New varieties. Same fields. Better yields.
As farmers plan their seeding for the upcoming production year, it is worth considering a shift to the latest new small red lentil, large green lentil, yellow pea, Kabuli chickpea, and low-vicine convicine faba bean varieties for better yields. These new varieties have outperformed traditional ones, showing enhanced yields and improved traits, including higher protein content, better seed quality, increased standability, and reduced bleaching.
Small Red Lentil
In Saskatchewan, CDC Maxim Clearfield® (CL)* has been the leading small red lentil variety since its introduction in 2007, but its popularity is waning as growers increasingly opt for newer, higher-yielding alternatives. Transitioning from CDC Maxim CL to one of three newer varieties could improve yields in the upcoming season.
* Clearfield is a registered trademark of BASF, used under license by BASF Canada Inc. © 2024 BASF Canada Inc.
% Yield of CDC Maxim CL by Variety for Small Red Lentils
Source: Saskatchewan Seed Guide 2024
CDC Redmoon
CDC Redmoon is another high-yielding small red lentil with proven field production performance. It yields 114% of check in the south and 107% in the north. This variety has greater seed thickness than CDC Maxim CL. As a non-CL variety, CDC Redmoon is an excellent option for growers using other herbicide options due to group 2 resistant weeds.
CDC Nimble CL
CDC Nimble CL is one of the highest-yielding small red lentil varieties, yielding 108% of check in the south and 109% in the north, demonstrating good yield stability. This variety has a small seed size, making seeding more economical. CDC Nimble has improved seed thickness, which is suitable for dehulling. It is also imidazolinone tolerant.
CDC Simmie CL
CDC Simmie CL is a high-yielding small red lentil, particularly well-suited for the brown and dark brown soil zones. It yields 107% of check in the south and 104% in the north. CDC Simmie has good seed plumpness, which is positive for dehulling and milling, and is imidazolinone tolerant.
Large Green Lentil
CDC Greenstar has been the leading variety in the large green lentil market, but the newer CDC Lima is starting to capture acreage from it. CDC Grimm CL is another newer variety worth considering for the upcoming season.
% Yield of CDC Maxim CL by Variety for Large Green Lentils
Source: Saskatchewan Seed Guide 2024
CDC Grimm CL
CDC Grimm CL is the highest-yielding CL large green lentil variety in the south. It has improved disease resistance to anthracnose (race 1) and is rated moderately resistant, representing the best anthracnose race 1 resistance in this market class. CDC Grimm CL has the largest seed size and is imidazolinone tolerant.
CDC Lima CL
CDC Lima CL is the highest-yielding large green lentil variety in the north. It has improved lodging resistance and is imidazolinone tolerance.
Yellow Pea
Older varieties, such as CDC Meadow, compete with newer, higher-yielding options. For the upcoming production season, yellow pea growers have four newer varieties to consider.
% Yield of CDC Amarillo by Variety for Yellow Peas
Source: Saskatchewan Seed Guide 2024
AAC Julius
AAC Julius is high-yielding, yielding 110% of check in the south and 105% in the north. It is an early-maturing yellow pea with good protein and good resistance to seed coat breakage. Its small seed size makes seed costs more economical. AAC Julius is also moderately resistant to fusarium root rot.
CDC Tollefson
CDC Tollefson is high-yielding in the south and north geographies, with yields of 109% of check in the south and 108% in the north. This variety has very good standability, resistance to seed coat breakage, and moderate resistance to fusarium root rot.
CDC Citrine
CDC Citrine yields 108% of check in the south and 110% in the north, making it an excellent choice for all geographies. This is another yellow pea variety that has good protein and good resistance to seed coat breakage. Like AAC Julius, CDC Citrine’s small seed size makes seed costs more economical. It is also moderately resistant to fusarium root rot.
CDC Hickie
CDC Hickie is a high-yielding yellow pea with yields of 107% of check in the south and 106% in the north. This variety has very good standability and good protein. It is also rated good for resistance to seed coat breakage and moderately resistant to fusarium root rot.
