Update on Saflufenacil as a Harvest Management Tool for EU Market

There has been an update regarding use of saflufenacil as a harvest management tool (e.g. HEAT) since the Pre-Harvest Timing chart was published in the Summer edition of Pulse Crop News. EU saflufenacil Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) for peas and dry beans have now been published and will be in force prior to harvest.

For the European Union (EU) market: “No marketing issues associated with saflufenacil residues for peas and beans, as MRLs that will allow for pre-harvest use for peas and beans were published in early July 2014 and will be in force prior to this year’s harvest (lentils will not have an MRL in place for the 2014 crop, and the product is not registered on chickpeas). Follow label directions to minimize residues and maintain levels below the MRL.”

Check with your dealer or exporter on MRLs and continue to check the Alberta Pulse Growers website for up-to-date information this fall.

Faba beans have been a hot crop this year in Alberta and acres are looking to increase. Producers looking for more information attended the Growing Faba beans information session held in Lacombe on April 1, 2014. For those who missed the meeting or are looking for details, below is the presentation from Mark Olson and Robyne Bowness (Alberta Agriculture) on faba bean agronomy.

For more information on the presentation you can contact: Sydney Vos, Member Relations Coordinator at APG.

Download Presentation

Every year, the Alberta Pulse Growers offers two awards (April and December) that recognize projects done by post-secondary students enrolled in agricultural or food studies. The goal of the Pulse Growers Student Award is to encourage the discussion of pulse agronomy, economics and processing amongst students and to offer an opportunity to students to directly engage with the pulse industry.

Lindsey Douglas, Diana Laviolette-Brown, Xinyi Ma, Becky Shapka and Zhiyu Yu submitted the “Alberta Faba Bean Manual 1.0” which is intended to be a reference manual for growers in Alberta. The students determined there was a need for an updated production manual and completed this project during the fall as part of a Crop Science capstone course at the University of Alberta. The group of students compiled information from a variety of sources including producers, industry representatives, Alberta Agriculture, APG and academic papers into a document that Alberta farmers can reference when growing faba beans.

For more information contact Nevin Rosaasen, Policy and Program Specialist.

DISCLAIMER: The Alberta Faba Bean Producers Manual is a reference tool for growers in Alberta. The authors have tried to ensure that all information is accurate and complete. If there are any questions, please consult with one of the experts who assisted with the manual. All that is written is strictly for information purposes and the authors make no guarantee on the use and applicability of the information. The authors are not liable for any personal damages or losses encountered arising from the use of the information provided.

Opportunities to maximize the quality of your seed and commodity crop are within reach, even though the growing season often presents crop production challenges in the form of insects, disease and weather. By acting accordingly, and at the right time, you can improve seed quality and maximize grain grade potential. Watch your bottom line improve by implementing these four actionable tactics aimed at enhancing and preserving quality.

Action #1: Manage Disease

Controlling in-crop disease is the first tool to manage success. During the growing season, pulses can be devastated by disease, and usually very quickly. From a seed testing laboratory standpoint, the most common seed borne pulse disease we observe is Ascochyta spp. in peas. There are three fungi present in western Canada that cause the Ascochyta blight complex, each which vary in severity and prevalence.

Most producers refer to this disease as Ascochyta, but you may also hear the term Mycophaerella blight, which is the most widespread of the three fungi. During the past testing season, we analyzed seed samples with Ascochyta infection rates as high as 21.5 per cent, while average infection rates tended to be in the 3-4.5 per cent range. Other seed borne diseases BioVision analysts see in pulses are Botrytis and Anthracnose. Seed-borne infection of these pathogens have traditionally been below 2.0 per cent in seed grown in Alberta.

In addition to damaging seed quality, disease can impact the grade designation and, ultimately, the commodity price assigned upon crop delivery. Weather, presence of inoculum, and host crop will dictate disease severity. Crop scout throughout the growing season, then sharpen your pencil and evaluate the economics of applying a foliar fungicide.

