Spring Pea, Lentil and Chickpea Variety Evaluation

Principal Investigators: Gadi V.P. Reddy, Professor of Entomology/Insect Ecology, John H. Miller, Research Scientist, Western Triangle Ag Research Center

Project Coordinators: Chengci Chen and Yesuf Mohammed, MSU/MAES, Eastern Ag. Research Center, Sidney, MT.

Project Personnel: Julie Prewett, MSU/MAES, Western Triangle Ag. Research Center, Conrad, MT.

Cooperator: Brian Aklestad, North of Galata, MT.

Objectives: There are diverse cropping environments within the area served by Western Triangle Agricultural Research Center. Each off station location has its own unique environment and soils. Producers in the various locations are interested in variety performance in the local area.

To this end the objective is to evaluate spring pulse varieties under the local conditions with respect to yield, test weight, plant height, one thousand kernel weight and seed protein. The environmental conditions at the off station nurseries can vary greatly from those at WTARC. The research center strives to provide growers of the western triangle area unbiased information of various spring pulse varieties.

Methods: Statewide, Western Regional and one off station spring pulse variety trials were seeded for the 2017 growing season. Off station pea and lentil nurseries consisted of 6 entries replicated four times. Statewide pea nursery had 33 entries replicated four times, with the Western Regional pea trial having 12 entries replicated three times. Western Regional lentil nursery had 14 entries replicated three times and the Statewide lentil trial had eight entries replicated four times, while the Statewide chickpea trial had eight entries replicated four times and the Western Regional chickpea had eight entries replicated three times. All pulse nurseries were seeded with a four row plot seeder on one foot spacing. All plots were planted on no-till chemical fallow. Plots were trimmed, measured for length, and then harvested with a Hege 140 or a Wintersteiger Classic plot combine.

Results: Pulse variety data are summarized in Tables 1 thru 9, with Table 10 having soil test data. Tables 1 thru 4 are pea data, with Tables 5 thru 7 representing lentil data. Table 8 and 9 are a summarization of chickpea data.

Overall, the crop year temperatures where much warmer than 31 year average at the research center, July was 4.9 degrees warmer than the average. But the overall average temperature for the year from September to August was 1 degree cooler than the 31 year average. The winter temperature was well below average, with the exception of November being about 7 degrees warmer than usual. December and January were 10 and 6 degrees colder than the 31 year average while May thru August were warmer than the 31 year average. While we had the colder than normal temperatures in December and January, there was snow cover on the winter wheat. July was 5 degrees warmer than the normal. Precipitation was generally above the average from September to April, then below normal from May to August. Overall, precipitation was average for the year.

The chemical fallowed soils generally had good moisture while seeding spring pulses during the spring of 2017. Overall, considering the lack of moisture and heat this past summer, the pulse crops did quite well.

Statewide yellow pea data are summarized in Table 1. Yellow pea varieties grown at WTARC yielded between 1796 lb/ac for Earlystar and 3625 lb/ac for CDC Leroy. Yellow pea averaged 2723 lb/acre with an average test weight of 63.9 lb/bu and an average plant height at maturity of

75.7 cm (29.8 inches). The top three yielding yellow pea were: CDC Leroy, Spider, and Montech 4152 at 3625, 3492, and 3459 lb/ac.

Statewide green pea data are presented in Table 2. Green pea varieties grown at WTARC yielded from 2017 lb/ac for CDC Striker to 3674 lb/ac for Ginny. Green pea averaged 2723 lb/ac with an average test weight of 63.5 lb/bu and an average plant height at maturity of 69.4 cm (27.3 inches). Yielding well in the statewide trial were Ginny at 3674 lb/ac followed by Arcadia and Cruiser at 3346 and 3995 lb/ac.

Western Regional (WR) pea date are summarized in Table 4. Hampton a green pea and DS Admiral a yellow pea are in the WR trial as checks. The WR nursery is made up of experimental varieties. The pea trial had a mean of 1744.3 lb/ac. Yields ranged from 1400 lb/ac for DS Admiral to 2130.4 lb/ac for PS1514B002. The difference in yield between the Statewide and WR pea nurseries is most likely due seeding the WR nursery about a month later than the Statewide pea nursery.

