can be done with any

type of seeder, including hoe drills,disc drills, discers and air seeders.

• When using air seeders,caution is advised as seed dam-age may occur if the seed is toodry (below 14%) or if the air veloc-ity in the distribution system istoo great.

• Studies with Laird lentilshowed that up to 30% damage(cracking plus germination reduc-tion) occurred with excessive air-flow settings.

The lowest possible air speedthat avoids line plugging should beused. To obtain low enough airflowrates to reduce seed damage insome machines, it may be necessaryto reduce the travel speed. Since alower speed requires lower seed flowrates, a lower air velocity will carrythe lesser quantity of seed withoutplugging. Refer to the manufacturer’srecommendations for optimum fanspeeds and machine configuration.

Table 7.3 Lentil seeding rates.

7.10 Lentil

Pulse Production Manual 2000 Saskatchewan Pulse Growers

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ns Variety Seed size Seeding rate

lb/ac (kg/ha)

Laird Large 80-90 (90-100)

CDC Glamis Large 80-90 (90-100)

CDC Grandora Large 80-90 (90-100)

CDC Sovereign Large 80-90 (90-100)

CDC Richlea Medium 53-62 (60-70)

CDC Vantage Medium 53-62 (60-70)

Eston Small 40-45 (45-50)

CDC Milestone Small 40-45 (45-50)

CDC Redwing Small 40-45 (45-50)

CDC Redcap Small 40-45 (45-50)

Crimson Small 50-55 (55-60)

CDC Robin Very small 35-40 (40-45)

NOTE
See SAFRR's Varieties of Grain Crops for more info

Laird is more prone to seeddamage than Eston. Adding water tothe seed in an auger can reducelentil seed damage during handlingand seeding due to dry seed. Referto PAMI Research Update #704 formore information on lentil moisturiz-ing.

Ascochyta and botrytis are seri-ous seedborne diseases of lentil inSaskatchewan that can result in sig-nificant yield losses.

• Have your seed tested andsow disease-free seed wheneverpossible.

• In the Brown and DarkBrown soil zones if seed hashigher than 5% ascochyta infec-tion, treatment with the fungicideCrown should be considered.Fungicide application shouldoccur prior to application of arhizobia inoculant. In the Blacksoil zone, ascochyta seed levelsshould be as close to 0% as pos-sible.

• Another source of seedshould be obtained for plantingif ascochyta infection levelsexceed 10%.

Lentil seedlings can emergefrom relatively deep seedingbecause the seeds are large, butlarge seeds are also prone to dry-ing out. Deep seeding is notrequired providing the seed isplaced in moist, firm soil. In direct-seeding systems, the seed can beplaced at a shallow depth com-pared to pre-tilled soils as soilmoisture is usually much higher inun-tilled soil.

• A seeding depth for lentilof between 1.5 to 3 inches (3.8 to7.6 cm) is advised. Ideally seedshould be covered with 1.5 inch-es (3.8 cm) of moist packed soil.

If Sencor or Lexone DF(metribuzin) is used, the cropshould be seeded more than 2inches (5 cm) deep to minimizepossible herbicide injury to the

seedlings that may occur followinga heavy rain within 3 weeks ofplanting. If planting on fields treat-ed with fall application of Edge ashallow seeding depth of no morethan 1.5 inches (3.8 cm) is recom-mended to minimize any stuntingeffect.

If the soil is not waterlogged, itshould be firmly packed to ensuregood soil contact with the seed.Avoid over packing in wet soils. Ifthe seedbed is very wet, delayingpacking and rolling for a day allowsthe seed to absorb water in thepresence of the oxygen it requires.Letting a wet clay soil dry slightlywill also help prevent surface crust-ing. Harrowing or further packingafter seeding is not needed if seed-ers with on-row packing are used,but rolling will be required tosmooth the surface. Seeding withdiscers or air seeders without pack-er wheels should be followed byharrowing and packing to level andfirm the soil, and this should thenbe followed by rolling. Lentil seedsgerminate quickly, so harrow pack-ing and rolling should be completedvery soon after seeding.

Lentil 7.11

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Fallow Stubble

27 lb/ac (30 kg/ha)40 lb/ac (45 kg/ha)

10

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8"(20cm) 12"(30cm) 8"(20cm) 12"(30cm)

Row Spacing

Figure 7.4 Influence of seeding rate and row spacing on yield of Eston lentil. Average1995-98.

IntercroppingResearchers in North Dakota

have found that intercropping flaxand lentil (growing both together inthe same field) can increase theharvestability of lentil. It increasesthe height of the pods above theground and reduces lodging. Lentilyield will be reduced by the flax, butthe yield of lentil plus flax is usuallyabout the same as for either cropgrown alone.

• However, the results ofintercropping flax and lentil aretoo variable for the practice to berecommended to Saskatchewangrowers.

In-Crop Considerations

RollingLentil plants are harvested

close to the ground, so a smoothand level ground surface is desir-able. Rolling will level out soil ridgescaused by seeding. Rolling allowsfor higher speeds when swathing ordirect combining, and reducesguard and sickle section breakage.Lentil can be rolled after harrowingor harrow packing, if conventionaltillage is used, or after seeding, ifdirect seeded.

• A light to medium landroller can be used successfullybetween seeding and up to the5th node stage of the lentil plant.

A study conducted by Whatleywith Laird lentil in Saskatchewanshowed yield reductions from rollingafter the 5 to 7 node stage (Table7.4). Late rolling resulted in yieldlosses of 15% due to breakage ofmain stems and crimping of aerialbranches.

Rolling a wet clay soil beforeplant emergence can cause crustingand may delay or reduce emer-gence. The pulverizing effect ofrolling can result in soil erosion andconsequently, plant injury from relat-

ed wind-driven soil particles, espe-cially under low residue conditionssuch as summerfallow or on lighttextured, sandy soils. Therefore,when soil erosion is a potentialproblem, rolling should be delayeduntil some canopy protection isestablished.

• Rolling should take placeon hot days as the plants aremore flexible when partially wilt-ed and will incur less stem break-age as compared to when theyare rolled on a cooler day.

• Some growers caution thatrolling in temperatures exceeding30˚C may result in setting backlentil due to stress.

• Rolling when the crop isdamp from rain or heavy dew canspread ascochyta blight andanthracnose over the entire field.

• Rolling may damage andweaken the lentil seedlings, sorolling and herbicide applicationshould not follow each other tooclosely. A minimum of 2 daysbetween operations will allow thecrop to recover.

• Likewise, rolling should notfollow immediately after a frost.

WeedsFor further information on weed

control see Chapter 5./WeedControl. Lentil is a short crop with asparse crop canopy, which makes ita poor competitor with most weeds.Yield losses due to weeds can besevere, and lentil is susceptible toweed problems that may not beimportant in other crops (Table 7.5).For instance, a low growing weed,such as wild tomato or round-leafmallow, in a wheat or barley cropmay not be cause for concern. In alentil crop, the competitive effect ofthese types of weeds can besevere, and no herbicides are avail-able to control them. These lowgrowing weeds can dramaticallyinterfere with harvest. Wild tomato

Table 7.4 Effect of post-emergentland rolling on Laird lentil seed yield.

