Benefits of Planting Pulse Crops
Pulse USA was founded 20 years ago by a group of farmer investors who saw an opportunity in the market for growing peas and lentils. According to the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), the United States planted 585,000 acres of lentils and 935,000 acres of dry peas in 2021 compared to just 87,820 acres and 76,080 acres respectively in 2001.
Pulses are by definition the edible seed from a legume plant. Legumes are considered to be the plant that includes the leaves, stems, and pods containing the pulse seed. Pulses can include peas, lentils, edible beans, and chickpeas.
Thanks to organizations like the U.S. Dry Pea and Lentil Association, the Northern Pulse Growers Association, processors, and farmers there have been many advances in the marketing of pulse crops. There is now pea pasta and meat substitutes that include pea protein powder. You can even buy pea protein powder pouches to increase the protein content in almost any meal you are making. Check out the Pea Hummus recipe in this edition of our newsletter for a fun way to incorporate peas in your next get-together. It’s pea-licious!!!
Even the USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans released in 2020 increased the recommended amount of pulses for humans to consume to 3 cups a week to maintain a healthy diet. Pulses are an inexpensive source of protein, fiber and several significant dietary nutrients.
The benefits of growing legumes for farmers extends beyond the increased marketability. Peas can be mixed with small grains like oats, barley, and triticale to improve the protein content for hay or grazing cattle. We recommend mixing a 60/40 ratio of peas to small grains and planting at 100 lbs/acre. Peas are frost tolerant and can be planted early along with your small grains.
Legumes fixate atmospheric Nitrogen into the soil and provide their own source of Nitrogen when properly inoculated. An application of 15-20 pounds/acre of Sulfur(S) may be the only nutrient required for growing peas and lentils.
Peas and lentils have a low C:N ratio which means the plant residue breaks down quickly. Legume plants can help balance residue breakdown for plants with high C:N ratios (such as small grains and corn) and improve the soil microbial activity by allowing for a balanced decomposition making the plant nutrients more available for soil microbes.
Last year, I attended the North Dakota State University (NDSU) Hettinger Research Extension Center field tour and one of the demonstration plots was a comparison of wheat planted on previous wheat ground vs. wheat planted on previous pea ground. Hettinger had very little rainfall, but the wheat planted on pea ground was noticeably stronger and greener than the wheat on wheat ground.
Pulse USA has several lines of peas and lentils that we license to growers and sell as seed. While the supply market is tight right now on peas and lentils, we do still have seed available for purchase. I would be happy to visit with you about the options available for including pulses in your rotation.
