Leguminous crops harvested solely for dried seed are called pulses. Pulses are the edible seeds of plants in the legume family. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) recognizes 11 types of pulses. The most recognizable of the pulses are dried beans, peanuts, chickpeas and lentils. In the western United States, coolseason food pulses, including dry peas, lentils and chickpeas, are an important cropping component. The two principal growing regions include the Northern Plains (Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota) and the Palouse (eastern Washington, northern Idaho and northeastern Oregon) (Richmond et al., 2009). Western Canada is a major pulse production area. Canada ranks first in world production of lentils and dry peas (FAO).
