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Title: DEVELOPMENT OF IMPROVED SOUTHERNPEA VARIETIES FOR THE SOUTHERN UNITED STATES: AN UPDATE ON THE USDA EFFORT

Author
item Fery, Richard

Submitted to: Vegetable Association Yearbook (North Carolina Vegetable Growers Association)
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/10/2002
Publication Date: 12/2/2002
Citation: Fery, R.L. 2002. Development of improved southernpea varieties for the southern united states: an update on the usda effort. Vegetable Association Yearbook (North Carolina Vegetable Growers Association). p. 53.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The development of improved southernpea varieties has been a mission of the U.S. Vegetable Laboratory at Charleston, SC, for over 30 years. Most of the efforts of this program are directed toward the development of various classes of horticultural-type varieties for the canning, freezing, and fresh market industries and home gardeners. Current efforts to breed new southernpea varieties are expected to result in the release of 1) a dual-purpose variety for production of both snaps and fresh-shell peas, 2) a blackeye cowpea mosaic virus and root-knot nematode resistant variety to replace the susceptible, crowder-type home garden variety Knuckle Purple Hull, and 3) White Acre-type, pinkeye-type, and blackeye-type varieties with an enhanced persistent green seed color conditioned by both the green cotyledon and green testa (seed coat) genes. The development of southernpea varieties with a persistent green seed color has been the subject of much interest for more than two decades because seeds of such varieties can be harvested at the dry seed stage of maturity without loss of their fresh green color. Dry seeds harvested from varieties containing both of the green seed color genes exhibit a deeper and more uniform color than seeds harvested from varieties containing just one of the genes.