BISMARK, NORTH DAKOTA - Northern Pulse Growers Association has dedicated research to developing innovative solutions that directly improve the profitability of pulse farmers from improving crop yields to optimizing agricultural practices, and their latest research in root rot and foliar disease is helping create a thriving pulse industry.  

Researcher Michael Wunsch, a plant pathologist at North Dakota State University’s Carrington Research Extension Center has focused his latest research on finding practical solutions to solving root rots in peas and foliar disease of chickpeas for farmers.

“When we can control these diseases, we can reduce the risk of growing them to the farmer,” says Wunsch. “Improving the profitability of our North Dakota farmers is always our goal with our agronomic research.” 

The research Wunsch does specifically focuses on finding cost-effective strategies while minimizing crop losses due to diseases such as Aphanomyces and Fusarium root rot in field peas and Ascochyta blight in chickpeas. 

Recently, the NDSU Carrington Research Extension Center has been able to develop a set of guidelines to calibrate spray droplet size relative to the diseases targeted, canopy characteristics and nozzle manufacturer that improves disease management in field peas and chickpeas. 

“The guidelines we have developed for optimizing the use of fungicides have made it possible for producers to consistently achieve high levels of disease control even in years where conditions are favorable for disease,” says Wunsch. 


While their results are preliminary and will require additional study locations and replications, findings suggest that farmers can continue planting pulse crops on fields where disease may have been an issue before. This is also important for planting subsequent wheat crops, with the potential to improve the profitability of field peas and wheat production in fields where these disease pressures exist. 

“Our results indicate it may be possible to manage Aphanomyces and Fusarium root rot of field peas with early planting, selection of planting varieties with partial tolerance, use of specific fungicide seed treatments, and crop rotations,” says Wunsch. “We are also seeing season-long control of powdery mildew with a single application of the most effective fungicide when peas have one fully filled pod per plant.” 

“Northern Pulse is pleased with the promising direction of this research and remains optimistic about the potential benefits it could bring to our farmers,” says Shannon Berndt, Executive Director of NPGA. “While further research and trials are still underway, we are confident that these efforts will lead to practical solutions for our pulse growers. We remain committed to our research efforts that help support these advancements for our agriculture community,”

The Northern Pulse Growers Association is a nonprofit association representing dry pea, lentil, chickpea, lupin and fava bean growers from Montana and North Dakota. The Northern Pulse Growers Association strives to increase pulse producers profitability through education, research, domestic and international marketing and government relations.