Action #2: Scrutinize Your Pre-harvest Herbicide Application

Are you planning a pre-harvest herbicide application for your seed fields? Each and every year, western Canada farmers opt to use pre-harvest application of herbicides to control tough perennial weeds, due to the effectiveness and affordability. Unfortunately, in the lab, we often observe abnormal seedlings within the germination test when the crop is sprayed just prior to harvest with glyphosate. The seeds will sprout, but after a few days in the germination growth chamber, the shoot and root almost cease growing. Also, secondary root hairs do not branch from the primary root, which is typical for healthy seedlings. These stunted seedlings will be classified as “abnormal” in a germination test, as they are believed to not have the capacity to produce a viable plant. Read herbicide manufacturer labels carefully, then re-schedule your seed crop weed control for a later date.

Action #3: Plan Your Harvest and Handling to Maximize Quality

Harvest time can make or break your pulse seed crop – literally. Pulses are classified into the Fabaceae family and are termed dicots (dicotyledons), as the seed has two embryonic cotyledons. This structure makes the seed vulnerable to cotyledon detachment and splitting.

First, be extremely aware of the seed moisture content at harvest. As the moisture percent falls, the two cotyledons become sensitive to mechanical damage and can easily crack and split. The result is poorly germinating seed and grain that is downgraded. The difference between No. 1 Canada Green Peas and No. 2 Canada Green Peas in Split Percent (%) is merely 0.5 per cent. In the lab, we routinely observe mechanical damage symptoms, which are the absence of a shoot in the germination test, combined with roots that stop growing shortly after they emerge from the seed. Plan to harvest your peas on the tough side (>16 per cent moisture) to mitigate seed coat cracking and cotyledon separation.

Secondly, safe handling systems are a must for pulses. Search out innovative options to transfer your pulses to and from storage to reduce the risk of mechanical damage.

Action #4: Protect Your Inventory

The crop cycle is now complete, and you have taken all possible steps to produce the best quality crop possible. The next step is to protect your inventory by maintaining industry standard safe storage moisture content. Aeration will be necessary if you harvested your crop tough, to avoid spoilage. If drying the grain is required, be cognizant that high temperatures (>45oC) will damage seed germination and as little as 0.1 per cent heated kernels will downgrade your commodity peas to a lower class. It is rare for insects to infest pulses in bins, but various weevil populations can grow while the crop is in storage. Protect you inventory with a continual monitoring program, and then take action if needed.

This article originally appeared in the Summer 2012 edition of Pulse Crop News and was submitted by Holly Gelech of BioVision Seed Labs. Holly Gelech is the Manager of Business Development for BioVision Seed Labs. For more information about BioVision, visit www.biovision.ca, phone 1-800-952-5407, or follow them on Twitter at @seed_testing.

Though not comprehensive, the Pulse Diagnostic Chart may help when you’re in the field scouting for issues in your pulse crops.

Poor or no emergence or large gaps in the seed row.

• Poor germination or low vigor (seed is found and may or may not be rotted)
• Seed decay or seed rot (seed may not be found)
• No seed found – seed decay or poor seeding patterns (seeding too fast)
• Plumule (shoot) has been cut below soil surface – cut worm damage
• Plumule (shoot) below ground is brown near seed – common root rot
• Plumule (shoot) cut or damaged at soil surface – wind damage

Uniform emergence but patches are twisted, stunted or dying.

• Orange centre in lower stem and plumule – fusarium wilt
• Possible residual herbicide damage
• Excess water causing root rot
• High soil salinity levels

Uniform emergence but patches are dying although secondary buds forming.

• Frost damage
• Soil residual herbicide damage

Poor root system but no browning.

• Phosphate deficiency
• Extremely wet soil conditions

Nodulation not present at 5 to 6 node stage.

• Inoculant problem or inoculation problem
• Very acid soils
• High soil nitrogen

Nodulation present but green pulpy nodules.

• High soil nitrogen
• Extremely dry soil conditions

Plants are turning yellow.

• Excess water causing root rot
• No nitrogen fixation
• Herbicide residue in the soil
• Herbicide application damage (low water volume)
• Herbicide drift if in pattern near edge of field
• Extreme drought and nitrogen fixation stops

Extremely tall growth, long internodes.

• Excess soil or fertilizer nitrogen combined with good moisture

Compressed plant growth, extremely short internodes.

• Drought
• Herbicide injury from soil carryover
• Herbicide injury due to low water volumes
• Herbicide injury due to late application (6+ nodes)

Main plant (5 to 7 node stage) is stalled in growth – new tillers forming.

