(Peggy Greb photo courtesy ARS/USDA)

Other Manitoba pulses may eat edible beans’ lunch

CNS Canada –– As insatiable demand for lentils, peas and other major pulses grows louder, so do expectations for more pulses to be planted in Manitoba. When it comes to edible beans, however, acreage is expected to go down slightly, not up. “We’re probably going to be around the 110,000-acre range — a bit down […] Read more

Red lentils. (PulseCanada.com)

Growers plan to plant pulses, but seeds scarce

CNS Canada — Farmers are eager to grow peas and lentils this year, but sourcing those seeds could prove difficult, according an industry group official. “We have heard that given the expected increase in area for both peas and lentils this year, the availability of good-quality seed could be a challenge,” said Carl Potts of […] Read more


Chickpea is one pulse crop seeing renewed interest from growers.

Pulse acres on the rise this spring

High prices are driving higher interest in planting peas and lentils this season

The Saskatchewan Pulse Growers Association (SPGA) predicts, in its January 2016 pulse outlook, that there will be a significant increase in pulse acres again this year, with lentils leading the charge. At least 4.46 million acres of lentils are expected to go in the ground this spring, with some market experts predicting it may go over […] Read more

Lentil consumption is increasing at a rate five times higher than human population growth.

Lentil genome sequenced, but more to do

Lentils have become a staple crop across the Prairies. Watch for new developments

At the University of Saskatchewan (U of S), researchers recently released the first draft version of the lentil genome as a result of a collaborative, international genome sequencing project involving researchers from around the globe. “The lentil genome assembly will provide important information to help us better understand this crop,” said Kirstin Bett, U of […] Read more


Pea root rot.

Researching root rot control in peas

Evaluating the benefits of seed treatments, soil amendments and soil tests

There’s still a lot to learn when it comes to managing root rot, especially aphanomyces. When are seed treatments most effective? Do soil amendments help? And can soil testing help farmers pick the best pea fields? Fortunately, research is underway to answer those very questions. Dr. Syama Chatterton, an Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) researcher […] Read more

Manage root rot before seeding

Saskatchewan plant disease specialist recommends good agronomy to reduce root rot

Lentil and pea growers struggling with root rot need to manage the disease before the seed is in the ground, according to Saskatchewan Agriculture’s plant disease specialist. Fusarium, pythium, and rhizoctonia are root rot pathogens long familiar to farmers. But aphanomyces is a relatively new problem, only detected in Saskatchewan in 2012. “It probably was […] Read more


Farmers check out pea plots during the Western Applied Research Corporation’s annual field day at Scott, Sask. Weed control is a perennial problem for pea producers.

Managing Group-2 resistant weeds in pulse crops across Western Canada

Cleavers, mustard, kochia and sow thistle are among the weeds getting harder 
to control, but there are methods, starting with good agronomy

Group 2 resistance is something that is really a big problem across Western Canada,” says Dr. Chris Willenborg, a researcher at the University of Saskatchewan’s plant sciences department. Willenborg has worked on several research projects that inform weed resistance in pulses. The bad news is that resistance is spreading. And the more farmers rely solely […] Read more

Red lentils. (Pulse Canada photo)

India’s pulses under stress, need well-timed rain

CNS Canada –– India, the world’s largest producer of pulses, needs moisture before crops hit the reproductive cycle at the end of January, or existing losses will become amplified, a weather analyst says. The driest areas in India are important pulse-producing regions in northeastern Andhra Pradesh and neighbouring Uttar Pradesh, said Drew Lerner of World […] Read more


VIDEO: Cooking up good things with pulses

VIDEO: Cooking up good things with pulses

Canned chickpea water substitutes for egg whites in making macarons

While Canada grows copious amounts of pulses, most are exported. Chefs Geoffroy Dextraze and Chef Chris Kopp of Winnipeg’s Prairie Ink Restaurant and Bakery share their experiences developing new pulse recipes for the provincial launch of the International Year of Pulses. The event was put on by the Manitoba Pulse and Soybean Growers and attended by […] Read more

Green peas. (PulseCanada.com)

Limited farmer selling keeping pea prices steady

CNS Canada –– Prairie pea prices are steady, but farmers are holding out, according to one trader, as emerging new-crop bids grow in strength. “I think what’s moving prices is simply the expectation that (they) can’t go that much lower,” said David Newman of Victoria-area pulse trading and processing firm Commodious Trading. A lack of […] Read more