7.12 Lentil

Pulse Production Manual 2000 Saskatchewan Pulse Growers

Node stage % of check

5 to 7 100

8 to 10 95

11 to 13 85

produces an abundance of juicy fruitthat can be crushed during thresh-ing and may stick dirt to the com-bine and to the lentil seed.

• Good weed managementdepends on a strategy that con-siders all of the interrelated con-ditions of the crop productionsystem and the entire crop rota-tion in the field rather than simplythe lentil crop.

Techniques for effective weedcontrol (Chapter 5./Weed Control)are applicable to lentil.

Post-emergent harrowing witha tine harrow can be used for weedcontrol in lentil crops when the cropis in the seedling stage (no morethan 4 inches or 10 cm tall), provid-ing the foliage is dry and the work isdone on a hot sunny day. Someplant losses will occur, but thesecan be offset by using higher seed-ing rates.

The number of herbicides avail-able for use in lentil is quite limited,compared to those available formany other field crops. Althoughherbicides registered for use in lentilcontrol a number of commonweeds, not all broadleaf weeds canbe controlled. Controlling only someof the weeds in a field may not beeconomical. In all cases, the pro-ducer must decide, if a weed prob-lem is of economic concern or onlya cosmetic problem before choosinga control method.

Chapter 5./Weed Controlincludes a listing of the herbicidesregistered for use in lentil. Somespecific cautions with respect to her-bicide use in lentil follow. The gener-al cautions provided in Chapter 5and all label instructions, cautions,

and recommendations should alsobe followed.

Lentil plants are tolerant ofHoe-Grass 284 (diclofop methyl) atall stages of growth except duringhot, humid weather when leaf cup-ping and some leaf burn may occurafter application.

Poast (sethoxydim) can beexpected to suppress quackgrassfor 6 to 8 weeks, but in a weaklycompetitive crop like lentil, some re-growth may occur prior to harvest.

Caution must be used in apply-ing Sencor or Lexone DF(metribuzin) to lentil. They shouldnot be used if the lentil seeds areplanted less than 2 inches (5 cm)deep or on soil that has less than4% organic matter. Sencor/LexoneDF can cause significant crop injuryif the lentil seedlings have fewerthan 2 nodes or more than 5 nodesat the time of application, but a splitapplication of Sencor/Lexone DF atreduced rates (the second applica-tion to follow 7 to 10 days later thefirst) reduces the risk of crop dam-age and increases the effectivenessof the herbicide application.

• A full rate of Sencor/LexoneDF applied on a hot day to lentilplants at the 5 to 6-node stage orlater will burn the leaves off.

Only fall application of trifluralinproducts (Advance, Rival, Treflan,Bonanza) is recommended for lentilas spring application can result incrop injury, delayed seeding, andbecause of incorporation tillage, adried-out seed bed. These herbi-cides should not be used on landwhere risk of soil erosion is severeas the extra tillage for incorporationand low levels of residue from lentil

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Weed Weed-free lentil yield Lentil yield with weed competition Yield loss

Wild Oat (125/m2)A 2000 lb/ac (2242 kg/ha) 520 lb/ac (583 kg/ha) 74%

Green Foxtail (250/m2)B 2640 lb/ac (2959 kg/ha) 1850 lb/ac (2074 kg/ha) 30%

Wild Tomato (418/m2)C 1280 lb/ac (1435 kg/ha) 490 lb/ac (549 kg/ha) 62%

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Table 7.5 The effect of weeds on lentil yield.

NOTE
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production can aggravate the prob-lem. Deep seeding or environmentalfactors which delay seedling emer-gence increase the risk of cropinjury from these products and mayresult in stand thinning, delayedmaturity, and reduced yield.

• Although not registered forthis use, studies at Scott andIndian Head using surface-applied granular herbicides underno-till conditions have shownweed control and crop safetycomparable with incorporatedEdge and Trifuralin in someyears. This method of applicationwould provide important advan-tages for control of erosion.

Some winter annual weeds inthe mustard family, such as flixweedand shepherd’s purse, are not con-trolled by the herbicides registeredfor lentil. Pre-seeding glyphosateapplication or pre-seeding tillagecan be effective. Some growershave experimented with late fall orvery early spring applications of 2,4-D or MCPA to control weeds prior toseeding lentil. These treatments arevery effective as a control measureand have the added benefit of lowcost.

• However, they are not rec-ommended because of a high riskof crop injury from soil residues,particularly under dry, cool condi-tions. Early fall treatment of win-ter annuals with 2,4-D is muchsafer in terms of crop injury com-pared to late fall or spring treat-ment.

Use of salt or amine formula-tions of 2,4-D or MCPA reduces therisk of chemical residual relative tothe ester formulations. MCPA is alsoless likely to cause injury than 2,4-D. Either fall or spring application ofBanvel (dicamba) will cause lentilinjury. If glyphosate is used as apre-seeding spring burnoff, careshould be taken in selecting the for-mulation. Roundup, Renegade,

Touchdown, Victor and Glyfos, aresafe for use, but Rustler, which con-tains dicamba, can cause cropinjury.

A number of glyphosate prod-ucts are registered for pre-harvestweed control in lentil. Applications ofthese products do not desiccate thecrop and their benefit in dryingdown the crop has been inconsis-tent.

• Do not use these productsif the seed will be retained forplanting. Glyphosate carryover inseed can result in poor germina-tion, irregular plant developmentand poor nodulation.

InsectsCrop loss from insects in lentil

is sporadic, but the potential foryield and quality loss is high for spe-cific insects, if their population ishigh. Insects are most effectivelycontrolled, if the grower maintainsan integrated management systemthat includes knowledge of the biol-ogy of the insects that might causeproblems, field scouting for insects,knowledge of insect survey projec-tions, sound agronomy, and the useof insecticides when necessary.

The number of insects in anygiven field is dependent on manyfactors, including weather, the farmmanagement system, the number ofinsects in previous years, and thebuildup of various predators, dis-eases, and parasites.

Appendix Table 7.6 outlinesthose insecticides available for usein Saskatchewan lentil production.Knowledge about application ofeach insecticide will enhance activi-ty and optimize use. Insecticidesshould be used with caution.

Several insects can causedamage to lentil, including lygusbug, aphids, cutworms, andgrasshoppers. However, the onlyinsect likely to cause economic lev-els of crop injury in lentil in

7.14 Lentil

Pulse Production Manual 2000 Saskatchewan Pulse Growers

NOTE
See SAFRR's Guide to Crop Protection for more information

Saskatchewan is the grasshopper.Saskatchewan Agriculture and Foodpublishes an annual grasshopperforecast each year that indicates thelikelihood of a grasshopper out-break. It is based on surveys of eggnumbers in each crop district.Regular field inspection should beused to verify that insects are atdamaging levels.

