The rotational benefits of field peas, ranging from better weed control to higher wheat yields, are well known, but there are many other advantages which make field peas an excellent fit for Western Australian cropping programs.

Department of Agriculture, Western Australia development officer Ian Pritchard said the inclusion of field peas into the cropping program was possible with relatively little or no cost and allowed growers to better utilise their capital. 

“Because field peas are sown at the end of the cropping program there is no need to increase the capacity of the seeding machinery nor is there any need for specialised sowing equipment,” Mr Pritchard said.

“A similar situation generally occurs at harvest with field peas being the first crop ready for harvesting, well ahead of cereals.  The erect nature of the new semi-leafless field pea varieties also means growers can direct harvest, and specialised harvesting equipment should not be required.”

Mr Pritchard said the variable costs of growing field peas were similar to wheat and barley. Many of the weed control measures in field peas were applied mainly to benefit a following cereal crop.

“The sowing strategy for field peas allows for non-selective methods of weed control, such as a double chemical knock and cultural methods to help prevent herbicide resistance.

“At the other end of the season, crop topping or renovation cropping is highly effective to control weed seed set, providing another management option for herbicide resistance.”

Field peas have a wide range of registered herbicides within the chemical groups which allows growers to rotate the chemical groups between crops within the cropping program.

Mr Pritchard said field peas were also useful in the cropping program as a ‘fix-it’ crop to address such issues as herbicide resistance or poor performing paddocks due to nematodes and low organic matter.

The Department of Agriculture, with the support of the Grains Research and Development Corporation and Pulse Western Australia, is promoting the benefits of field peas in WA farming systems.