Winter Peas 

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Winter Peas  -

Winter Dry Field Pea Program

     When we purchased the genetics program from Rogers Seed in 1995, what attracted us most was the potential in the winter pea breeding program. It has proven to be as exciting in potential as we thought, but also the most challenging of our dry pea programs. This area has historically had the least effort in breeding and, therefore, the greatest room for improvement. Our focus here is on green and yellow edible peas. This has required considerable effort in moving spring pea qualities into the winter program while maintaining or re-establishing the winter hardiness needed for this market.

Objectives:

  • Winter Hardiness

  • Increased Yields

  • Root Rot Tolerance

  • Improved Seed Quality

  • Phoma Tolerance

  • Upright Growth Habit


Useful Vocabulary and Information:

  • Stand-up/Semi leafless: The pea plants ability to stand better due to tendrils in place of leaves that the variety is bred to have. Useful for the plants ability to stand in harsh weather conditions such as snow. 

  • Cotyledon: The nutrients in the seed embryo that are consumed during germination. 

  • Seed Coat: The natural protective outer layer that encompasses the seed embryo and cotyledons. 

  • White Flowered: The lack of Anthocyanin (a group of antioxidants found in red, purple, and blue fruits and vegetables)​ in the white varieties makes the plant as well as the pea more palatable for people and animals. 

Green Peas

Keystone: Is a semi-leafless, stand-up, winter green pea with white flowers and green cotyledon. Keystone is a highly adaptable variety for use in the whole edible pea market, feed market, forage market, SoilCrop™ Market, and wildlife market. Regions: See variety profile (in development).

Vail: Is a semi-leafless, stand-up, winter green pea with white flowers and green cotyledon. Adaptable for the split edible pea market and Soil Crop market.  Regions: Washington, Oregon, Idaho (PNW). Variety profile (in development).

Kurtwood: Is a large-seeded, semi-leafless, stand-up pea for the food market. Regions: Washington, Oregon, Idaho (PNW). Variety profile (in development).

Yellow Peas

Payback: Is a semi-leafless, stand-up, winter pea with white flowers and yellow cotyledon. Adaptable for the human food and ingredient market. Regions: See variety profile (in development).

Blaze: Is a semi-leafless stand-up winter pea with white flowers and yellow cotyledon. It is an exclusively fall-planted variety with improved seed size. Allowing for adaptability to the split yellow market, pet food market, and human ingredient market. (Please Note: Blaze is not adaptable for the whole yellow market.)  Regions: See variety profile (in development).

​Goldenwood: Is a semi-leafless stand-up winter pea with white flowers and yellow cotyledon. Goldenwood, like many of our varieties, is aimed towards the ingredient market. Regions: See variety profile (in development).