The Basics of Growing Pulse Crops

What Are Pulse Crops?
One of the earliest domesticated crops, pulse crops are dry, edible seed that grow inside a pod, such as lentils, chickpeas, and dried beans. They are indeterminate, cool season crops, and they can grow well in arid areas where rainfall may be limited (though some farmers have seen that putting pulse crops under irrigation can lead to higher yields).

Harvested for their dry seed, pulse crops have the potential to increase cash flow on the land on which they are grown, and utilizing them in place of summer fallow practices has been known to increase a field’s microbial activity, water infiltration, and nitrogen fixation.

Pulse Crop Planting Basics
When planting a pulse crop, it is important to place seed at a minimum of half an inch below the moisture line of the soil, but no deeper than three inches into the soil. Pulse seeds require three times the moisture to germinate of typical small grains, including wheat and rye.

Planting population for pulse crops depends on row spacing and is usually described in pounds per acre and seeds per pound. For example, field peas at 25-35 pounds per acre at 10,833 seeds per pound, produce best at 300,000-350,000 plants per acre, or 7 to 8 plants per square foot.

Temperatures above 82 degrees F can hinder or damage growth, so early planting of pulse crops is usually encouraged. March plantings are common. If soils are 50 degrees F at planting, emergence can occur within 10 days.

Pulse germination begins with a soil temperature of 38 degrees F, with emergence happening in 17-21 days. The growth of a pulse crop is influenced by day length and genetic variation. When days increase to a certain length, plants enter the reproductive/ flowering growth stage. The age of the plants and air temperature also influence when the reproductive stage begins. Plant growth and seed production are maximized when air temperatures range from of 50-73 degrees F.

The Importance of Inoculants
Inoculation is required to get an adequate population of nitrogen-fixing bacteria to supply the plants’ nitrogen needs. As with other legume crops, rhizobia bacteria grow in association with the plant roots. These bacteria fix atmospheric nitrogen gas for the plant needs. Most pulse crop growers agree that using both liquid and dry inoculants can often lead to higher yields.

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