The effect of phosphorus fertilizer on establishment, yield and quality of pea, lentil and faba bean

Abstract

Crop production diversification in western Canada includes pulse crops, necessitating more information on fertilization of these crops. Experiments with seed placement (SP) and side banding (SB) of phosphorus (P) fertilizer were conducted at three Saskatchewan locations during a 3-yr period, using pea (Pisum sativum L.), lentil (Lens culinaris Medikus) and faba bean (Vicia faba L.) for a total of 24 location-crop combinations. Monoammonium phosphate was applied at six rates of up to 44 kg P ha−1. Stand counts were taken at 3–4 wk after seeding; seed yield, seed P and seed protein concentration were measured. Stand count of pea was inversely proportional to rate of SP-P, with the stand count being reduced by 50% at the 44 kg P ha−1 rate. Lentil stand was reduced by SP-P at only two locations, and the effects were much less severe than for pea. Faba bean stand was not affected by P placement or rate. Seed yield of pea was higher with SB-P than with SP-P at all locations, but with lentil, SB-P gave higher seed yield at only two of the three locations. Seed yield of faba bean was not affected by P placement. Seed P concentration was directly related to P rates at two locations but was not affected by P placement. Seed protein concentration of the three crops was not affected by P treatment. Key words: Placement, phosphorus fertilizer, pulse crops, pea, lentil, faba bean