Lind Field Day provides research for rotational crop alternatives for dryland wheat farmers

The annual Lind Field Day at the Lind Experiment Station allowed farmers with an opportunity to visit the research field plots and learn about alternatives to current practices on June 14.

While farmers continued to receive updates on winter and spring wheat breeding, those in attendance benefitted from the additional research conducted for winter peas and triticale as alternatives in crop rotation for the dryland areas.

Howard Nelson from the Highline Grain Growers spoke about the agronomy and markets of winter peas. Currently, yellow and green peas are entering the market, but are grown for animal feed and not human production.

Nelson said peas are an exciting potential change to cropping systems used in the dry zones, and as a broad leaf crop, it provides multiple benefits to growers.

With peas being a new crop to the region, Nelson said peas currently do not have diversity problems with weeds and diseases. Planting peas as a rotational crop can also benefit wheat production and help solve diversity problems in the existing crops.

One benefit of peas is the inoculant that is with the seed, Nelson explained. It creates a nodule that produces nitrogen, and eliminates the farmers need to apply nitrogen fertilizer with the next wheat crop. Nelson added sulfur would still be needed for wheat.

Nelson said peas can be planted a minimum of three inches, but as deep as six inches. Because the incoulant is still alive at the time of planting, peas require more soil moisture than wheat for the seed to germinate.

While peas will not be of an additional financial benefit to farmers, the added nitrogen in the soil can help reduce costs for the grower, Nelson explained.

For wheat planted in the field following peas, Nelson said there has been an average of 35 percent increase in yield, as well as healthier wheat with better color and root growth.

The pea market differs significantly from wheat, Nelson explained, and currently it is much smaller. There is not a true food quality pea yet, he continued, and most peas are used for grain free pet food.

The export market of yellow peas has also drastically decreased following India putting on a tariff, and while the market has improved in China, it has not increased enough.

Rebecca McGee from USDA-ARS spoke regarding varieties of peas and the plans for the immediate future regarding the crop. McGee stated the strip trials of peas at the research station are focusing primarily on yield and the food quality market class.

The objective is to increase the yield, but that consists of having a stable crop in varying weather patterns and diseases, McGee explained.

Winter peas have a white flower and clear skin coat, and it is hard to tell the difference from a spring pea. Unlike wheat, peas do not require a cold period to flower, McGee stated.

McGee will continue her research in New Zealand, before returning to plant next March. She expects the seed to become available about a year after planting.

For food quality peas, McGee said the focus is to improve the nutritional quality, which includes a high protein level within the product.

In current plot tests, McGee said the research has shown to plant early and deep. The peas have emerged from as deep as 10 inches, and have the ability to break the crust.

The varieties showing the highest potential with the most focus are Wyndham and Chelan. McGee added there are currently three lines showing the most promise, as well as multiple other varieties beginning in the trials.

McGee said the timeline to until farmers can plant food quality peas is two or three years in the future.

Nelson added wheat farmers who are interested in planting peas will not have to purchase additional machinery, as peas can be planted and harvested with the same equipment.

The seeding rate is about six plants per square foot, but it is dependent on the weight, Nelson added. He estimated the average was 105 pounds per acre.

Drew Lyon from WSU spoke about weed control in wheat, and how a rotation of peas can help with weed resistance issues in wheat.

As an autosome crop, peas are different than wheat for weeds and weed resistance. Lyon explained ideally to spray in the spring to see pre-emergence in the fall, but rainfall continues to be an issue in the area.

Lyon recommended to spray for mustard, and Russian thistle, but primarily for mustard. He added post emergence weed control actions are limited for farmers.

There is a higher seeding rate in peas, which allows the plant to have a good stand, but the issue is emergence, Lyon stated.

With late planted peas, weeds are emerging at the same time as the peas, which creates issues for the farmer as there are not post emergence weed control products to use without damaging the crop.

Lyon added weed control can be helped in wheat by entering peas into the rotation, which will also potentially assist with higher yields.

Peas are susceptible to broadleaf products, but because peas are new to the area, they do not currently have disease issues. With the rotation, insecticides can be used with weed control and also to prevent wire worm.

Bill Schillinger, WSU Research Agronomist, presented on the differences between winter triticale and winter wheat.

With triticale being a rye and durum wheat cross, Schillinger said it produces a healthy food but it is used primarily as a feed grain as it is not good for milling. He estimated there are 17 million metric tons of triticale produced worldwide, and the majority of the product is grown in Germany, France, Poland and Russia.

In the fourth year of the experiment, Schillinger explained Trimarc 099 and Otto have been the strongest varieties in the plot trials.

For eight years, a plot trial has been conducted at Ron Jirava’s farm in Ritzville, and triticale has produced an average of 23 percent better than wheat.

Schillinger noted Ritzville receives an average of two inches of rainfall more than Lind a year.

Even with the higher yields, the triticale prices are significantly less, resulting in a comparable financial impact between the two crops.

The advantages of triticale include less water than wheat, more stubble and moisture after harvest, vigorous hardiness, rapid spring growth and no stripe rust, Schillinger stated.

Triticale does not have as strong of emergence as wheat but there is almost a 60 percent difference in wheat of product.

Starting last year, federal crop insurance is now available for triticale in the Pacific Northwest, Schillinger added.

When asked about the requiring volunteer issue with triticale, Schillinger said it has not been an issue at the trials, but it can be controlled like a weed volunteer.

Schillinger said direct seeding is the best option for planting both triticale and wheat, and early planting yields better results in triticale. He explained late planting is mid-October/

Schillinger added that neither wheat or triticale does well under drought.