ARS | Publication request: DEVELOPMENT OF IMPROVED SOUTHERNPEA CULTIVARS FOR HOME GARDENERS AND THE FOOD FREEZING AND FRESH MARKET INDUSTRIES

Submitted to: HortScience
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: February 10, 2003
Publication Date: October 1, 2003
Citation: Fery, R.L., Thies, J.A. 2003. Development of improved southernpea cultivars for home gardeners and the food freezing and fresh market industries [abstract]. Hortscience. 38(6):1298.

Technical Abstract: The development of improved southernpea cultivars has been a mission of the U.S. Vegetable Laboratory at Charleston, South Carolina, for over 30 years. Most of the efforts of this program are directed toward the development of various classes of horticultural-type cultivars for home gardeners and the food freezing and fresh market industries. Current objectives include the following: 1) development of improved knucklehull crowder-type cultivars, 2) development of dual-purpose cultivars for production of both snaps and fresh-shell peas, 3) development of cultivars with an enhanced persistent green seed color conditioned by both the green cotyledon and green testa (seed coat) genes, and 4) development of cultivars with resistance to root-knot nematodes. The blackeye cowpea mosaic virus and root-knot nematode resistant cultivar KnuckleHull-VNR was released on 18 Oct. 2002. A program to develop a dual-purpose southernpea cultivar that can be utilized to produce both snaps and fresh-shell peas is nearing completion, and a cultivar release is anticipated in 2003. Breeding programs to develop White Acre-type, pinkeye-type, and blackeye-type cultivars containing both the green cotyledon and green testa genes are nearing completion. The first "double green" cultivar (the cream-type cultivar Double Green Delight) was released on 1 Aug. 2001.