Greenwood is a high yielding, small blue pea with premium quality potential from Plant Research Ltd, New Zealand added to the PGRO 2017 Recommended List.
Greenwood has produced high yields in UK trials. With a yield of 95% of control it is a step forward in performance for a small blue pea. However, in 2016 trials it yielded 105% of control which is competitive with the yields of larger types. This reflects growers’ experience where crops in East Anglia gave an average yield of 4.4 tonnes per hectare (1.8 tonnes per acre) in 2015.
Greenwood is relatively short with moderate standing ability. It has performed especially well on lighter soils. It is an early maturing type which allows combining before wheat on many farms.
Greenwood produces small blue seeds with smooth skin and very good colour retention, a feature of the NZ breeding programme. Greenwood has been accepted by processors as suitable for premium contracts. Contracts are available for the whole of the 2017 crop. For contract information contact Guy Palmer at Dalmark Grain of Eye, Peterborough. (Tel 01733 222391).
Greenwood is the first variety from Plant Research (NZ) Ltd. to be added to the UK Recommended List. PRL is a pea, cereal and forage crop breeding company based near Christchurch, New Zealand. They have a number of established pea varieties grown for the markets in New Zealand, Australia and USA. They target types suited to the low input agriculture of New Zealand. Greenwood is the start of a pipeline of varieties from PRL bringing a new pool of pea genetics to the UK.
