Pre-emergence tillage in field pea effective, but timing critical

Non-Peer ReviewedOn the semi-arid prairies, it is generally recommended to seed field pea early and at a depth of 4 to 7.5 cm. Crops that emerge before weed emergence are more competitive than crops emerging at the same time or after weed emergence. Delayed seeding to control late-emerging weeds and seeding at shallower depths to promote rapid emergence may be an alternative weed management strategy. The objective of this experiment was to identify combinations of seed date, seed depth, and pre-emergent weed control to optimize yield of field pea grown without the use of herbicides