Lentil-based crop mixtures for yield optimisation (original) (raw)
{Tool}Lentil-based crop mixtures for yield optimisation. Creator(s): Bedoussac, Laurent; Le Gardien, Celine; Lemonnier, Justine and Revel, Annabelle. Issuing Organisation(s): IFOAM Organics Europe. (2026)
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Summary
Such mixtures should help limit weeds, lodging, and bruchids, thereby improving gross margins by limiting yield losses.
Practical recommendations
• Lentils must be sown at the recommended density (300 to 400 seeds/m²), and the soil must be well prepared to ensure good contact between the soil and the seeds to guarantee a satisfactory germination rate (68% in our trials, with an average ranging from 45 to 98%).
• The density of the associated cereal (in this case barley) must not exceed 25% of that in a pure crop to limit competition with the lentils (Viguier, 2018).
• The target density for camelina should be around 50 plants/m², but due to the low germination rate (13% on average in our trials, ranging from 4% to 35%), it is recommended to sow camelina between 2-4 kg/ha.
• The mixture should be harvested as soon as possible and immediately sorted to remove any impurities, then treated by freezing or asphyxiation to kill weevils (see PA N°4).
| EPrint Type: | Practice tool |
|---|---|
| What problem does the tool address?: | In organic and conventional lentils, yields are often limited by weeds, lodging, and bruchids, which vary from year to year and from region to region. |
| What solution does the tool offer?: | The proposed solution is to grow lentils in mixture with another crop (here camelina or barley). |
| Country: | France |
| Type of Practice Tool: | Practice abstracts |
| Keywords: | crop management, diversification, intercropping, legumes, |
| Agrovoc keywords: | Englishcrop managementhttp://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c\_16094Englishdiversificationhttp://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c\_2344Englishintercroppinghttp://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c\_3910Englishlegumeshttp://aims.fao.org/aos/agrovoc/c\_4255 |
| Subjects: | Crop husbandry > Crop combinations and interactions Crop husbandry > Production systems > Cereals, pulses and oilseeds Crop husbandry > Weed management |
| Research affiliation: | European Union > Horizon Europe > IntercropVALUES France International Organizations > International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements IFOAM > IFOAM Organics Europe |
| Horizon Europe or H2020 Grant Agreement Number: | 101081973 |
| Related Links: | https://organic-farmknowledge.org/tool/57645, https://organic-farmknowledge.org/tool/53671, https://organic-farmknowledge.org/tool/53678 |
| Project ID: | ofk |
| Deposited By: | Bozsogi, B |
| ID Code: | 57645 |
| Deposited On: | 04 May 2026 07:13 |
| Last Modified: | 04 May 2026 07:15 |
| Document Language: | English, French/Francais |
| Status: | Published |
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