Digging into Research
Crop rotations significantly influence canola yields, showing a 7.5% yield reduction in continuous canola rotations compared to canola grown after a cereal crop. Conversely, canola yields increased by 3.8% when grown after lentils and 4.7% after peas compared to canola grown after a cereal crop. In...
A review of intercropping systems in western Canada over the last 40 years shows that intercropping has a critical role to play in a more sustainable agriculture that optimizes producers' profit. The review found that over 60% of small plot combinations were pulse-oilseed combinations and...
The economic returns of cereal, oilseed and legume intercrop crops varied by location. Generally, intercropping reduced losses or outperformed less profitable monocrops but high value monocrops like corn and soybean outperformed intercrops. Net return stability also varied by different intercrop types and growth conditions. Legume intercrops...
Under drier than normal conditions, this study shows that intercropping legumes and non-legumes can outperform organic crop monocultures in productivity, grain weight and grain protein in the semiarid region of the Canadian prairies. Organic intercrops with non-legumes also play a role in reducing weed pressure,...
Safflower and sunflower demonstrated potential as trap crops to reduce Lygus damage to faba beans. The Lygus pest complex in the Canadian Prairies is dominated by L. lineolaris, L. keltoni, L. elisus, and to a lesser extent, L. borealis. While Lygus have a broad host range,...
The combined application of Cu + Zn had a significant negative effect on wheat yield grown under phosphorus (P) deficient soil conditions on a Dark Grey Chernozem Tisdale soil. This indicates that if Cu and Zn deficiencies are going to be corrected, P fertility should...
Lentil intercropped with faba bean or chickpea had higher total seed yield and LER (Land Equivalent Ratio) than monocrop lentil. Field pea intercrop with faba bean and chickpea produced smaller seed yield, LER and inconsistent results compared to monocrop field pea. Intercropping has gained interest in...
Benefits of a pea-cereal intercrop for forage production included nitrogen (N) fixation and transfer of fixed N from the pea to the cereal component while maintaining dry matter yields equivalent to a cereal monocrop. Intercropping pea with a cereal crop for forage production is gaining interest...
Averaged across 4 years, tall stubble increased yields by about 13% and short stubble increased yields by about 4% compared to yields from cultivated stubble treatments. On the semi-arid Prairies, moisture is often the limiting factor in pulse crop production. While this research is 20 years...
Pea and lentil root lengths and depths were assessed as a breeding tool for cultivar selection. In field pea, the highest yielding cultivars were intermediary in both total root length and the proportion of root length found below 12 inches (30 cm) in the soil....
