A total of 2,100 hectares have been planted with alberjón in Castilla y León and the area is growing. The reason is none other than that traditional pea producers are turning to this legume that offers them more production, fewer diseases and more resistance to cold and drought.
“The problems of the peas with bacteriosis made us look for a native protein alternative to this crop and we bet on the alberjón”, explains to elEconomista Agro Urbano Blanco, from the Agropal cooperative in Palencia, which is promoting a project to spread this crop among its associates
This is the case of Luis Fernando Cantero, a farmer in Antigüedad (Palencia), who has been growing this crop for three years. “I have replaced the pea with the alberjón on my farm mainly because it requires fewer treatments, it is easier to harvest and it is more resistant to frost and low temperatures than the pea, which is more delicate.”
In Spain, traditionally, it has been cultivated as a grain legume for animal feed in Castilla-La Mancha, Extremadura and Andalusia and in most cases, in marginal and arid conditions.
Up to 1,500 kilos per hectare
The advantages offered by this crop compared to the pea are several. The first is productivity because “you always get more than the pea.” A normal year can be around 1,000-1,500 kilos per hectare and a good one close to 2,000-2,600 kilos per hectare,” says Cantero. With a price similar to that of peas, between 280 and 360 euros per ton, there are many those who begin to contemplate this alternative.
Another benefit that this legume has compared to the pea is that it does not attack insects such as aphids, so it does not require the use of insecticides. “It has the advantage that this plague does not affect it, you sow it and forget about it. You only have to apply a sealant for weeds just like the pea and nothing else,” explains Cantero.
The ideal sowing time in Castilla y León, an autonomous community where more is being established thanks to the project developed by Agropal, and in the rest, it is autumn. Fundamentally the months of October, November and December because if it is sown in spring the production decreases.
The handling does not present any special characteristics. It is simple and practically the same as the pea, which makes it easy to change. Nor does it need any specific machinery. Sowing and harvesting are done with traditional machines for cereal. Another highly valued aspect of this crop is the harvest. Thanks to its tall and erect stem, harvesting is very simple.
The rise of this crop also has to do with the final destination. Used for animal feed as a source of protein, farmers are beginning to introduce it into the rations they give their animals to the detriment of soybeans, which are more expensive. “Faced with our external dependence on soybeans, which we mostly import, we have the alternative of alberjón, a native crop that provides our farmers with the necessary protein, while reducing the cost of feeding their herd”, comments Urbano Blanco.
rabbits don’t eat it
This crop is also working very well as a solution to the problems in many areas of Spain with infestations of rabbits and other fauna. “We don’t know the reason, but the rabbits, which cause so much damage to many farms, don’t eat this crop,” says Blanco. This particular characteristic of the alberjón is also favoring its expansion in Castilla y León as a remedy for a widespread problem in some areas. “You don’t have to worry about any animal reducing your production, it not only works with rabbits, but also with wild boar, roe deer and deer that completely ignore this crop compared to others that practically devour it,” explains Luis Fernando Cantero.
The only concern to take into account with this crop is a very continuous excess of rain over time that can cause the appearance of fungi. A not very common situation where the opposite prevails and an increasing tendency to record dry years, but which can exceptionally occur as happened in 2016, which caused a mildew attack that reduced production. Flooding is one of its limitations. They do not support excess humidity. Faced with such conditions, broad beans or peas present a greater adaptation. However, its tolerance to low temperatures makes it possible to grow it in areas where these other legumes are not viable.
Regarding the management of weeds, you must take the same precautions as with the pea. Both the alberjón and the rest of the legumes have the problem that there are few herbicides authorized for these crops.
The alberjón is a good alternative in crop rotation because other benefits must be added to its profitability. This crop improves soil fertility and structure, providing nitrogen, reducing compaction and improving water infiltration. The alberjón is another of the crops that has benefited from the entry into force of the Greening or green payment of the CAP, since it meets all the requirements as an ideal option within the necessary crop diversification, which is required by the new Common Agricultural Policy.
“For me”, comments Luis Fernando Cantero, “it is a highly recommended crop, because it gives more kilos than peas, it is more rustic and not as delicate as it and you save treatments”. “In particular, since I opted for the alberjón, I have not planted peas again,” says this farmer from Palencia.
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