Grasshoppers usually lay theireggs in areas with green growth inthe fall. Good fall weed manage-ment discourages egg laying. Whengrasshoppers hatch in the spring,they are only 1/10 inch (0.25 cm)long. They can be spotted in unculti-vated areas such as ditches, stub-ble, pasture, and field edges, bylooking carefully, or by using a clothnet swept near the soil surface.Grasshopper survival and cropdamage will be the greatest in hot,dry springs, and in field areas thataccentuate those conditions such assouth slopes and sandy soils. Theseconditions speed up the grasshop-per hatch, bringing more hungryinsects to the crop at one time. Aheat-stressed crop is less tolerant ofinsect damage than one with ade-quate moisture because, whenstressed, growth is slowed and thedamaged leaf area is not quicklyreplaced.

Grasshoppers chew throughyoung shoots, even if they do noteat the plant. Damage can occur atboth the seedling and floweringstages. Grasshopper nymphs canattack lentil seedlings on the edgeof the field as they emerge inspring, but lentil plants will generallyregrow from buds below or near thesoil surface. If the damage is notrepeated, maturity will be delayed,but the plant will not be permanentlyharmed. If lentil is planted early, theplants may outgrow the susceptiblestage before the grasshoppersemerge. Grasshoppers causegreater damage if they attack flower

buds, flowers or young pods. Thisdamage does not hurt the lentilplant, but the yield can be reducedup to 90% and maturity can bedelayed due to delayed pod set.Contamination of the lentil seed lotwith grasshopper parts can alsoreduce lentil quality.

• At the flowering and earlypodding stages of lentil, thethreshold population level is2/m2.

• Early planting is recom-mended if the SaskatchewanGrasshopper Forecast predicts asevere to very severe grasshop-per risk.

Grasshopper problems aremore likely in the warmer, driersouthwest region of Saskatchewan.In these areas, summerfallowing ismore common, and these tilledareas can be incorporated into thegrasshopper management system.Clean summerfallow will starvenewly emerged grasshoppers. Ifgrasshoppers have already begunto feed when summerfallowing isstarted, they will be more likely tomove to neighbouring fields. In thiscase, trap strips of green growthcan be left to concentrate thegrasshoppers before applying aregistered insecticide. The effective-ness of the trap strip will beincreased, if it is planted early inthe year.

Stubble cropping increases therisk of grasshopper problemsbecause the previous crop providesa habitat that encourages egg lay-ing. This risk is greatest in yearswhen a warm spring occurs andsevere or very severe grasshopperoutbreaks are forecast.

• During combining,grasshoppers enter the combine;the heads are broken off, anddue to size similarity, are gener-ally not easily separated from thelentil seeds. Additional cleaningmay be required to remove them.

Lentil 7.15

Saskatchewan Pulse Growers Pulse Production Manual 2000

NOTE
See SAFRR for latest info

Cutworms occasionally causeproblems. The risk is low, unlessmore than 2 to 3 cutworms/m2 occurin the top 3 inches (7.5 cm) of soil.Cutworms overwinter as eggs oryoung larvae that feed on newlyemerged shoots in spring. Theshoots may be cut off below the soilsurface. Crops, such as lentil wherethe cotyledons (seeds) remainbelow the soil surface, can oftenrecover from cutworm damage ifcool, moist growing conditionsoccur. However, recovered plantsare generally set back 4 to 7 daysby the damage. Pale western cut-worm moths (more common inBrown and Dark Brown soil zones)lay their eggs in loose soil. Falltillage encourages them to lay eggsin an area.

Lygus bugs are small palegreen to reddish-brown insects thatfeed on the sap of a number of cropsand weeds. In western Canada theyhave caused considerable damageon canola and alfalfa, and havecaused damage to lentil in the U.S. Atpresent lygus has not been a prob-lem in Saskatchewan.

If insecticide sprays are used inareas where bees are kept, theyshould be applied in the evening orearly morning, when bees are not for-aging. Beekeepers in the area shouldbe notified at least 48 hours inadvance of any insecticide treatment.

DiseasesDisease management is impor-

tant in reducing the likelihood andseverity of lentil diseases (see thesuggestions given in Chapter2./General Production, Diseases).

Ascochyta blight and anthrac-nose are two diseases that are ofsignificant concern. A third disease,botrytis stem and pod blight (some-times called grey mold), can be asignificant problem under wet condi-tions. All three of these diseasesbecome most problematic during

the period of flowering to maturity.• Ascochyta blight is a fungal

disease caused by a specificstrain of the fungus that onlyinfects lentil. This fungal strainwill not cause ascochyta blight inpea or chickpea.

Ascochyta is widespread inWestern Canada, and common inother lentil-growing areas of theworld. Yield loss in Eston, commonChilean and Laird may be as highas 30 to 50%.

• New aggressive strains ofascochyta have developed, andLaird has little resistance to thenew strains.

• The newer varieties CDCGlamis, CDC Grandora, CDCSovereign, CDC Vantage andCDC Milestone are ascochytaresistant.

• The newer red cotyledonvarieties CDC Redwing, CDCRobin and CDC Redcap haveascochyta resistance, Crimsondoes not have ascochyta resis-tance.

The yield loss due to ascochytais caused by flower and pod abor-tion, but heavy infection may delaymaturity as well. The reductions inlentil quality and grade may causelarger economic losses than thereduction in yield. The disease isspread by rain splash transferringspores from plant residue on thesoil surface to the developing lentilplant and from plant to plant.Ascochyta can also be seedborneso planting infected seed canspread the disease. Infection canoccur throughout the growing sea-son. Symptoms of the diseaseinclude the occurrence of grey totan spots or lesions on the leaflets,stems, flowers and pods, with darkmargins and often with tiny blackfruiting bodies (pycnidia) in the cen-ters (Figure 7.5). Lesions first occuron lower leaflets close to the soilsurface. Lesions on stems can gir-

7.16 Lentil

Pulse Production Manual 2000 Saskatchewan Pulse Growers

NOTE
See SAFRR for latest info

dle the plant and result in wilting.Under severe conditions, leavesturn completely brown and may belost and the seeds discoloured.Seeds may become partly or whollybrownish-purple, and may be shriv-eled (Figure 7.6). In extreme cases,they may have fluffy white patchesor bumps. Disease symptoms aremost severe under cool (15˚C), wetconditions. A late seed-borne infec-tion may occur with little or no seeddiscoloration in the harvested lentilseeds. This can be detected by aseedborne ascochyta test.

The fungus can overwinter inthe field on lentil stubble. Movementof wind-blown spores from field tofield is limited, but can occur fromadjacent fields. Where lentil is plant-ed adjacent to a lentil stubble field,it may be beneficial to treat approxi-mately 50 m along the field edgewith a fungicide application.Alternatively, this buffer area mayhave higher levels of seedborneinfection and should be combinedand binned separately from seedfrom the remainder of the field toprevent downgrading. Anotheroption would be to seed a 50 mbuffer strip of wheat or other non-host crop.