• High soil salinity
• Classic case of herbicide damage due to low water volumes, cocktail mixes or sprayer tank residues
• Herbicide injury from soil carry over

Twisting of main stem or tendrils.

• Herbicide drift
• Herbicide injury from tank contamination

Flowers are falling off or pods not forming on upper flower nodes.

• Flower blast due to heat/low moisture stress
• General drought damage
• Downy mildew symptom

Leaves are yellow but veins are green.

• Possible fertility imbalance of magnesium or manganese deficiency (not common)

Lower stems near soil surface are purple/black.

• Early symptoms of ascochyta complex

Stem portion white with remaining plant green.

• Classic sclerotinia stem rot

Premature lodging or excessive lodging for the variety.

• High soil residual nitrogen
• Mycosphaerella/ascochyta disease complex
• Excessive moisture

Various pods have white blotches.

• Grasshopper damage
• Downy mildew infection
• Hail damage

Various pods have discoloured or rotting ends.

• Botrytis or grey mold damage

Pods are prematurely splitting open – seed also splitting.

• Environmental, high moisture levels after a prolonged drought

A leaf or leaves on only parts of plant are yellowing.

• Possible virus infection

Brown lesions with dark margins on leaves, pods and stems.

• Classic symptom of ascochyta infection

White powdery coating on pods and plants.

• Classic symptom of powdery mildew infection

Download Chart

Rotting stems, decaying roots, stunting – by the time these symptoms appear in your fields, it may already be too late to salvage your pulse crop. Scouting for disease is one of the most critical things you can do during the summer months to avoid substantial yield loss, harvest problems, and reduction in seed quality.

The severity and prevalence of disease in pulse crops depend largely on weather, crop rotations, and presence of disease in the field. Many of these factors are outside of your control – but there are a number of ways to reduce the severity of the infection and, hopefully, reduce its impact on your crop.

Use proper rotations. A four-year crop rotation that includes non-susceptible crops and a minimum of four years between pulse crops can help break the disease cycle. Because some diseases are wind-borne, avoiding planting adjacent to the previous year’s pulse crop is also advisable. If disease is not a problem, shorter rotations can be used but are not recommended.

Use certified seed. Planting disease-resistant varieties and certified, disease-free seed can help prevent disease in your fields.

Treat your seed. To protect your crop from fungal diseases that may be both present in the seed, as well as those that may attack the plants early in the growth stage, seed should be treated prior to planting. Check Alberta Agriculture’s Crop Protection Guide (the Blue Book) for available seed treatments and rates to use.

Use care when handling seed. Mechanically damaged seed is prone to fungal diseases during germination. Young seedlings are also less vigorous and therefore more susceptible to these diseases.

Use chemical disease control when necessary. Few registered fungicides are available for pulse crops. The most up-to-date information on the use and recommended rates is available in Alberta Agriculture’s (the Blue Book) Crop Protection, Agdex 606-1.

Use sound agronomy and aggressive disease scouting techniques. In addition to using appropriate crop rotations, planting certified seed, treating the seed, adhering to recommended practices for seeding rates, row spacings, time of seeding, and depth of seeding can reduce the severity and spread of disease. Rolling fields when the plants are wet can also spread disease, as can scouting when fields are wet. Many symptoms of disease are easily identified through persistent field scouting, and early diagnosis is essential if you hope to apply appropriate control measures in time.

Disease scouting must be conducted throughout the growing season. To scout for disease…

1. Review the field history, identifying any fields that have had problems with disease in the past.
2. Scout every week, checking any fields that are prone to disease first.
3. Select five to 10 random sites throughout the fields, keeping in mind that row ends often have the highest risk of disease. Look closely at the leaves and stems of the plants for any sign of disease. Mark these areas with a flag and return to these areas as an accurate way to monitor disease progress between scoutings.
4. Identify any diseases and take the appropriate measures to control them immediately, as some diseases can progress quickly. If you are uncertain about diagnosis, take one or two plants to an agronomist for help in identification.
5. Map the diseased areas and monitor them frequently for signs of disease spread.

Having a solid working knowledge of the most common types of disease can help you identify and treat infection in your field.

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.