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 in 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:
Useful Vocabulary and Information:
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(TM) 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 SoilCrop 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).
Vail: is a semi leafless, stand-up, winter green pea, with white flowers, and green cotyledon. Adaptable for the split edible pea market, and SoilCrop 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 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).
Whistler was the first pea of its kind in the Pacific Northwest. Whistler is a semi-leafless, stand-up winter pea, with white flowers, and yellow cotyledon. Due to its greenish yellow seed coat, Whistler is aimed at the feed market as a protein source. 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 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).
Whistler was the first pea of its kind in the Pacific Northwest. Whistler is a semi-leafless, stand-up winter pea, with white flowers, and yellow cotyledon. Due to its greenish yellow seed coat, Whistler is aimed at the feed market as a protein source. Regions: See variety profile (in development).