particularly if well grown with high crop biomass and high yields.
Flowering begins on the lowest branches, gradually moving up the plant and continuing until harvest. Flowers can be white, lilac or pale blue in color and are self-pollinated. Lentil plants flower profusely over a short period and set many pods, with each pod containing one or two seeds depending on the growing season conditions. Because of their indeterminate growth habit it is possible to find flowers, immature pods and mature pods on a plant at the same time, meaning that crop desiccation may be required as an aid to harvest.
Seeds are small in comparison with other pulses and are a characteristic lens shape.
Hypogeal emergence protects lentil seedlings from the effects of frost and insect damage at crop establishment.
Flowering begins on the lowest branches, gradually moving up the plant and continuing until harvest.
Sowing lentils between rows of cereal stubble helps prevent lodging and improves harvest efficiency.
Lentils grown in Australia are divided into two groups based on seed size and cotyledon colour. Each group has distinct end uses and markets.
Be aware of the necessity to market on a variety basis and ensure that complete variety segregation occurs to avoid variety contamination. Careful planning and management is required to minimise risks of cross-contamination when changing varieties grown. See also ‘Lentil: Variety cross contamination’.
Price premiums for small-seeded types (e.g. PBA Hurricane XT and Nipper) or large-seeded types (e.g. PBA Jumbo2, PBA Jumbo and Aldinga) have occurred in the past, as well as discounts based on supply and market size or demand (e.g. Aldinga).
Varieties with ascochyta blight and botrytis grey mould resistance, including PBA Ace, PBA Herald XT and PBA Jumbo2, are suited to localities prone to foliar diseases. PBA Blitz, PBA Bolt and PBA Flash are earlier maturing than some older varieties and suit shorter growing season areas or delayed sowing. PBA Hurricane XT, Herald XT, PBA Bounty are small-seeded red lentils that also handle a quick seasonal finish. PBA Jumbo2 and PBA Jumbo have supersede Aldinga as large-seeded red lentils. PBA Hurricane XT and PBA Herald XT are agronomically similar to Nipper but have improved herbicide tolerance to applied flumetsulan and residuals of some ‘SU’ and ‘imi’ herbicides. See also ‘Residual herbicide and weed control'.
PBA Greenfield and Boomer are medium-sized green lentils with improved seed size, growth and disease resistance over Matilda. Tiara, a long season green lentil with very large seed size, is not widely grown and is only suitable for spring sowing in high rainfall areas. PBA Giant is the only large-sized green lentil variety, which opens up new market opportunities for growers.
The most widely grown red lentil variety was Nugget, but newer releases offer a range of improved and different agronomic, grain size or colour (hence marketing) and disease resistance profiles. Red and green lentils are classified on their seed size and shape (see table below).
Be aware of the necessity to market on a variety basis and ensure that complete variety segregation occurs to avoid variety contamination. Careful planning and management is required to minimise risks of cross-contamination when changing varieties grown. See also ‘Lentil: Variety cross-contamination’.
Red lentil varieties
When choosing a variety, consider the disease risk, seasonal outlook and market forecast. The agronomic traits of the current red lentil varieties are provided below along with yield, diseases resistance and seed availability comparisons. The variety management package (VMP) for each variety provides more detailed information.
PBA Blitz is suited to all current lentil growing areas. It is particularly suited to shorter-season areas where its combination of mid-early flowering, early maturity, high yield, disease resistance and medium to large seed size will improve lentil reliability and economics of production. PBA Blitz is the earliest maturing lentil variety and the best option where cropto