The likelihood of disease canbe reduced by allowing severalyears (at least 3) between lentilcrops, and by planting only seedthat is ascochyta-free. Agar platetests of seed that indicate "nonedetected" are recommended forpedigreed seed growers or for grow-ers in Black soil zone where cool,moist conditions are most likely.Even 1% seedborne ascochyta canresult in epidemics in cool, moistseasons, but up to 4-5% seed infec-tion will not normally cause a prob-lem in dry areas. If seed with 5 -10% seedborne infection is planted,seed treatment with Crown fungi-cide or delayed seeding is recom-mended to reduce transmission

from infected seed to seedlings.Seed lots with greater than 10%seedborne infection should not beplanted.

• Under high ascochyta dis-ease pressure, yield and qualitylosses can occur, even with vari-eties designated as resistant. Itmight be advisable for growers tosubstitute the term "tolerance"for "resistance" in areas or inproduction systems where dis-ease pressure is extreme.

Yield is not likely to be reducedwith low levels of ascochyta infec-tion on the bottom half of the cropcanopy. However, if infectionspreads to the top of the canopy,yield potential can be lost. Shouldthis situation occur, a fungicideapplication may be warranted.Bravo 500 is registered for control-ling the spread of ascochyta blightin lentil. Application should beapplied at early flowering; a secondapplication may be applied 10 -14days later, if cool, wet weather per-sists.

Anthracnose is a fungal dis-ease that is severe in southernManitoba and is widespread inSaskatchewan. The fungus spreadsreadily, and low levels are able toinitiate epidemics, especially insouthern Manitoba. The incidenceand severity of anthracnose inSaskatchewan is generally less thanin Manitoba, probably because ofthe cooler, drier summers.Anthracnose can be carried by stub-ble, wind-blown dust, and by seed.Although seed-borne infection doesnot significantly contribute toseedling disease, seed from highlyinfected fields should not be usedfor planting. Anthracnose-infesteddebris from previous lentil crops isthe most important source of thefungal inoculum. The fungus canreadily move from field to field, andcan remain viable in the soil onburied plant material for more than

Lentil 7.17

Saskatchewan Pulse Growers Pulse Production Manual 2000

Figure 7.5 Leaf symptoms ofascochyta blight in lentil.

Figure 7.6 Ascochyta-infectedlentil seed.

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2 years. Risk factors for anthrac-nose include the previous presenceof the disease in the field, or eventhe district, and frequent rainfall.Rain splash assists in diseasetransfer and aerial spores are car-ried by raindrops during thunder-storm activity. Disease incidence ispromoted with warm temperatures(20 – 24˚C) and humid conditions.Swathing and combining a heavilyinfected crop will create sporeclouds, further spreading the dis-ease by wind.

Disease symptoms includegrey to cream patches on leaves,and spreading tan to golden brownlesions on the lower stems (Figures7.7.2-7.7.5). Leaves, and entireplants may die back and the stemsof mature and dead plants oftenblacken. This is especially evidentafter swathing. Leaflets littering thesoil surface are another sign ofanthracnose infection. Warm moistweather, frequent showers and adense lentil canopy favour the dis-ease. Severe stem infection will killthe stem before any seed becomesinfected. Leaf symptoms usuallyappear between the 8 - 12 nodestages, approximately one weekprior to flowering. Stem lesionsbegin at the base of the plant soonafter the appearance of leaf lesions.Stem lesions progress along theentire stem and infection can resultin stem girdling. Consequently, largeareas of the field will exhibit wiltingand begin to die-off. Most damagefrom this disease occurs when thestem is infected.

• It is recommended thatgrowers avoid infected seed anduse crop rotations that include atleast 4 or 5 years between sus-ceptible crops such as lentil, pea,or faba bean.

• Lentil crops should beplanted as far as possible fromprevious anthracnose-infectedfields.

• The fungal inoculumdeclines quicker, if infectedresidue is left exposed on the soilsurface. Therefore, zero-tillagesystems are advantageous.Residue incorporation and burialextends fungal survival.

• As anthracnose is not high-ly seed-borne, fungicide seedtreatments for prevention is notrecommended.

• CDC Robin, a small-seeded,red-cotyledon lentil with an inter-mediate level of resistance toanthracnose plus good resis-tance to ascochyta, was regis-tered in 1999 and some commer-cial seed will become available in2002.

Bravo 500 (chlorothalonil) isregistered for ascochyta andanthracnose control in lentil. Thefungicide protects the sprayed plantfrom infection until new non-sprayedgrowth develops. Therefore, undermoist conditions or in areas whereanthracnose is present, a repeatapplication may be required. Thefirst application should occur justprior to flowering when bud forma-tion is evident, followed by a secondapplication 10 – 14 days later atearly to mid-flowering. In areaswhere the risk of anthracnose is lowor conditions are not favourable forits development, growers may wishto protect their crop with a singlefungicide application at early flower-ing. Bravo 500 must be handledcarefully as it can cause severe eyedamage and label recommendationsshould be followed. The secret to in-crop fungicide application is earlydetection of disease symptoms. Thisrequires that producers monitor theirfields carefully and looking for visualindications of the disease. Effectivefield scouting can’t be done from thetruck - footwork is necessary.

Crown (carbathiin and thiaben-dazole) is registered as a seedtreatment for control of seedling

7.18 Lentil

Pulse Production Manual 2000 Saskatchewan Pulse Growers

Figure 7.7.1 Anthracnose in lentil.

Figure 7.7.2

Figure 7.7.3

Figure 7.7.4

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blight caused by pathogens such asBotrytis, seed rot and seedborneascochyta. The chemical is sold as aliquid (water base) that can be usedas a sticker for inoculant. Crown canbe applied simultaneously orsequentially with Rhizobium inocu-lants. Treated seed is toxic. Vitaflo280 is registered for control of seedrot and seedling blight in lentil.

It is difficult to distinguishbetween ascochyta blight andanthracnose on the basis of earlysymptoms on the leaves and stems,particularly as both diseases can bepresent within the field. Anthracnoseis usually responsible for prematureleaf drop, and severe stem lesionsand girdling, whereas flower andpod abortion are associated withascochyta blight.

Most fungicide dealers inSaskatchewan have anthracnosediagnostic kits available fromDiscovery Seeds Lab in Saskatoon.Sampling involves collecting 15 - 20leaflets exhibiting lesions and plac-ing them in a plastic container withwet paper. The samples are mailedto Discovery Seeds and the compa-ny will make a diagnosis and informthe grower within 48 hours. Thisprocedure will confirm the presenceof anthracnose, but cannot predictthe severity or likely losses associ-ated with its presence.

A set of guidelines for identify-ing situations where fungicide appli-cation is most cost-effective is beingdeveloped at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, SaskatoonResearch Centre through partial

Figure 7.7.5

Table 7.7 Disease risk assess-ment to evaluate the need forapplication of Bravo to controlascochyta and anthracnose onlentil.

