Research Objective
To assess the environmental effects of including pulse crops in a crop rotation and subsequent pulse grain use as animal feed, for human consumption and for ethanol production in Western Canada; to assess the socio-economic effects of pulse crop production and use as animal feed, for human consumption and for ethanol production in Western Canada.
The inclusion of pulse crops into oilseed-cereal rotations is environmentally and economically beneficial as pulses reduce rotation nitrogen (N) fertilizer requirements and increase the overall grain yield and quality of the rotation. Pulse crops have been shown to be a good option to improve the environmental, economic and social sustainability of crop rotation management, as well as dry pea use as swine feed and, possibly, pea protein for human consumption.