Should I Grow Lentil Next Season? – Five Questions Every Grower Should Ask
Lentil remain a valuable opportunity – but every paddock is different
Lentil have become one of South Australia’s most valuable broadacre crops, with production in the low rainfall zones increasing dramatically over the past decade. Strong prices, improved agronomy and favourable seasons have encouraged many growers to include lentil in their rotations. However, the challenging 2024 and 2025 seasons highlighted that profitable lentil production begins with understanding risk, not simply chasing price. Research conducted by Mallee Sustainable Farming, and supported by the GRDC, is helping growers identify where lentil are most likely to succeed – and where alternative options may provide a more resilient outcome.
1. Does my paddock have enough ground cover?
Ground cover is your first line of defence against wind erosion. Following consecutive dry seasons, many paddocks have less standing stubble than desirable. Current recommendations are to maintain around 1–1.5 t/ha of standing cereal stubble and target around 50% ground cover through spring to minimise erosion risk. Where stubble is limited, growers may need to manage sandy rises differently or consider companion cereal strips to improve protection.
2. Is this paddock suited to lentil?
Consider soil texture, pH, salinity, structure, fertility and constraints before committing to lentil. Light textured soils often have lower plant available water and are more vulnerable to moisture stress during establishment, increasing production risk under dry conditions.
3. What is the paddock history telling me?
Residual herbicides, difficult broadleaf weeds and herbicide-resistant populations can all reduce establishment and crop performance. Where herbicide carryover is suspected, field bioassays or commercial residue testing may help guide paddock selection. Planning ahead is often the most effective way to reduce risk.
4. Can I maximise early biomass?
Strong early biomass improves crop competitiveness, protects the soil surface and provides greater resilience if seasonal conditions deteriorate. Sowing timing, stored soil moisture, nutrition and variety selection all contribute to successful establishment. Early sowing should only be considered when conditions support ongoing crop growth.
5. What is the seasonal outlook?
Recent MSF trials at Lameroo, Waikerie and Appila demonstrated that crop response depends on both varieties and seasonal conditions. Early-sown faba bean performed well under challenging conditions, while lentil performance was much more dependent on rainfall timing and seedling survival.
What does this mean for growers in 2026 and future seasons?
Rather than asking ‘Can I grow lentil?’, growers should ask ‘Should I grow lentil in this paddock this season?’. Matching crop choice with stored soil moisture, stubble cover, paddock history and seasonal outlook will improve the likelihood of success while reducing erosion risk and protecting long-term soil health.
Decision Support Tools
Mallee Sustainable Farming is developing practical decision-support tools, including a lentil decision-making tree, to help growers make more confident paddock selection decisions in future seasons.
🔍 Find out more about Early Sown Pulses for Low Rainfall SA
📃 Download the factsheet
Wind erosion impacts at Waikerie, 2025