Lentil 7.19

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This assessment summarizes the relative risk associated with factors that control disease development. However, the decision to apply a fungicide is the responsibility of the producer and AAFC does not assume any liability.Inspect at least 10 locations in the lentil crop at 10% flowering. Risk factor

A. Plant stand

1. Thin (high weed pressure, low yield expectation) 0

2. Moderate (some weeds, possibly low yield) 5

3. Normal (about 12 lentil plants/ft2 or 135/m2) 10

4. Dense (more plants than normal, lush growth) 15

B. Number of days with rain in the last 14 days

0 days 0

1-2 days 5

3-4 days 10

5-6 days 15

7 or more days 20

C. The 5-day weather forecast

1. Dry 0

2. Unpredictable 10

3. Light showers 15

4. Rain 20

D. Symptoms of anthracnose and ascochyta blight on lentil plants

1. No visible symptoms 0

2. Few lesions on lower 1⁄2 of the foliage (up to 10% of the leaflets infected) 5

3. Lesions on lower 1⁄2 of the foliage (up to 25% of the leaflets infected) 15

4. Lesions on lower (up to 25%), as well as upper, foliage (up to 10%) 25

5. Lesions on lower foliage and premature leaf drop characteristic of anthracnose 25

6. Flowers and/or peduncles infected, characteristic of ascochyta blight 25

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funding by the Agri-Food InnovationFund. Growers using it will bechoose the risk factors that bestdescribe:

A/ plant stand,B/ number of days with rain in

the last 14 days,C/ 5-day weather forecast, andD/ disease development stage.The guideline summarizing the

relative risk associated with factorsthat control development ofascochyta and anthracnose in lentilare shown in Table 7.7.

• Growers are advised thatthe guidelines are presently inthe development stage and fur-ther refinements are ongoing.

• USE OF THE DECISIONSUPPORT SYSTEM IS THERESPONSIBILITY OF THE PRO-DUCER. AGRICULTURE ANDAGRI-FOOD CANADA DOES NOTASSUME ANY LIABILITYREGARDING ITS USE.

Inspect the lentil crop no laterthan the 10-node stage. Choose therisk values that most closelydescribe the plant stand, number ofdays with rain in the past 14 days,and the 5-day weather forecast.Average the disease symptoms overat least 10 sites in the field.

A risk value is then calculatedas A+B+C+D.

• If the risk value is less than50, a fungicide application is notrecommended, but a new assess-ment should be made at 3-5 dayintervals until the crop is nolonger flowering.

• When the risk value is 50 orabove, a fungicide application isrecommended.

• The optimal time for controlof anthracnose is at the 10 – 12node stage or early floweringwhen premature leaf drop firstoccurs. An application may bewarranted at low levels of steminfection to protect those plantsthat are still healthy.

• It is too late to controlanthracnose when severe lesionscan be found at the stem base,and when the crop is no longerflowering.

• Control of ascochyta blightmay be achieved from early tolate flowering, whenever the firstsymptoms appear. An applicationat early pod set may preventreduction of seed grade.

Botrytis (grey mold) stem andpod rot can cause severe crop loss-es (Figure 7.8).

• It is most destructive underirrigation, or in cool wet years.

Botrytis-infected seeds usuallyproduce infected seedlings whichdie soon after emergence and resultin a reduced plant stand. Symptomsof the disease usually occur later inthe season and include wilting, pre-mature ripening, failure of pods tofill, and dead, infected crop areas.Grey moldy growth can be foundthroughout the canopy on stemsand pods. During harvest, clouds ofspores are dispersed from the lowercanopy and are clearly visible. Insuch cases, protective dust masksshould be used. No control is avail-able at this stage of disease devel-opment. The fungus causing thisdisease can overwinter at the soilsurface or in debris, and can occa-sionally be seed-borne. Inoculum iswidespread and needs only pro-longed cool, wet periods and adense canopy to become serious.

• No resistant varieties areavailable.

Sclerotinia (white mold) cancause rotting of stems and pods(Figure 7.9).

• Although Sclerotinia iswidespread in lentil, it is usuallynot of economic concern, exceptin areas with early lodging in wetyears.

The risk to other susceptiblecrops in the rotation, especiallycanola, is increased if it follows lentil

Figure 7.8 Botrytis in lentil.

Figure 7.9 Sclerotinia symptomson lentil stems.

7.20 LentilS

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in the rotation because of the multi-plication of the fungus in the lentilcrop.

Seedling blights and rootrots can be widespread, but usuallythey only occur on scattered plantsand they are rarely of economicimportance (Figure 7.10). Individualdiseased plants turn yellow, die anddry up. The root system and thebase of the stem are brown and rot-ten, and may have white or pinkmold growing on them. The diseaseaffects only scattered plants anddoes not spread far. Crop rotationsthat include cereals can delay thebuild up of these soilborne dis-eases.

Viral diseases are not severein lentil in Saskatchewan, but sever-al viruses attack lentil in other areasof the world. Pea seedborne mosaicvirus is a potential threat to lentil asit may be introduced with infectedpea seed. The virus usually isspread by pea aphids, which aremore common in Manitoba.

Heat canker can easily be con-fused with seedling blight (Figure7.11). The base of the stem lookspinched, leaves wilt and turn yellow,and the stem dies. With heatcanker, the stem remains plumpbelow the canker. Heat cankeroccurs when the young seedlingsare exposed to high soil surfacetemperatures before they haveenough leaves to shade their ownstems. Heat canker was a majorproblem in 1987 and 1988.Seedlings can regrow from budsbelow the soil surface, if the soilsurface cools down and the soilmoisture supply is adequate forgood growth. Heat canker is lessserious if the crop is seeded in anorth-south direction, or if the soilsurface is well covered with cropresidue.

Herbicide injury symptomssometimes can be mistaken for dis-ease symptoms (Figure 7.12).

Herbicide injury can be avoided orat least reduced by applying herbi-cides according to label instructions,carefully cleaning sprayers, andavoiding spray drift.

IrrigationIrrigated lentil production

requires a thorough knowledge ofdryland lentil production, as well asspecific knowledge of irrigationrequirements. Laird, CDC Glamisand common Chilean lentil are latematuring and have a strongly inde-terminate growth habit that oftenresults in excess vegetative growthand low seed yields. Lentil plants donot tolerate waterlogged soils andwill die if flooded. Dense lentilcanopies favour the spread of dis-ease and increase the severity ofdisease.

• Early maturing CDCMilestone lentil, or the intermedi-ate types such as CDC Richlea,CDC Vantage and CDC Redwing,are not strongly determinate andlate maturing and are more suitedto irrigated production.

Highest yields are obtainedwith an application of 6 to 10 inches(15 to 25 cm) of total water, theexact amount depending on rainfalland the rate of evaporation. It isimportant to avoid water accumula-tion on the surface and water log-ging of the soil, especially at seed-ing time. Irrigation of 0.8 to 1.2 inch-es (2 to 3 cm) in early June may beused to prevent the stunting (shortplants) and lowered yield fromdrought stress. Irrigation is usuallyavoided in mid to late June as aslight moisture stress for a briefperiod after the onset of floweringencourages seed set.

