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NGN Correcting iron deficiency in faba beans and lentilsDate:
Project Lead: SARDI Project duration: February 2025 - June 2027
BackgroundYellowing in faba beans has been a long-standing issue for growers in southeast South Australia, with many previously tested management approaches delivering limited success. As a result, there is strong grower interest in adopting an effective strategy, and some producers are already evaluating Fe-EDDHA in on-farm strip trials. On Yorke Peninsula, severe yellowing in lentils grown on highly calcareous sands has emerged as a significant constraint to a relatively new but highly profitable crop, creating strong potential for rapid adoption of proven management strategies. The project will also assess whether some crop varieties are naturally more tolerant of iron deficiency. Elite breeding lines from the University of Adelaide’s faba bean program and Grains Innovation Australia’s lentil program will be screened in controlled pot trials to identify more tolerant genetics. Additional work will assess the sensitivity of wheat, field peas and canola to iron deficiency.
Project ObjectivesThis project builds on early research showing that Fe-EDDHA can be an effective iron source for preventing yellowing and poor growth in faba beans on highly calcareous clay soils and lentils on highly calcareous sandy soils. It will investigate practical and cost-effective fertiliser strategies using Fe-EDDHA and other iron products to help growers manage iron deficiency in these environments.
Project ActivitiesA range of extension activities will be undertaken to share the learnings of the project, including:
Project Resources2025_MFMG_Trial Results Book_Chapter 6_Correcting iron deficiency in faba beans and lentils
This project is funded by:
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