Lentils: Agronomy, Red & Green Lentils

Lentil Management
Normally we grow lentils on dryland but this year we had our red lentils on irrigation. Our best field did 48 bu average per ac, the other field was lower, it had some lower ground and volunteer alfalfa on the outside edge as we added a corner arm onto it recently. We used 65 lbs per ac of 11-52 in seed row and targeted 14 plants per sq foot.

Here is some information from APG on lentil market classes and production. & SPG also has some great lentil production info as well.


Herbicides

• We have used Edge ahead of lentils in the past, and this year used Focus ahead of them with a pre-burn.
• In crop we used Solo ADV and then because it was was irrigation we did 3 passes of fungicide in crop timed similar to our watering in crop. Delaro Complete was our main fungicide.
• For seed treatments pea leaf weevils are not a big issue so usually only a fungicide seed treatment is needed unless seeding early for stress mitigation or wireworms are a concern where an insecticide treatment is needed.
• Peat Inoculant on Seed for up to 30 Days
  • Agtiv Fuel has been used by us for a number of years now. We use the peat based and meter it on as we treat seed. Use rates are 60 ac per pail on lentils = $6 per ac

Use Rates

• Many people seed at 14 plants per sq foot on lentils but on light dry land some seed at 12 plants to reduce costs and in other situations some target 16 plants per sq foot.

Lentil Problems

• Aphids can be an issue and may require control in lentils SPG has a good aphid guide
• On dry years on dryland I have seen leaf disease in crop making spraying a fungicide or not a tough decision because the yield potential was not high.
• Wheat is hard to remove from lentils as its a similar size when processing so controlling volunteer cereals is easy but important in crop.
• Markets are large for red lentils so they are easier to sell vs green lentils.
• Green lentils are more indeterminate so too much rain can keep growing and or re-grow, become too vegetative vs a red lentil.

Lentil Seed
We have Clearfield red and green lentils available and the acres seem to keep growing!
Reds are earlier and shorter vs. green lentils.
CDC Lima CL - Large Green

• these need a higher seeding rate as they are larger vs. the others we sell so often needing 1.5 -1.75 bu per ac vs. around 1 bu per ac on reds and small greens (60 lbs per bu)
• Reviews have been great on these vs. other older large greens for yield as well as 

CDC Jimini CL - Small Green Lentil

• new to our lineup, the market is smaller and not often grown in AB

CDC Proclaim CL - Small Red - a solid choice!
CDC SImmie CL - Small Red - a newer option to try

Yields
CDC Proclaim has been a solid varieties in dry and wet years that its a wonder anyone grows CDC Maxim still, see AFSC reported yields chart:
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