• Irrigation should be avoidedfor at least 2 weeks after sprayingwith Lexone or Sencor(metribuzin) to avoid leaching itinto the lentil rooting zone where

Figure 7.10 Lentil plants infectedwith root rot.

Figure 7.11 Heat canker on lentilseedlings.

Figure 7.12 Growth regulator her-bicide injury on lentil plants.

Lentil 7.21

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it can cause damage. Supplemental moisture may be

beneficial during flowering and earlypod-filling stages. Approximately 4inches (10 cm) of total water arerecommended during the first 3 to 4weeks of pod set. After this criticalperiod, irrigation should be shutdown to allow enough moisturestress to ensure that the cropmatures. Research conducted at theSaskatchewan IrrigationDevelopment Centre has demon-strated that over-irrigation in wetyears at or before flowering can dra-matically reduce yields.

• During a wet season, irriga-tion at the flowering stagereduced yield by 22% comparedto non-irrigated plots.

Yield reductions are usuallyassociated with excessive vegeta-tive growth and delayed maturity.

When grown under irrigation,lentil should be seeded early, at adepth of 1 to 2 inches (2.5 to 5 cm).Seeding rate and row-spacing rec-ommendations for dryland produc-tion are suitable for irrigated produc-tion. Higher seeding rates increasethe risk of disease. To reduce therisk of sclerotinia, lentil should notbe planted on land that has pro-duced mustard, canola, lentil, pea,sunflower, or faba bean in the previ-ous 4 years.

Diseases, such as ascochyta,anthracnose and sclerotinia stemrot, can cause severe damage tolentil under high moisture condi-tions. Irrigation increases diseasepressure.

HarvestLentil plants have an indetermi-

nate growth habit and will continueto flower until stopped by somestress, such as heat, frost ordrought. Large-seeded lentil vari-eties are more indeterminate thansmall-seeded varieties and in manyyears, crop maturity will not occur in

a timely manner. Because of this,many farmers hasten the drying oftheir crop by either chemical desic-cants or by swathing. Lentil podsshatter easily when dry. Earlyswathing or desiccation is used tohasten dry down and to make itmore uniform, which reduces shat-tering losses.

• The best time to swath ordesiccate cannot be determinedby the colour of the crop as seenfrom the road.

Straight combining without des-iccation can be done with someearly maturing varieties in a hot dryharvest season. Some varieties maybe more prone to lodging. This mayincrease shattering losses due to drypods and will increase crop lossesdue to unthreshed green pods.

The fields should be walkedand the plants should be examined.Swathing or desiccation provide thebest results when the bottom podsof the lentil plants turn yellow tobrown, and the seeds rattle withinthem when shaken. At this time, theupper pods will still be green, butfurther delay will increase the risk ofharvest loss due to shattering of thebottom pods.

DesiccationReglone (diquat) is registered

as a desiccant for use in lentils.Desiccation can assist in ease andtimeliness of harvest, reduce shat-tering losses and seed quality dete-rioration. Reglone application is rec-ommended when one-third of thepods have turned colour and rattlewhen shaken. If the crop is chemi-cally desiccated, it can still be eitherswathed and combined or straight-cut. With Reglone, about 7 to 10days are required between applica-tion and threshing. Straw from lentilplants desiccated with Reglone orsprayed with a glyphosate herbicidefor perennial weed control can beused as livestock feed.

7.22 Lentil

Pulse Production Manual 2000 Saskatchewan Pulse Growers

NOTE
See SAFRR for latest info

• Glyphosate is not an effec-tive desiccant and is not regis-tered as a desiccant, but can beused to control perennial weedgrowth before harvest. Seed ger-mination and seedling vigour canbe reduced if glyphosate isapplied pre-harvest. Do not useglyphosate on crops reserved forplanting. Roundup Fast Forwardcan enhance drydown, if weatherconditions are warm and dry.

SwathingIf the crop has not been desic-

cated, it can be swathed whenabout 1/3 of the lower pods turn yellow and the seeds in them rattle.Cutting under conditions of highhumidity can reduce shattering losses.

Swathing the crop may be themost difficult part of lentil produc-tion. The bottom pods are close tothe soil surface, so the cutterbarmust travel close to the ground. Thecutterbar should preferably be about2 inches (5 cm) from the ground, atan angle of 20 to 30° to the ground.Cutting will be easier if the surfaceis level, firm and dry. Fields thatwere rolled after seeding are easierto swath since rolling helps to levelthe soil surface.

A properly equipped forage orgrain swather can be used to cutlentil. However, pull-type swathersare a poor choice because of thesevere side draught and frequentdragging that occurs when cuttinglentil plants near the soil surface.

• Ideally, a swather should beequipped with a pickup reel andvine lifter guards for a good jobof cutting, especially if the cropis lodged.

A good quality pickup reel with-out lifter guards may do an ade-quate job and is preferred over aswather having only lifter guardsand a standard bat reel. Properadjustment of the pickup reel is

important to obtain the maximumpossible lifting action. The reelshould be positioned as far aheadof the cutterbar as possible.

The direction traveled whilecutting the crop can also make a difference in the effectiveness of thepickup reel and lifters, especially ifthe crop has a prevailing lean to it.The cutterbar lifter guards will havea greater effect if the cutting direc-tion is perpendicular to the directionof crop lean.

Since the cutterbar will beoperating close to the ground, analteration to the header flotationsystem may be required. Adjustingexisting header flotation springs oradding additional springs toincrease flotation will help keep cut-terbar damage to a minimum. Onuneven terrain, use a narrowswather or swather equipped with afloating or flexible cutterbar and/oradjustable gauge wheels. Lentil andweed residues can be gummy andmay stick to the cutterbar. An exces-sive buildup will cause poor cuttingand increase wear on the cutterbar.

• The cutterbar may need tobe cleaned periodically withsoapy water and a scraper tomaintain cutting efficiency.

Lentil swaths can be light andfluffy, especially if cut a bit on thedry side. Because the crop is cutvery close to the ground, little stub-ble remains after harvest. Thismakes the swath very prone to winddamage. Using a swath roller willreduce the risk of wind damage, butcan greatly increase shattering loss-es. Partially green swaths will settleafter a day or two and are then lesslikely to be moved by the wind.Swaths are also less prone to dam-age if they are laid in the samedirection as the prevailing wind.Swathed lentil plants may dry morerapidly than standing lentil plants,but rain on the swath is a seriousconcern as it can result in sprouting,

Lentil 7.23

Saskatchewan Pulse Growers Pulse Production Manual 2000

wrinkling of the seed coat, diseasespread to pods and seeds, andreduced quality. Wet swaths flattenout and are harder to pick up. Tospeed the drying process, they canbe turned with a swath turner or aside-delivery rake, but shatteringlosses may be high.

• A slower ground speed willassist in reducing shatteringlosses. Swathing lentil is a diffi-cult task, "Slow and easy" is theoperative term to keep in-mind.

Straight CuttingStraight cutting, like swathing,

is best done with a properlyequipped header.

