Montana State University grant

The Organic Farming Research Foundation and the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research awarded a second year of funding in the amount of $20,000 to Jed Eberly at Montana State University based on the promise shown in his first year of organic lentil trials. Eberly and his team are incorporating lentils into organic cropping systems to enhance soil health and improve the economics of organic operations. The outcomes of this research will help organic lentil growers improve yields and nutritional quality leading to better returns on investments.

The amount of lentil seeds planted on each acre (i.e., seeding rate) affects nutrient acquisition, weed management, and yield potential. Researchers have yet to identify the optimum lentil seeding rate that maximizes these benefits in organic systems. Eberly is addressing this knowledge gap by exploring the relationship between seeding rates, lentil yields, and soil health.

Trials performed in 2019 showed that increasing seeding rates significantly increased lentil yields and reduced weed density by an average of 40%. Based on these results, Eberly and his team are further increasing seeding rates this season to ensure they capture the maximum weed suppression and yield response. The research team is also performing a cost-benefit analysis to determine if higher seeding rates and yields are economically beneficial for organic farmers.