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Optimal Plant Density for Your Pulse Crop JUN 19 2013 | Producers | Blog Post

Optimal plant density depends on many factors, including crop type, intended use of the crop, growing conditions, and region. While high plant densities can help your pulse crop compete with weeds or reach maturity a few days faster, they can also reduce seed size and create conditions for disease growth.

Each pulse crop type grown in Alberta has different optimal plant densities.

  • Pea: 8 target plants per square foot
  • Lentil: 12 target plants per square foot
  • Dry Bean: 4 target plants per square foot
  • Chickpea: 4 target plants per square foot
  • Faba Bean: 4 target plants per square foot
  • Soybean: 4 target plants per square foot

Please note that the dry bean target plants per square foot is for solid-seeded beans only. For chickpeas, the target plants per square foot in the table is at the low end of the range for desi type and on the high end of the range for kabuli type.

Please refer to Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development for more information about plant density.