Assessment of early planting and tile drainage on the pea production
Dennis Lange, Provincial Pulse Specialist
To evaluate the effect of tile drainage and early seeding on the crop growth and yield of yellow peas.
This research will be conducted again in 2022 to evaluate seeding date and tile drainage effects on pea yield. Temperature measurements will commence around mid-April and will continue during the seeding / plant establishment phase of a crop to have more comprehensive information.
Water table elevation and soil temperature are important factors in crop production on poorly drained soils, particularly in cold regions. In eastern part of Manitoba, low soil temperatures and high water saturation conditions on heavy clay soils exist during early spring, which sometimes create problems for seeding of the crops.
Peas can be seeded as early as late April to early May to obtain maximum yield potential. This is because peas are more tolerant to spring frost than other crops because of its hypogeal emergence (pea cotyledons remain underground). In case of frost injury, new shoots will emerge from axillary buds that are protected under the soil surface. Early planting should also help align the time of flowering with cooler air temperatures. As peas are susceptible to excess moisture conditions, therefore pea cultivation in the eastern part of Manitoba is limited due to more precipitation in eastern part than in western part of the province. Pea acreage in eastern part can improved by tile drainage that can help to drain excess moisture out from the root zone of peas.