• Lentils
• Yields

Objective

To determine which combination of the common agronomic practices produce the greatest lentil yield. To determine which agronomic practices provide the best economic return to producers.

Outcome

The most effective weed management strategy utilized a seeding rate of 190 seeds/m2 combined with a residual herbicide to reduce weed biomass by 76%. Results indicate that if seeding rates are to increase to 190 seeds/m2 then fungicide applications are likely required, particularly under moist conditions. Furthermore, dual fungicide applications tended to have the least amount of disease pressure compared to single applications and unsprayed. The highest net returns occurred with a seeding rate of 190 seeds/m2, unsprayed fungicide and a residual herbicide application. Although the cost of a fungicide typically reduced net returns compared to the unsprayed, the fungicides should be viewed as a form of insurance rather than an input cost, as disease management is essential for proper lentil production. Additionally, the 15 site- years of experiments were generally conducted under drought conditions with limited disease pressure and therefore may not show the economic benefits associated with fungicide applications.

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