March 23, 2005,
ARS News Service: Growers of southernpea in
the southeastern United States have two new varieties
to choose from, including one that resists a troublesome
nematode.
The new cultivars are Charleston Blackeye, which resists
root-knot nematodes (Meloidogyne spp.), and Baby Cream,
which offers high yields of small, delicate peas. They
were developed at the U.S. Vegetable Laboratory, operated
in Charleston, S.C., by the Agricultural Research Service
(ARS), the U.S. Department of Agriculture's chief scientific
research agency.
Southernpea, Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp., is also
known as cowpea, crowder pea or black-eyed pea. It is
coveted for its high protein, drought tolerance and
adaptability to poor soils. As a vegetable, it's widely
used by the frozen food and canned vegetable industries.
It's also used as a cover crop and as forage.
Charleston Blackeye, developed by geneticist Richard
Fery and plant pathologist Judy Thies, is aimed at home
and market gardeners who grow the traditional, fresh-shell,
black-eye type of peas.
Its parental lines are Bettergro Blackeye, a nematode-resistant
cultivar released 13 years ago by Fery and colleagues,
and Au 84-G-328, a pinkeye-type line developed at Auburn
University. In tests, Charleston Blackeye matured earlier,
produced smaller seeds and exhibited similar yield potential
to Green Dixie Blackeye, a high-yielding southernpea
that ARS released in 2000.
Meanwhile, Baby Cream, developed by Fery over a 16-year
period, has early-maturing characteristics that give
it potential to replace White Acre, a leading commercial
cream-type cultivar. These cultivars are popular because
their peas are succulent and have a milder, less starchy
flavor and a better appearance than black-eye types.
According to Fery, Baby Cream--a cross between White
Acre and breeding line US-432--should be more suitable
than White Acre for use in modern, high-density cropping
systems. In tests, it produced dry pods one to two weeks
earlier than White Acre.
A limited quantity of seed of these new varieties is
available to southernpea seed producers who make a written
request to Fery at 2700 Savannah Hwy., Charleston, SC
29414, by March 31.
|
