Pulse

As published in 2002, pulses are grown on 2 268 400 ha in Canada (excluding soybean). Saskatchewan is the leading field pea, chickpea and lentil producer with 69%, 96% and 99% respectively of the national production. Manitoba is the leading dry bean producer at 57% of national production. Total national pulse production (excluding soybean) stands at 3.069 million tonnes ( Statistics Canada).

Pulses were identified as a priority crop within the Pesticide Risk Reduction Program. General pulse production information and issues, along with pest issues are documented in the various pulse crop profiles. Pulses issues documents, extracted from the crop profiles, were used as discussion tools in pulse stakeholder meetings and consultations to help identify the top insect, disease and weed issues, as well as general issues of concern and potential solutions to these issues. These documents were prepared by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada's (AAC) Pest Management Centre in consultation with the Pulse industry, the Pesticide Risk Reduction Program's Technical Working Group and the Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA).

Pulse Stakeholder Meetings and Consultations

The Pulse Risk Reduction Strategy was initially two strategies, dry beans and the other pulses.

Dry Beans

A broad base of representatives from the dry bean industry meet in February, 2003, to identify the needs of bean growers and to develop priorities to advance the concept of reduced risk pest management.

Concerns regarding trade barriers, continued reliance on specific pest control products and the lack of new tools have caused the dry bean industry to investigate these issues and to identify the appropriate concrete actions. In 2003, a risk reduction partnership formed to address some of the industry's concerns. Strategies were initiated for capturing reduced risk pest management strategies and addressing the concerns.

Dry Peas, Chickpeas and Lentils

Canadian and American growers, commodity groups, pest control advisors, regulators and university specialists met along with representatives from United States Department of Agriculture, the United States Environmental Protection Agency, AAC and PMRA representatives for two days in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, in June 2002. The purpose of the meeting was to identify the needs of pulse growers in the two countries with reference to possible regulatory actions regarding pesticides. These materials were compiled and reviewed by task force members and are presented in Pest Management Strategic Plan for Pulse Crops (Chickpeas, Lentils, and Dry Peas) in the United States and Canada. This document is intended to serve as a comprehensive foundation for pest management transition in pulse crops in the United States and Canada.

In 2004 the strategies were combined under the AAC/PMRA Risk Reduction Program. A list of the top priorities and actions were compiled by the pulse steering committee.

Steering Committee Meeting July 2004

The Pulse Steering Committee met in Toronto, Ontario, on July 12, 2005. The Committee consists of members from Pulse Canada, all of the pulse provincial associations, industry representatives, AAC and PMRA. The meeting was to discuss the Risk Reduction Program in general terms, present the issue documents for comment and to prioritize issues in the pulse industry. As a result, three priority issues were identified-white mold (Sclerotinia), Ascochyta and grasshoppers.

Pulse Working Groups

• White Mold
  Meetings: February 2005, September 2006, November 2006
• Ascochyta
  Meetings: September 2006, November, 2006
• Grasshopper
  Meetings: September 2006, November, 2006

Research Funded under the Pesticide Risk Reduction Program

The Pesticide Risk Reduction Program has funded several projects addressing the priorities the Pulses Working Group established in consultation with the Pest Management Centre and the PMRA.

Projects Funded to Date

• Impact of forecasting system,biological control agent and fungicide application on white mould of dry bean and canola (Project Code: PRR03-380)
• Evaluation of low risk weed management options in dry edible beans and seed corn (Project Code: MU03-WEED2)
• Evaluation of low risk weed management options in snap beans, lima beans, carrots, red beets, pea, and dry bean (Project Code: MUR06-030)
• Developing cultural and alternative tools to manage Ascochyta blight in chickpea (Project Code: PRR03-200)
• Two decision support tools that will target ascochyta blight on chickpeas (Project Code: PRR07-360)
• Reduced-risk herbicide screening for pulse and oilseed crops (Project Code: MU03-WEED3)
• Mechanical weed control in pulse crops (Project Code: PRR03-250)
• Reducing the use of insecticides for grasshopper control in lentils (Project Code: PRR07-370)
• Developing remote sensing tools to map weeds in pulse and canola crops, enable site-specific herbicide application (Project Code: PRR03-550)
• Research and development of a newly discovered, effective grasshopper biocontrol agent found in Canadian Prairie soil (Project Code: BPI06-070)
• Pesticide free production sytems for flax, wheat and oat and improved decision support system for dry pea (Project Code: PRR03-230)
• Evaluation of non-target safety of a native fungal biocontrol agent under development for control of grasshoppers in pulses and other crops (Project Code: BPI07-190)
• Marker-assisted development of dry bean cultivars with resistance to bean common bacterial blight, anthracnose and bean common mosaic virus for reduced use of pesticides (Project Code: PRR03-640)
• Development of reduced-risk strategies through coordinated monitoring, forecasting and risk warning systems for insect pests of field crops in Canada (Project Code: PRR07-060)

For further updates, please visit Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.