Kabuli Chickpea
Technological advancements are offering Saskatchewan producers a range of robust Kabuli chickpea varieties. This year, four varieties are recommended for consideration, showcasing attributes like strong yield performance, varying seed sizes, and improved disease resistance. In previous years, Amit was the check, but recently, it was replaced with the higher-yielding variety CDC Lancer. Yield comparisons on this page have been made to CDC Leader, currently the most widely grown variety.
% Yield of CDC Lancer by Variety for Kabuli Chickpeas
Source: Saskatchewan Seed Guide 2024
CDC Lancer
CDC Lancer is a high-yielding Kabuli chickpea. Compared to CDC Leader, CDC Lancer yields 6% higher in the brown soil zone and 11% higher in the dark brown soil zone. CDC Lancer matures earlier than Amit and has the advantage of imazamox herbicide tolerance (Solo® ADV). This variety has slightly improved resistance to Ascochyta blight compared to CDC Orion.
CDC Orkney
CDC Orkney is another high-yielding Kabuli chickpea. Compared to CDC Leader, it yields 5% higher in the brown soil zone and 14% higher in the dark brown soil zone. CDC Orkney matures similarly to CDC Leader and has the advantage of imazamox herbicide tolerance (Solo® ADV). This variety has improved resistance to Ascochyta blight compared to CDC Orion.
CDC Pearl
CDC Pearl is a smaller-seeded Kabuli chickpea with improved resistance to Ascochyta blight and imazamox herbicide tolerance (Solo® ADV). Compared to CDC Leader, CDC Pearl yields 4% higher in the brown soil zone and 12% higher in the dark brown soil zone. This variety matures similarly to that of CDC Lancer or CDC Leader. The seed size is smaller than other Kabuli varieties, making seeding more economical.
CDC Pasqua
CDC Pasqua is a large-seeded Kabuli chickpea with tolerance to imazamox herbicide (Solo® ADV). Its main advantage is its seed size, which is the largest among available varieties and can produce 10mm seeds. Regional variety trial data demonstrated that compared to CDC Leader, it yielded 8% lower in the brown soil zone and 3% higher in the dark brown soil zone. While CDC Pasqua is lower-yielding, it boasts a large seed size.
Faba Bean
As agriculture in Saskatchewan evolves, faba beans are emerging as a highly beneficial crop, particularly in cooler, moist areas of the province. There are several reasons to consider adopting new faba bean varieties.
- Market Opportunities with LVC Varieties: Recent advancements in breeding have led to the development of low vicine/convicine (LVC) faba bean varieties. These new faba bean varieties significantly reduce the risk of rapid-onset anemia, which affects a small percentage of people, opening doors to larger-scale adoption. Processors and food ingredient companies want to incorporate LVC varieties into their products due to their favourable flavour profile and high protein content.
- Industry Shift Towards LVC Varieties: The agricultural industry is rapidly transitioning to LVC faba beans, making them a strategic choice for farmers. With processors actively seeking out these varieties, adopting LVC faba beans will enhance marketability and ensure long-term demand. Due to the outcrossing nature of faba beans, planting LVC varieties away from high vicine strains is crucial to maintain the desired traits. Up to 1 km of isolation distance is recommended.
- Future Prospects: Several new LVC varieties are currently in the seed multiplication phase, showing improved yields and promising more robust options for farmers in the near future. As the market for plant-based protein grows, positioning your farm to produce faba beans could be advantageous.
Read more about the reasons for considering growing faba beans.
% Yield of Fabelle by Variety for Faba Beans
Source: Saskatchewan Seed Guide 2024
Fabelle
Fabelle has the highest yield among LVC coloured-flower/tannin faba beans. Although classified as a standard tannin type, Fabelle has lower tannin than other varieties in this market class, which is positive for expanding its use in multiple applications. Its maturity is 105 days, and it has a large seed size.
Victus
Victus is a good option for an LVC coloured-flower/tannin faba bean. Although it yields 96% compared to the LVC tannin check Fabelle, it has a much smaller seed size, making seeding more economical. Victus also has a 105-day maturity.
The Interactive SaskSeed® Guide allows users to search for variety information relevant to their local area, selecting specific characteristics and generating a report that shows the varieties best suited for their regional growing conditions, as well as listings of the breeder, distributor, and pedigreed seed growers who have that certified seed available.