Land rolling can ease harvest operations and help produce a high quality pulse crop.
The steel cylinder land roller is the most common roller, but a harrow-packer draw bar is a viable option if the land does not have rocks. Harrows, both tooth and tine, can break lumps and firm soil, but do not push rocks down.
Pulse crop fields are rolled for a variety of reasons:
- Provide a smooth, level surface and push down soil ridges for faster, easier harvest operations and better seed-to-soil contact.
- Push down stones to reduce broken guard and sickle sections and reduce expensive internal combine damage.
- Allow the cutter bar to get closer to the base of plants to reduce yield losses.
- Reduce soil on the seed, thereby improving quality.
- Aid in the harvest of short stature crops. Land rolling works especially well under drought conditions.
- Allow for an easier adjustment and operation of lifter fingers.
- Aid in the harvest of lodged pulse crops and pulse-cereal mixtures
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Pre-emergence rolling for pulse crops is the preferred approach rather than post-emergence, although there are exceptions. Pre-emergence rolling is not recommended under the following conditions:
- Extremely wet conditions on clay soil or soil with low organic matter that is prone to crusting.
- Sandy soil, which is prone to erosion.
- Dry soil, which is prone to wind erosion.
- Peat soil.
Farmers should be careful not to double roll areas of the fields, such as headlands, because excessive plant damage and packing can occur from tractor tires.
Chickpea, dry bean and fababean fields are not usually rolled after emergence. Rolling after emergence in chickpea fields, especially under moist conditions, will spread the disease ascochyta blight.
Chickpeas and fababeans develop turgid, stiff stems early in their development and rolling can break the plants. Rolling fababean fields is not necessary because of the high pod location relative to the soil surface and the ability of the crop to stand without lodging.
The use of post-emergence rolling depends on the crop. Field peas and lentils may be rolled after emergence, although pre-emergence rolling is preferred.
When faced with the choice to either spray early or roll early, growers should know that spraying first is recommended instead of rolling. Early weed removal, especially under higher weed pressures, will result in higher yields.
Research on lentils indicates that land rolling after the emergence of lentils can be successfully completed up to the five- to seven-node stage without significant yield loss in large-seeded lentil varieties such as Laird and the seven-node stage in small-seeded varieties.
Rolling a lentil crop after a rain or heavy dew can uproot small seedlings and increase the risk of soil compaction or the spread of ascochyta blight and anthracnose.
Researchers have concluded that for dry beans, rolling should be completed right after seeding or after the hypocotyl arch has straightened itself.
If farmers wish to roll the field post-emergence, it should be done when the plants are slightly wilted and the soil surface is dry.
Rolling should not be done on excessively wet, dry or sandy soil or when the crop is damp or stressed by extreme heat, frost or herbicide application.
If practical, wait until the stress conditions subside before rolling: a minimum of two to three days.
Farmers who have rolled pulse fields at later growth stages have experienced significant problems, including damaged plants, increased spread of foliar diseases and reduced grain yield. For dry beans, farmers should pay close attention to crop stage development.
The hypocotyl hook structure of dry beans is fragile and growers should not roll the hook within one centimetre of the soil surface or the crop is three to five days after emergence.
