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Pulse: Pulses are the edible seeds of plants in the legume family. Pulses grow in pods and come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors. Thursday, May 29th, was an eventful day in Walla Walla. Pulses USA hosted their "A Pulse Journey," inviting numerous influencers, dietitians, and journalists to attend an informative and interactive two-day event. Here, attendees learned about the history, the importance of incorporating pulses into their everyday diet, and the current goals that the pulses team aims to achieve in the near future. Their two main goals are to encourage U.S. citizens to incorporate more pulses into their diet due to the nutrients they provide, which many in the population lack. As well as doubling the pulse production in the U.S. by 2030. We have a large production of pulses in the U.S., but the majority of which is traded with other countries, leaving us to buy pulses for consumption produced in Canada. The USA Pulses team wanted aid to spread the word and achieve these goals, and what better way to do so than to take those with the ability to reach others than to put them at the forefront of it all; the farms and facilities in which pulses are produced in Walla Walla. There is an abundance of chickpea and dry pea fields, as well as the Blue Mountain Seed facility located in Walla Walla, where attendees were able to tour, along with exploring the Ferrel Family Farm fields with Greg Ferrel to learn about the dry land farming and equipment used here. A majority of attendees were surprised that many pulse fields are grown through means of dry land farming, meaning the fields only rely on rainwater, no irrigation or watering from the farmer is done. They were also taught about the benefits of growing pulses for their nitrogen replenishing benefits for future crops to use. The pulses team furthered the encouragement to consume pulses by having various meals prepared with pulses as their main focus, using local pulses grown in Walla Walla, and they were delicious! (For further in-depth information, statistics, recipes, and more please visit the USA Pulses website at https://www.usapulses.org/)
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The following photos are a combination of the Colton spring pea trial site and the Bio Cover Crop™ location in Lewiston. Colton Trial Site In Colton, spring green and spring yellow peas are being planted in plots and rows to evaluate varieties for potential release. Jackson and Jonah can be seen hand-planting F-1 seeds (the initial generation following a genetic cross) to evaluate early growth traits that are critical for future variety selection. Ken is pictured on the tractor with the plot planter while another team member operates the cone (an attachment used to space the seeds during planting). Ken also worked on modifying the planter. By adjusting the spacing and adding a second cone, the team was able to plant two rows simultaneously, increasing efficiency. Lewiston Bio Cover Crop™ The Lewiston Bio Cover Crop™ trial, located on Wittman Farms, features a blend of two winter pea varieties: Pro 6101 (a normal-leaf pea) and Keystone (a semi-leafless type), along with volunteer wheat. Kurt conducted a field walk to assess plant health, observe growth patterns, and identify any anomalies. He also dug up several pea plants in different areas to check for nitrogen nodules. The grower, Tom Conklin, planted and planned to terminate the Bio Cover Crop™ peas specifically to capitalize on the nitrogen deposits peas provide for the current and following crop. As seen in one photo, peas can produce what are called “mega nodules.” These large, white root-associated clusters house nitrogen-fixing bacteria, which enrich the soil and support plant development. Our current research aims to understand the factors that lead to the formation of mega nodules. Early hypotheses suggest that either genetic differences among pea varieties or specific environmental conditions may be responsible. Once mature, the peas can be terminated through various methods, three common ones are spraying, roller crimping, or grazing. Conklin chose to spray the peas, allowing the next crop to benefit from both the nutrients left behind and the established root pathways created by the peas. The data collected from both sites will help guide future breeding decisions and refine cover cropping practices to further optimize soil health and crop performance. The time has arrived for the ProGene team to plant and maintain plot trials. The following photos show a small glimpse into the many steps required to organize and plant these trials. They are used to grow small amounts of seed to test varying factors such as quality, harvest timing, grain yield, forage yield, and many other variety attributes in a controlled environment, rather than a large-scale area. The trial area is first prepped for planting and marked with flags as well as plot lines to separate the varieties into the small areas we call plots. A lot of prep work goes into planting our research trials. Before we are ready to plant, Luz and the research team go through the data from previous years' trials to determine what will go into next year's trials. Once the entries are finalized, the seed varieties are located in our warehouses, counted, and each seed envelope is numbered so that they are able to be tracked throughout the mapping, planting, note-taking, and harvest process. This is the process we have developed and streamlined over our many years of operation, and we have found that this system works well for us, though there are many ways to go about trials. The team then takes to the field with our specialized plot equipment where Luz loads and trips the cone planter which evenly distributes the seed through the planter and into the soil, all while the tractor driver does their best to maintain a consistent speed and lines straight. Ryan then checks seed depth to ensure the seeds are planted at the correct depth for the corresponding crop. The trials are then cared for and closely monitored, and various notes are taken at different stages of growth. For example, oats and triticale for forage have two stages at which they can be harvested, boot stage or soft dough, while our forage pea harvest is typically done at what we call flat pod stage. These growth stages indicate the maturity level of the plant and give us a standardized harvest time. The last two photos show what a more mature trial will look like. |
