Importance of pulses in the rotation

With more land available for spring cropping as a consequence of the poor autumn drilling conditions, it is likely that more pulse crops will be grown this season. Farm consultants Andersons and crop protection manufacturers BASF are keen to point out to the many existing and new growers that pulses should not just be seen as a fill-in, but as a crop which offers many economic and agronomic benefits within the arable rotation.

Research economist at the Andersons Centre, Graham Redman predicts that the area of combining peas will increase from 28,000 hectares last year to 35,000 ha’s this year and the area of field beans will also increase from 118,000 ha’s to 160,000 ha’s.

Graham sees pulses as potentially profitable crops in themselves, providing premiums are gained and export markets attained. Growing pulse crops can also help the farm’s cash flow and operating costs. "If growers can achieve good yields and get the right quality and a good premium, gross margins can be one of the best on the farm. There is, of course, a risk of not getting the necessary quality and this is why peas, in particular, are being grown by specialist growers who know what they are doing. Being a crop that has significant exports, the recent currency slide has rallied its prices considerably"

"But all pulse crops can help in this time of financial squeeze and credit crunch. They are cheaper to grow than many other crops and can spread fixed costs. With lower growing costs, growers can produce a crop with a lower working capital, an important consideration with banks being less willing to lend at the moment."

"As well as being less of a burden to bank managers in terms of cash savings on variable costs, pulses will also spread workload and resources at both drilling and at harvest, thereby spreading fixed costs. This is more efficient use of capital assets over a longer period of time and makes good financial sense. It also gives farm managers more flexibility to get on top of the job and helps in timely resource allocation," says Graham.

He reports that there is solid evidence that wheat yields will benefit from a previous pulse crop and that this will have positive financial implications. "Additional yields of between 0.5 to 1 t/ha have been seen in wheat following a pulse crop. This is due to the crop’s ability to fix nitrogen. Pulses themselves don’t need any nitrogen fertiliser and, with the high price of fertiliser, this is quite a saving in variable costs and also a considerable help with cash flow."

Mr. Redman points out another benefit of pulses within the rotation concerned with the new NVZ regulations, which were introduced on the 1st January. "These regulations limit the amount of nitrogen that can be applied across the farm. Growing pulses with no need for nitrogen means you can make considerable cash savings on those crops whilst being able to increase the level of nitrogen on particular crops such as milling wheat without going over the maximum limit for the farm. Pulses help balance out nitrogen usage across the farm."

Simon Francis, Agronomy Manager for BASF points out that growing pulses in the rotation offers growers the opportunity to rectify any soil issues before crops are drilled and so allow any following crop easier establishment and growth.

Simon adds that growing pulses in the rotation allows the use of stale seed beds, essential if you are battling with black-grass and other grass-weeds in the rotation, and the use of alternative herbicides. "Cultural control of black-grass has become more significant and, if you are growing spring crops, you have the chance of utilising cultivations and applying one, or even two, applications of a total herbicide, to reduce grass-weed populations. Growers can then use the dim herbicide Aramo (tepraloxydim) post-emergence in combining peas, vining peas and spring field beans to help manage difficult black-grass across the rotation and give good control of Annual Meadow-grass, Wild-oats and Volunteer cereals. This is using pulses as the break crop they are designed to be."

"Pulses can also act as a break for diseases by providing a wider crop rotation. Beans are a less expensive crop to grow and can break the cycle for diseases in both the cereal and other break crop rotations." he says.

Simon Francis points out that even though pulse crops are less expensive to grow, they are still worth investing in. "In beans control of rusts and chocolate spot always pays and the protectant fungicide Signum gives top class control when used in a programme. It also keeps the crop greener for longer, which is beneficial in terms of yield."

In peas problem diseases are Botrytis, Ascochyta and Mycosphaerella and BASF have Walabi (chlorothalonil and pyrimethanil) which will minimize these diseases and help to produce top class quality combining peas, essential if quality specifications are to be met.

Simon Francis concludes that there will be more pulse crops in the ground this spring and that they are important break crops that bring both economic and agronomic benefits to the arable rotation. "Pulses offer considerable financial benefits in terms of overall spend and cash flow, but still require care and attention to detail to produce the yields and quality that will bring the best gross margins."

For further comment and information, please contact Simon Francis, Agronomy Manager BASF on mobile 07831 262325