Pulse School: Land rolling considerations in drought-stricken areas

In ideal conditions, the recommendation is to roll pea acres shortly after seeding.
But what happens when a portion of the Prairie's pulse growing acres are facing extreme drought?
Jack Payne, agronomy solutions manager with South Country Co-op Ltd, says some growers may opt to roll later - because if you roll right after the crop has been seeded, you can create conditions that open the field up to wind erosion risks.
"As you roll, you're breaking up some of those soil aggregates, pulverizing the topsoil a bit. And if you haven't got any crop emerged, and you get a windy day, you could have some drifting soil," he explains.
However, if a producer waits until the peas are up and out of the ground, there are a few things that should be kept in mind, such as rolling right at emergence.
"If you're rolling after the crop comes up, you want to have enough stem that is flexible," Payne says. "When the plant is first coming out of the ground and is really short and stubby, if you roll, you might break off the top of the plant or the growing point. One recommendation is to wait until the two-to-three node stage, or four-to-six node stage, depending where you're at."
#farming #drought #pulses #soil #soilhealth
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