An off station pea variety nursery was seeded north of Galata. There were three yellow and three green peas in the trial. The trial mean was 1209.7 lb/ac with Banner (green pea) yielding 1428.5 lb/ac and Hyline (yellow pea) yielding 1280.6 lb/ac.

Statewide Lentil data are summarized in Table 5. The lentil nursery grown at WTARC yielded between 1174 lb/ac for Imi-Green and 2056 lb/ac for Viceroy (Table 5). With the small green Viceroy lentil yielding the best followed by the small green Eston lentil. The lentils grew to an average mature canopy height of nine inches, with an average yield of 1682 lb/ac.

Western Regional lentil data are presented in Table 7. Avondale a medium green lentil, Pardina a small brown lentil, Eston a small green lentil and Merrit a large green lentil are included in the WR nursery as checks. The WR nursery is made up of experimental varieties. The lentil trial had a mean of 1528.1 lb/ac. Yields ranged from 1142.7 lb/ac for Merrit to 1773.0 lb/ac for LC09600476L. The difference in yield between the Statewide and WR pea nurseries is most likely due seeding the WR nursery about a month later than the Statewide lentil nursery.

An off station lentil variety trial was seeded north of Galata. There were three yellow and three green peas in the trial. The trial mean was 1262.2 lb/ac with the top three yielding lentil varieties being, Avondale (green), Viceroy (green), and Maxims (red) at 1369.9, 1363.0, and 1317.6 lb/ac.

Statewide chickpea data are summarized in Table 8. Chickpea entries in the Statewide nursery were mostly kabuli types with one desi type entered. The chickpea nursery grown at WTARC yielded between 2756 lb/ac for CDC Orion (kabuli) to 2267 lb/ac for Myles (desi) (Table 8). The top yielding varieties were CDC Orion, Royal, and Sierra at 2756, 2543, and 2502 lb/ac.

Western Regional chickpea data are presented in Table 9. CDC Frontier (large kabuli), Billy Beans (small kabuli) and Sierra (kabuli) chickpeas are included in the WR nursery as checks, otherwise the WR nursery is made up of experimental varieties. The WR chickpea trial had a mean of 2490.4 lb/ac. Yields ranged from 2214.5 lb/ac for CA0790B0034C to 2839.5 lb/ac for CDC Frontier.

Summary: A similar project will be proposed for FY 2018. The continuation of on and off- station variety trials help elucidate researchers and farmers which varieties are better suited for that particular region in Montana.

These data should be used for comparative purposes rather than using absolute numbers. Statistics are used to indicate that treatment or variety differences are really different and are not different due to chance or error. The Least Significant Difference (LSD) and Coefficient of Variability (CV) values are useful in comparing treatment or variety differences. The LSD value represents the smallest difference between two treatments at a given probability level. The LSD at p=0.05 or 5 % probability level is usually the statistic reported, and it means that the odds are 19 to 1 that treatment differences by the amount of the LSD are truly different. The CV value measures the variability of the experiment or variety trial, and a CV greater than 15 % indicates a high degree of variability and less accuracy.

Funding Summary: Office of Special Projects will provide expenditure information. No other grants support this project.

Table 1. Statewide Dry Pea Variety Evaluation. Yellow pea. Western Triangle Ag. Research Center. 2017.

Seeding Date: 04/05/2017.

Harvested Date: Different based on cultivars, 07/16-23/2017. Precipitation: 6.21 inches.

Fertilizer (actual): 11-22-0 was applied with the seed with 0-0-20 being broadcast while planting. Herbicide: Pre-plant sprayed with Spartan at 3 oz/ac and RT3 at 32 oz/ac on 04/02/2017.

Located at Western Triangle Ag. Research Center, Conrad, MT.

Table 2. Statewide Dry Pea Variety Evaluation. Green pea. Western Triangle Ag. Research Center. 2017.

Seeding Date: 04/05/2017.

Harvest Date: Different based on cultivars, 07/16-23/2017. Precipitation: 6.21 inches.

Fertilizer (actual): 11-22-0 was applied with the seed with 0-0-20 being broadcast while planting. Herbicide: Pre-plant sprayed with Spartan at 3 oz/ac and RT3 at 32 oz/ac on 04/02/2017.

