The Saskatchewan Pulse Growers are holding their Winter Regional Meetings.

Sherrilyn Phelps is the Agronomy Manager for Sask Pulse and is talking to producers about Kochia.

Kochia is one weed that is showing more and more resistance.

Phelps says producers in Alberta are seeing 3-way resistance to kochia, Group 2, Glyphosate and now even Dicamba.

“With the development of herbicide resistance, we start losing some of the tools that we have. Definitely, there are still some herbicide options and using some of the soil residual options in combination with pre-seed burn off is very important for kochia management in Pulses.”

She also suggests producers look at increasing seeding rates and decreasing row spacing to make the crop more competitive with the kochia.

Phelps notes adding crops like winter wheat and fall rye into the rotation are also beneficial as they are very competitive with Kochia.

Another issue for Pulse Producers is Root Rot and trying to deal with aphanomyces.

Phelps says one option is to extend your crop rotations by six to eight years.

“It’s stressful from a grower’s perspective because nobody really wants to be away from growing Pulses, peas and lentils for that length of time. Unfortunately, to maximize the production during pea and lentil years that’s what we’re going to have to do.”

Producers in Rosetown had a chance to take in the Sask Pulse Growers Winter Regional meeting Monday; today the meeting moves to Swift Current.

Sask Pulse Regional Meetings continue Wednesday in Assiniboia and Thursday in Regina.