Following the government's shock closure of the Sustainable Farming Incentive this week, the PGRO is reminding growers that peas and beans should be drilled as soon as possible to avoid a late harvest and crop losses.

Some land earmarked for the SFI may now be put to other crops, and some growers will be considering pulses as an option as, in an average year, the returns would be greater than a typical SFI option.

"In most cases 2025 cropping decisions have already been made and won't change now, but there will be some who didn't get an SFI application in before the surprise closure and may have flexibility for peas and beans to deliver income and environmental benefits this year," said Roger Vickers, PGRO's CEO.

"We advise that beans should be drilled before the end of March, so there is time, and peas need to go in as early as the land will permit, but ideally before mid-April."

Recent AHDB work examined whether certain SFI actions were favourable alternatives to break crops such as beans.

Looking at winter beans, it suggested that even a modest yield of 1.8t/ha would still match the financial returns of an SFI legume fallow.

"A higher yield than this would out-perform this particular SFI option, and you get all the benefits that a pulse crop brings too," says Mr Vickers.

"Being highly symbiotic with soil microflora, pulse crops increase biodiversity, resulting in an enhanced and more fertile soil condition. Beans require no supplementary nitrogen and ensure that subsequent crops perform better after pulses have been grown.

"In many ways, beans deliver even greater environmental outcomes than the SFI options farmers were applying for."

For late-drilled pulses, the PGRO advises that results are improved when seed is sown conventionally. For those adopting minimal soil disturbance techniques it is important to ensure compaction below the seed is avoided. The sowing depth is also a serious consideration. Seed should be covered by a minimum of 3cm of settled soil where pre-emergence herbicides are used.

Drilling beans later in April would delay harvest and may result in summer drought stress at flowering.

The optimum plant density for spring beans is 45-55 plants per square metre established.

Marrowfat peas should be sown to give a planting density of 65-70 plants per m², and large blues and white peas 80-90 plants per m².

Mr Vickers added that the PGRO team is on hand to answer questions about pulse production for any grower who is keen to learn more. Advice can also be found at www.pgro.org