Located at Western Triangle Ag. Research Center, Conrad, MT.

Table 3. Off-station pea variety trial north of Galata, MT. Toole County. Western Triangle Ag.

Research Center. 2017.

Cooperator and Location: Brian Aklestad, Toole County.

Planted on 05/08/2017 on chemical fallow. Harvested on 07/25/2017.

Fertilizer: actual pounds/ac of N-P-K: 11-22-0 applied with seed and 0-0-20 was broadcast at planting.

Herbicide: The plots were sprayed pre-plant with RT3 at 32 oz/ac by the farmer.

1 Yield, test weight and thousand kernel weight (TKW) are adjusted to 13% seed moisture. Conducted by MSU Western Triangle Ag. Research Center.

Table 4. Western Regional Pea Variety Evaluation. Western Triangle Ag. Research Center.

2017.

Seeding Date: 05/02/2017 Harvest Date: 08/14/2017

Fertilizer (actual): 11-22.5-0 was applied with the seed with 0-0-20 being broadcast while planting.

Precipitation: 4.09 inches

Herbicide: Pre-plant sprayed with Roundup RT3 at 40oz/ac on 05/01/2017. Conducted by Western Triangle Ag. Research Center, Conrad, MT.

Table 5. Statewide Lentil Variety Evaluation. Western Triangle Ag. Research Center. 2017.

Seeding Date: 04/05/2017. Harvested Date: 08/03/2017.

Fertilizer (actual lbs/ac): 11-20-20. 11-20-0 was applied with the seed and 0-0-20 being broadcast while planting.

Precipitation: 6.21 inches.

Herbicide: Pre-plant sprayed with Roundup RT3 at 32oz/ac, Prowl H2O at 32 oz/ac, and Sharpen at ¾ oz/ac on April 2, 2017.

Lentil color: Small Green = sg; Medium Green = mg; Large Green = lg; Small Red = sr; Spanish Brown (Pardina) = sb

Western Triangle Ag. Research Center, Conrad, MT.

Table 6. Off-station Lentil Variety trial north of Galata, MT. Toole County. Western Triangle Ag. Research Center. 2017.

Cooperator and Location: Brian Aklestad, Toole County.

Planted on 05/08/2017 on chemical fallow. Harvested on 07/25/2017.

Fertilizer: actual lb/ac of N-P-K: 11-22.5-0 applied with seed and 0-0-20 was broadcast at planting.

Herbicide: The plots were sprayed pre-plant with RT3 at 32 oz/ac by the farmer.

1 Yield, test weight and thousand kernel weight (TKW) are adjusted to 13% seed moisture. Conducted by MSU Western Triangle Ag. Research Center.

Table 7. Western Regional Lentil Variety Evaluation. Western Triangle Ag. Research Center.

2017.

Seeding Date: 05/02/2017 Harvested Date: 08/14/2017

Fertilizer (actual): 11-22.5-0 was applied with the seed with 0-0-20 being broadcast while planting.

Precipitation: 4.09

Herbicide: Pre-plant sprayed with Roundup RT3 at 40oz/ac on 05/01/2017. Conducted by Western Triangle Ag. Research Center, Conrad, MT.

Table 8. Statewide Chickpea Variety Evaluation. Western Triangle Ag. Research Center. 2017.

Seeding Date: 04/19/2017 Harvest Date: 08/30/2017

Fertilizer (actual): 11-22-0 was applied with the seed with 0-0-20 being broadcast while planting. Precipitation: 4.81 inches

Herbicide: Pre-plant sprayed with Roundup RT3 at 32 oz/ac and Sharpen at 1 oz/ac on 04/19/2017.

Conducted by Western Triangle Ag. Research Center, Conrad, MT.

Table 9. Western Regional Chickpea Variety Evaluation. Western Triangle Ag. Research Center.

2017.

Seeding Date: 05/02/2017 Harvest Date: 09/05/2017

Fertilizer (actual): 11-22-20. 11-22-0 was applied with the seed with 0-0-20 being broadcast while planting.

Precipitation: 4.09 inches

Herbicide: Pre-plant sprayed with Roundup RT3 at 40 oz/ac on 05/01/2017. Conducted by Western Triangle Ag. Research Center, Conrad, MT.