Chickpeas are a potential money maker, but few prairie farmers will risk growing the crop, let alone invest a significant amount in the beans.
There are no registered herbicides in Canada for chickpeas. Even in the United States, where the crop has a history, there are no recommended herbicides and little research to create any.
Rick Holm, a crop scientist and professor at the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon, conducts research projects aimed at getting minor-use registration for existing chemicals through third party testing approved by Agriculture Canada.
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Holm feels his project will help producers make informed choices on herbicide treatments that “they’re going to do anyway.”
New crops face a difficult catch-22 that block their growth into general acceptance. If there are not enough acres of a crop being grown, large pesticide companies will not spend money to produce pesticides to aid that crop. But in order to increase acreage, there must be pesticides to protect the crop.
Viable with research
Enter the university research programs with funds from producer group check-off money. The plot thickens and chickpeas, a human food crop with market potential for Canadian prairie farmers, become more viable.
Holm’s research suggests potential for Bayer’s Sencor (metribuzin) as a post-emergent treatment for a variety of broadleaf weeds including mustard and volunteer canola. The product is the only post-emergent herbicide that appears to be viable for chickpea growers.
Timing of the herbicide application will determine whether the crop will be significantly delayed to an extent that the already long growing time, 104 to 110 days, becomes impractical for Canadian producers.
“You have to be aware of the timing. You can push it to the third leaf stage, but that is the maximum. You will burn the leaves that are already out so the later you leave it, the further back you set your crop,” said Holm.
Research has shown some early results with other chemicals. Producers wishing to hold off as long as possible before applying a glyphosate herbicide to burn off early weeds must apply the product no later than 24 hours after emergence of the chickpea plants or risk killing or seriously injuring the crop.
Odyssey and Pursuit (imazethapyr) are also being tested as pre-emergent products for the plant. When using them at a quarter of the suggested application rate, the product does little damage and provides some weed control. Damage begins to occur at half rates and becomes severe at full rates.
Fall and spring applications of Edge (ethalfluralin) can be effective against weeds such as kochia, wild oats and some grasses. Some agrologists recommend an Edge application followed with Sencor.
“Once we have several years of information in hand we should be able to secure registration of some products for chickpeas,” said Holm.
Pre-harvest applications of Roundup to desiccate and provide fall weed control have to be considered carefully. Plant pods may die and dry out. However, the seed itself will remain green and will be rejected during grading, said Fran Walley, a soil scientist at the University of Saskatchewan.
