Optimizing Phosphorus Fertilization and Inoculation in Chickpea and Lentil
Develop recommendations for pulse growers in optimizing rhizobial and/or P-solublizing inoculants and fertilizer P for direct-seeding of kabuli and desi chickpeas and lentils in the semiarid regions of western Canada.
IPNI-2000-CAN-SK25
15 Mar 2001
Justification
- The areas seeded to chickpeas in Saskatchewan have been significantly increasing. In the southwest Saskatchewan, the interest of growing chickpeas is still exploding (McVicar, 1999). There is little information available regarding how to optimize rhizobial inoculation and fertilization for the seeding systems with 1-, 2-, and 3-tanks on a seeder. Many producers want to use granular inoculants on pulse crops, but in a 2-tank system, the use of granular inoculant precludes application of fertilizer P (pulses require adequate P supply to maximize N fixation). Use of P-solublizing seed inoculant such as JumpStart in one tank and granular rhizobial inoculant in another tank is one option. Powdery rhizobia is applied to seed in one tank and granular P-fertilizer in another tank is another 2-tank option. In 3-tank seeding systems there are more options to accommodate the multiple requirements, but no information is available regarding the relative performance of side-banding vs seed-row placing of granular inoculant.