• In desiccated lentil, flexheaders, automatic header heightcontrol, and air reels work well,provided the crop is relativelyweed-free.

• In non-desiccated lentil, apickup reel and vine lifters workwell, especially if the crop islodged.

The improvement in lentil gradeobtained by reducing the amount ofdebris harvested with the seed maypay for the additional cost of aheader, if harvesting conditions aredifficult. As a guideline, operatorswho produce 300 acres or more oflentil and/or pea each year can usu-ally justify the expense of a direct-cut attachment for their combine.

ThreshingIf the weather is warm and

windy, the lentil crop can dry veryrapidly. The crop should be moni-tored to determine when it shouldbe threshed. Correct timing canmake a large difference in the easeand success of the combining oper-ation.

Lentil seed can be safelystored at 14% moisture. If no dryingequipment is available, it may benecessary to wait until the seedreaches this moisture content

before threshing. This is not thebest solution because shatteringlosses and seed damage are likelyto result.

Experiments conducted toinvestigate the effect of moisturecontent on breakage showed thatthe percentage breakage increaseswith decrease in moisture contentbelow 14%. It has also beenobserved from field experimentsthat when moisture content of seedswere greater than 20%, the cropwas extremely hard to combinewithout smashing the seeds.Therefore, 20% and 14% are therecommended upper and lowboundaries for the grain moisturecontent in a harvest operation.

• Ideally, the seed should bethreshed at about 16% moisture.This will result in a cleaner cropsample and a reduction in shat-tering losses and seed damage.

Lentil plants thresh easily, andthe seed is easily damaged. Rotorand cylinder speeds between 250and 500 rpm are often used.However, determining the propercylinder speed involves a compro-mise between a slow enough speedto avoid damage and a fast enoughspeed to avoid cylinder plugging.Cylinder speeds can be increased ifthe lentil plants are moist, but sam-ples should be monitored for chip-ping, cracking and splitting, and thecylinder speed should be reduced ifa problem develops. Concavesshould be set to allow good thresh-ing and separation. If the lentilplants and seeds are very dry, set-tings must be adjusted accordingly.Chaffers should be initially set at 3/4inch (2 cm) and cleaning sieves at3/8 inch (0.9 cm) and adjusted asnecessary. Tailings should be keptto a minimum to reduce crackingand splitting. Clean grain and returnelevator chains should be kept prop-erly adjusted as too loose an adjust-ment increases the chance of crack-

7.24 Lentil

Pulse Production Manual 2000 Saskatchewan Pulse Growers

ing seed. Fan speeds should behigh enough to ensure a clean sam-ple, but no higher.

Post Harvest

DryingLentil seeds can be safely

stored at up to 14% moisture con-tent and at temperatures below15˚C. Higher temperatures andmoisture contents result in a morerapid degradation due to discol-ouration. Higher moisture contentswill also cause the air in the bin tobe more humid which can lead tomold growth. Lentil seeds shouldalso be cleaned before drying toreduce the content of green weedymaterial that holds moisture and toeliminate finer dockage that inter-feres with airflow. Lower moisturecontent increases the risk of dam-age during handling. If high mois-ture lentil seeds are dried too rapid-ly, tiny cracks may develop on theseed.

• Lentil seeds should not bedried by more than 4 or 5 per-centage points per pass throughthe dryer, and they should betempered up to 8 hours betweenpasses to allow adequate time formoisture migration and cooling.

All drying should be done attemperatures below 45˚C if highgermination is required. If lentils areto be sold for commercial purposes,higher drying temperatures may bepossible. Recent research suggestsdrying air temperatures as high as70˚C may be possible, but tinycracks must be minimized. This willspeed up drying. However, opera-tors are cautioned to have their buy-ers test samples of grain dried atdifferent temperatures as safe dry-ing temperature can vary betweendryers and with grain condition.

Lentil seed is easily damagedin conveyors or in the dryer, espe-

cially when hot. One way to mini-mize passes through conveyors isto use a natural air-drying system.Aeration bins should be able to pro-vide at least 2 cfm/bu or more air-flow with partial or fully perforatedfloors. Table 7.8 presents computersimulation results of aeration dryingof lentil.

Drying time is calculated fromthe initial moisture contents given inTable 7.8 to a safe storage moisturecontent of 14%. The simulationresults indicated that 1 cfm/buwould dry lentil at 20% moisture inabout a month. Airflow rates above1 cfm/bu are beneficial, if dryingmust be completed in a shorter peri-od. The starting date (harvest date)used in the simulation had someeffect on drying time. Generally, ear-lier harvest resulted in shorter dry-ing time, but this was dependent onthe airflow rate, ambient air temper-ature and specific dates of drying.The amount of energy used toachieve drying increased with theairflow rate, ranging from 20 to 80kWh/t of grain dried. Assuming 5cents per kWh of electricity, theoperating cost of natural drying oflentil amounts to $1 to $4 per ton ofdried grain.

Generally, aeration bins thathave good performance when dry-ing cereal grains will have adequateairflow performance with lentil. Lairdlentil seeds have 25% less resis-tance to airflow than wheat has perunit of depth, so aeration bins willgenerally have an equal or fasterdrying rate with lentil than when dry-ing an equal amount of wheat. An

Table 7.8. Days required for natural drying of lentils withunheated ambient air.

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Start date Moisture content Airflow rate

% (cfm/bu)

1.0 2.0 3.0

August 15 20 36 21 6

August 15 17 26 20 17

September 15 20 38 12 10

September 15 17 35 10 9

increase in moisture content of Lairdlentil seeds from 10.5 to 20%results in a 22% decrease in resis-tance to airflow. The resistance ofLaird lentil seeds to horizontal air-flow is one-half of the resistance tovertical airflow. The resistance toairflow of Eston lentil seeds is up to27% higher than that of Laird lentilseeds. The drying rate or dryingperformance is influenced by thetype of seed and bin parameters,fan performance curve, and theweather, so drying conditions mustalways be carefully monitored.

Storing and HandlingLentil seed coats turn brown

with age, resulting in a reduction ingrade. The browning is a result ofthe oxidation of tannin precursors inthe seed coat, and occurs faster athigh temperature, high humidity andin sunlight. For this reason, it isadvisable to store lentil seeds inlight-tight bins, and to aerate themto cool them to below 15˚C immedi-ately after binning. The effect ofstoring undried lentils at 13.4% w.b.for a period of 6 months was investi-gated. Storage increased breakageby 2 to 5%, decreased germinationby 2%, and the shear force of acooked sample was slightly higher.Each of these effects is a small, butsignificant quality deterioration.

• Lentil seeds from succes-sive years should not be mixedas all the lentil seeds may bedowngraded by the colourchanges in the oldest seed.

Oxidized lentil seeds may beused for seed if germination andviability are high. All lentil seedsshould be sold within two years ofharvest.

Lentil seeds are very suscepti-ble to peeling and cracking of theseed coat and to splitting if they arehandled when it is colder than -20°Cor the seeds are drier than 14%seed moisture content.

