The fava bean is a frost tolerant, saline tolerant, nitrogen-fixing legume that has cool season and warm season varieties, produces abundant biomass and has a stout, erect growth. With a wide spectrum of forms and genetic traits, it can be tricky to find the variety best adapted for a specific area, but recent research from the USDA's Agricultural Research Service is helping to pinpoint the best options for growers in the West.

Areas of North Dakota with a white crust on the soil are expanding this spring due to an accumulation of salts in the soil. This is cause for special management attention from growers, says North Dakota State University Extension.