ARS | Publication request: ‘ZipperCream-CG’ and ‘WhiteAcre-DG’: Two New Cream-type Southernpea Cultivars with Persistent Green Seed Phenotypes

Submitted to: HortScience
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: March 28, 2008
Publication Date: July 1, 2008
Citation: Fery, R.L. 2008. ‘ZipperCream-CG’ and ‘WhiteAcre-DG’: Two New Cream-type Southernpea Cultivars with Persistent Green Seed Phenotypes. HortScience. 43(4):1218.

Technical Abstract: Efforts to incorporate genes conditioning a persistent green seed phenotype into ‘Zipper Cream’ and ‘White Acre’ type backgrounds were completed with the official release of the new southernpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.) cultivars ZipperCream-CG and WhiteAcre-DG on 29 January 2008. ‘ZipperCream-CG’ is a high yielding, large-seeded, cream-type cultivar with a persistent green phenotype conditioned by the green cotyledon gene; it was developed using a backcross/pedigree breeding procedure that utilized ‘Zipper Cream’, ‘Bettergreen’, and ‘Freezegreen’ as parental lines. The plant, pod, seed, and maturity characteristics of ‘ZipperCream-CG’ are quite similar to those of ‘Zipper Cream’. ‘WhiteAcre-DG’ is a high yielding, small-seeded, cream-type cultivar with a persistent green seed phenotype conditioned by both the green cotyledon gene and green testa gene; it was developed using a relatively complex pedigree breeding procedure that utilized ‘White Acre’, ‘Mississippi Silver’, ‘Freezegreen’, and ‘Bettergreen’ as parental lines. ‘White Acre’ was utilized as a parent in four of the crosses. ‘WhiteAcre-DG’ plants are similar in appearance to ‘White Acre’ plants, but mature to the dry-pod harvest stage 4 to 9 days earlier. ‘WhiteAcre-DG’ peas have an ovate to globose shape, similar to ‘White Acre’ peas. The major attribute of both ‘ZipperCream-CG’ and ‘WhiteAcre-DG’ is their persistent green seed phenotype; both of these breeding lines can be harvested at the dry stage of maturity without loss of the pea’s fresh green color.