GradingThe Canadian Grain

Commission under recommendationof the Producer Trade AdvisoryCommittee sets the standards forthe lentil grades. Lentil grading isbased on colour; presence of earthtag or dirt and other materialattached to the seed; damage, suchas cracking, splitting, wrinkling, andsmell; and the content of foreignmaterial, such as stones, insectparts, other plant material, sclero-tinia and ergot (Figures 7.13 to 7.21and Tables 7.9, 7.10 and 7.11).

Fall Land Preparation

Harvested lentil plants leavevery little stubble or residue, andcan leave land prone to erosion. Inerosion-prone areas, it is advisableto take steps to reduce the problem.Spring cereals, seeded afterSeptember 15 as a cover crop, canbe used to help stabilize the soil ina wet year. The cereals are seededat a rate of about 1 bu/ac (67kg/ha).

Lentil stubble is too short touse in snow trapping. Strip seedingone row of flax or durum per seederwidth (30 to 40 feet, 9 to 12 m)when lentil is planted may help withsnow trapping, if the row is leftstanding at harvest time. Seedingperpendicular to the prevailing windmay also help.

Shelterbelts, direct seeding,and strip cropping can also be veryeffective. Planning the rotation isvery important as it can help elimi-nate or reduce the need for fallincorporated herbicides on landwhere the risk of soil erosion issevere.

7.26 Lentil

Pulse Production Manual 2000 Saskatchewan Pulse Growers

Table 7.9 Primary grade determinants for Lentils other than red, Canada.

Lentil 7.27

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Gradename

*Degree ofsoundness

Contrastingcolours (%)

*Stained(%)

*HeatedDamaged (%)*Peeled,split, broken

*Other damage

*Total

No. 1Canada

Uniform insize, of goodnaturalcolour

0.2 1.0 About 0.2 2.0 1.0 2.0

No. 2Canada

Uniform insize, of reasonablygood naturalcolour

0.5 4.0 About 0.5 3.5 2.0 3.5

Extra No. 3Canada

Uniform insize, of faircolour

2.0 7.0 About 0.5 5.0 5.0 5.0

No. 3Canada

Poor colour 3.0 No limit 1.0 10.0 10.0 10.0

Grade, if No.3 specs notmet

Lentils,SampleCanada,AccountContrastingColours

Lentils,SampleCanada,AccountHeated

Lentils,SampleCanada,AccountDamaged

Lentils,SampleCanada,AccountDamaged

Lentils,SampleCanada,AccountDamaged

Grade name Ergot Excreta Sclerotinia *Stones Other foreign material

*Total

No. 1 Canada 0.05 0.01 0.05 About 0.1 About 0.2 About 0.2

No. 2 Canada 0.05 0.01 0.05 About 0.2 About 0.5 About 0.5

Extra No. 3Canada

0.05 0.01 0.05 About 0.2 About 0.5 About 0.5

No. 3Canada

0.05 0.01 0.05 About 0.2 1.0 1.0

Grade, if No. 3specs not met

Lentils, SampleCanada,Account Ergot

Lentils, SampleCanada,AccountExcreta

Lentils, SampleCanada,AccountAdmixture

2.5% or less –Lentils,Rejected(grade) AccountStones, orLentils, SampleCE, AccountStones Over2.5% - Lentils,SampleSalvage

Lentils, SampleCanada,AccountAdmixture

Lentils, SampleCanada,AccountAdmixture

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Foreign Material (%)

NOTE
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7.28 Lentil

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Table 7.10 Primary grade determinants tables for Lentils, Canada Red

Damage (%)

Grade name *Degree of Contrasting *Heated *Peeled, split *Other *Totalsoundness Colours (%) and broken damage

No. 1 Canada Uniform in 0.2 About 0.2 2.0 1.0 2.0size, ofgood naturalcolour

No. 2 Canada Uniform in 0.5 About 0.5 3.5 2.0 3.5size, ofreasonablygood naturalcolour

Extra No. 3 Uniform in 2.0 About 0.5 5.0 5.0 5.0Canada size, of fair

colour

No. 3 Canada Poor colour 3.0 1.0 10.0 10.0 10.0

Grade, if No. 3 Lentils, Lentils, Lentils, Lentils, Lentils, specs not met Sample Sample Sample Sample Sample

Canada Canada, Canada, Canada, Canada,Account Account Account Account AccountContrasting Heated Damaged Damaged DamagedColours

Foreign material (%)

Grade name Ergot Excreta Sclerotinia *Stones Other foreign *Totalmaterial

No. 1 Canada 0.05 0.01 0.05 About 0.1 About 0.2 About 0.2

No. 2 Canada 0.05 0.01 0.05 About 0.2 About 0.5 About 0.5

Extra No. 3 0.05 0.01 0.05 About 0.2 About 0.5 About 0.5Canada

No. 3 Canada 0.05 0.01 0.05 About 0.2 1.0 1.0

Grade, if No. 3 Lentils, Lentils, Lentils, 2.5% or less Lentils, Sample Lentils,specs not met Sample Sample Sample Rejected Canada, Account Sample

Canada, Canada, Canada, (CW grade) Admixture Canada,Account Account Account Account AccountErgot Excreta Admixture Stones, or Lentils Admixture

Sample Canada,Account StonesOver 2.5% - Lentils,Sample Salvage

*Defined in the Canada Grain Regulations

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Table 7.11 Export grade determinants tables for Lentils, Canada

Damage (%)

Degree of Contrasting *Stained *Heated *Peeled, split *Other *TotalGrade name soundness Colours and broken damage

No. 1 Canada Uniform in 0.2 1.0 About 0.2 2.0 1.0 2.0size, of good naturalcolour

No. 2 Canada Uniform in 0.5 4.0 About 0.5 3.5 2.0 3.5size, ofreasonablygood naturalcolour

Extra No. 3 Uniform in 2.0 7.0 About 0.5 5.0 5.0 5.0Canada size, of

fair colour

No. 3 Canada Poor colour 3.0 No limit 1.0 10.0 10.0 10.0

Foreign material (%)

Grade name Ergot Sclerotinia Stones Other foreign material Total

No. 1 Canada 0.05 0.05 About 0.1 About 0.2 About 0.2

No. 2 Canada 0.05 0.05 About 0.2 About 0.5 About 0.5

Extra No. 3 Canada 0.05 0.05 About 0.2 About 0.5 About 0.5

No. 3 Canada 0.05 0.05 About 0.2 1.0 1.0

*Defined in the Canada Grain Regulations

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7.30 Lentil

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Figure 7.13 Good natural colour lentil sample. Figure 7.14 Reasonably good natural colourlentil sample.

Figure 7.15 Fair colour lentil sample.

Figure 7.16 Not stained lentil sample. Figure 7.17 Not considered as stained lentilsample – evaluated on colour.

Figure 7.18 Stained lentil sample.

Figure 7.19 Mottled lentil sample – considered as stained.

Figure 7.20 Damaged lentil sample –ascochyta also considered as stained.

Figure 7.21 Damaged lentil sample – frost.