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ARS Home » Plains Area » Sidney, Montana » Northern Plains Agricultural Research Laboratory » Agricultural Systems Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #428536
Research Project: Climate-resilient Sustainable Irrigated and Dryland Cropping Systems in the Semi-arid Northern Great Plains

Location: Agricultural Systems Research

Title: Growth, yield, and quality of pulse crops and succeeding spring wheat in the rotation

Author
item Sainju, Upendra

Submitted to: Agronomy Journal
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/29/2025
Publication Date: 11/22/2025
Citation: Sainju, U.M. 2025. Growth, yield, and quality of pulse crops and succeeding spring wheat in the rotation. Agronomy Journal. 117(6). Article e70224. https://doi.org/10.1002/agj2.70224.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/agj2.70224

Interpretive Summary: As pulse crops (chickpea, lentil, and pea) are replacing fallow in the traditional crop-fallow systems, more information is needed about the performance of pulse crops and succeeding crop yields and quality in rotation with pulse crops in the US northern Great Plains. An ARS scientist in Sidney, MT evaluated the performance of pulse crops compared to spring wheat and compared succeeding spring wheat yield and quality following pulse crops and spring wheat in the rotation from 2021 to 2024. He reported that pea had greater grain yield, protein concentration, and N uptake than chickpea and lentil and that these parameters were greater for pulse crops than spring wheat. Succeeding spring wheat grain yield and nitrogen-use efficiency were also greater following pea than following chickpea and were greater following pulse crops than following spring wheat. Producers can enhance yield and quality of pulse crops as wells as those of succeeding spring wheat by including pea compared to other pulse crops in the rotation.

Technical Abstract: Pulse crops are becoming more popular to replace fallow in the conventional crop-fallow systems for increased crop yields and enhanced soil and environmental quality, but more information is needed on the performance of pulse crops when rotated with spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). The objective of the study was to determine plant density, straw and grain yields, grain protein concentration, N uptake, harvest index (HI), N harvest index (NHI), N-use efficiency (NUE), and N removal index (NRI) of three pulse crops (chickpea [Cicer arietinum L.], lentil [Lens culinaris Medik], and pea [Pisum sativum L.) and one control (spring wheat) as well as succeeding spring wheat in the rotation from 2021 to 2024 in the US northern Great Plains. Plant density was 70%-203% greater for lentil than chickpea and pea but was 58% lower than spring wheat. Straw and grain yields and N uptake were 10%-68% greater for pea than chickpea and lentil, but yields were 25%-63% lower for pea than spring wheat. Grain protein concentration was 14%-20% greater for pea and lentil than chickpea and 27%-51% greater for pulse crops than spring wheat. The HI and NHI were 5%-25% greater for chickpea and lentil and pea and spring wheat. Spring wheat straw and grain yields, NUE, and NRI following pulse crops were 11%-21% greater than following spring wheat. Pea performed better in grain yield and protein concentration and increased succeeding spring wheat yield and NUE compared to chickpea in dryland cropping systems of the semiarid northern Great Plains.