Chris Guest, LS Plant Breeding Ltd (LSPB) Managing Director comments: “The new PGRO 2022 Descriptive Lists (DL) continue to show the improvement of all pulse varieties in the key areas of yield, agronomic characters and marketability to further develop the pulse crop in a post-Brexit, net-zero farming world.
“LSPB pulse varieties once again are a strong part of these improvements. To give three examples – the consistent yield of Lynx brings it to the very top of the spring bean yield table, Carrington is top of the combining pea yield table, while our marrowfat Akooma is 10% higher yielding than the closest variety on the list.”
Spring beans
Lynx proves its yield consistency becoming the highest yielding spring bean on the new PGRO DL added to having very high Downy mildew resistance – while Ghengis with its early maturity, and Macho with its high thousand seed weight, are close to Lynx in their yield levels.
Fanfare and Vertigo continue on the list with high yields and good agronomic characteristics.
Yukon spring bean has the highest Downy mildew resistance rating and a high thousand seed weight as a benefit for all growers – with the earliest maturity on the Descriptive List as an important plus for growers in the north of England and Scotland.
Our group of LVC (low vicine/convicine) spring bean varieties, such as Victus, have low levels of these anti-nutritional factors allowing higher inclusion rates in pig and poultry diets with yields that are comparable to traditional types.
Winter beans
Pantani is the first winter bean from the LSPB’s breeding programme to join the PGRO DL and is an early maturing variety with a very short straw and high standing ability.
Combining peas
Orchestra is a very high yielding yellow pea with high thousand seed weight and a good set of agronomic characters.
Newly added Carrington is the top yielding combining pea on the PGRO DL with high standing ability plus good resistance to Downy mildew – and will be available for spring 2022 sowing. It joins market-leading Bluetime and Stroma on the DL.
Greenwich and Blueman all offer high yields only a few points below the top varieties, with each bringing different benefits in key characters such as earliness of maturity, standing ability and Downy mildew resistance.
Akooma marrowfat pea brings an outstanding yield boost over the older varieties on the DL and is seen as a real game changer.
Future developments
Chris Guest adds, “looking to the future, we have a range of promising Candidates for the DL in the pipeline – including new winter beans already in official trials – as well as spring bean and combining pea varieties to do our part in developing the UK pulse crop in the future.”
