After commercial cropping of lentils (Lens culinaris) expired in Germany 50 years ago, a revival was observed on a small regional scale. Several field trials aimed at the development of lentil cropping systems to make lentils a more popular crop in German organic farming. One of the trials was set up to identify suitable companion crops and cropping ratios for lentils in mixed cropping systems. Suitable cropping systems in terms of yield (up to 1.8 t ha-1) were combinations with barley (Hordeum vulgare), wheat (Triticum aestivum) and buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum) in a ratio of 180 : 60 seeds ha-1 (lentil:companion crop), and with wheat or oats (Avena sativa, 1 : 3) in terms of lodging. As lentil and wheat grains were difficult to separate after harvest, other varieties with shape and thousand grains mass more different from each other might allow the combination of wheat and lentils. According to the results of other trials, development of modern lentil cropping systems has to include the issues of sowing time (early sowing date), weed control, and varieties adapted to local conditions
