New additions to the pea and bean Recommended List

The PGRO launched the 2017 Recommended List for peas and spring and winter beans at this year’s CropTec event in late November.

Peas

Karpate a new white-seeded pea from Senova joins the RL with a P1 recommendation as the top yielding variety with a yield of 105 per cent of controls, reported PGRO principal technical officer Stephen Belcher. Kareni, top yielder in 2015 moves to 2nd year of provisional recommendation. Salamanca, Mascara and Gregor remain fully recommended. The aptly named large blue Bluetooth (LS Plant Breeding) joins Prophet, Daytona, Crackerjack and Campus as fully recommended varieties in that category. Two varieties LG Stallion (Limagrain UK) and Vertix (Senova) join the list with a 1st year provisional recommendation. LG Stallion tops the large blue yield rankings at 102 per cent with Vertix 2 per cent lower. Kingfisher moves to 2nd year of provisional recommendation.

The small blue category makes a re-appearance on the RL with the addition of Greenwood (IAR Agrii) with a P1 recommendation. Yields are 6 per cent lower than Prophet, but while seed is smaller it is on the large side for a small blue. Standing ability rates at only 4, similar to Crackerjack. Coloured flowered maple peas Mantara and Rose remain as fully recommended varieties.

In the marrowfat category, Sakura and Genki remain fully recommended and top yielder in this category, Aikido moves to 2nd year provisional recommendation.

Overall 2016 trial yields (3.79t/ha) were well down on the 5-year (4.81t/ha) average, added Mr Belcher.

Winter beans

According to PGRO, several candidate winter bean varieties were withdrawn from RL consideration by the breeders so there were no new additions to the RL. Clipper was also withdrawn. In the pale hilum category, Tundra, Wizard and Honey remain as fully recommended varieties. Bumble moves from P1 to P2 recommendation and joins Tundra as the top yielding pale hilum types at 104 per cent of controls. In the black hilum (feed) category Arthur was moved to the becoming outclassed category.

2016 yields (5.73t/ha) were 17 per cent higher than the 5-year average (4.89t/ha), with sites at Thorney and Hereford yielding close to 6.5t/ha.

Spring beans

Pale hilum types Vertigo, Fanfare, Fury, Fuego and Boxer all remain as fully recommended varieties. New to the RL with a P1 recommendation is LG Cartouche (Limagrain UK). Yields were just 1 per cent lower than the best, but it only has a 4 (same as Fuego) rating for downy mildew resistance. Lynx moves from P1 to P2 recommendation and joins Vertigo as the top yielding varieties. As in 2015 it has maintained a 7 rating for downy mildew resistance, the best among the pale hilum types. Pyramid and Bablyon were removed from the RL. Black hilum, tic bean Maris Bead remains with a full recommendation.

2016 yields (5.67t/ha) were marginally up on the 5-year mean (5.44t/ha). The highest yielding site was in Kent (6.52t/ha), but several others yielded over 6t/ha.

PGRO RL 2017 – new varieties

Combining peas                      Winter beans                          Spring beans

Karpate (white)                        No new additions                       LG Cartouche (pale hilum)

LG Stallion (large blue)

Vertix (large blue)

Greenwood (small blue)