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Title: ‘CHARLESTON BLACKEYE’, A ROOT-KNOT NEMATODE RESISTANT, BLACKEYE-TYPE SOUTHERNPEA FOR THE PRODUCTION OF FRESH-SHELL PEAS

Author
item Fery, Richard
item Thies, Judy

Submitted to: HortScience
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/23/2006
Publication Date: 5/9/2006
Citation: Fery, R.L., Thies, J.A. 2006. ‘Charleston Blackeye’, a Root-knot Nematode Resistant, Blackeye-type Southernpea for the Production of Fresh-shell Peas. HortScience. 41(3):837-838.

Interpretive Summary: Home and market gardeners in the southern United States have traditionally grown blackeye-type southernpeas to produce fresh-shell peas. Many of these gardeners depend on blackeye-type cultivars developed for production of dry beans in the Western United States, but such cultivars are often not well suited for horticultural use in the south. In 1988, a plant breeding effort was initiated to develop a high-yielding, blackeye-type cultivar that is both well adapted to hot, humid southern climates and well suited for horticultural production of fresh-shell peas. This effort resulted in the release of the cultivar Charleston Blackeye. Charleston Blackeye has an upright plant habit, is resistant to root-knot nematodes (a major pest of southernpeas), and does not lodge easily. The new cultivar produces attractive fresh-shell pods and peas. The fresh-shell pods are long, fairly straight, and exhibit a yellow color. The fresh peas exhibit a primary cream color and have the desired kidney shape and small black eye. Charleston Blackeye is recommended for use by home gardeners for production of fresh-shell, blackeye-type peas. Charleston Blackeye is also recommended for trial by market gardeners to produce attractive fresh-shell pods and fresh-shell peas for sale in farmers’ markets.

Technical Abstract: The USDA has developed a new blackeye-type southernpea cultivar named ‘Charleston Blackeye’. The new cultivar was developed from a cross between ‘Bettergro Blackeye’ and the breeding line Au 84-G-328. ‘Charleston Blackeye’ originated from a bulked F8 population grown in 1996. ‘Charleston Blackeye’ has an upright plant habit, and it is more resistant to lodging than ‘Bettergro Blackeye’. ‘Charleston Blackeye’ is homozygous for the Rk gene that conditions a high level of resistance to root-knot nematodes. A typical fresh-shell stage pod is an attractive yellow color, long (24 cm), straight to slightly curved, exhibits only slight constrictions between peas, and contains 15 peas. Fresh peas exhibit a primary cream color, have a kidney shape and a small black eye, and weigh 36 g per 100 peas. Dry peas have a rough seed coat. ‘Charleston Blackeye’is 3 days earlier in maturity than ‘Green Dixie Blackeye’ and produces smaller seeds (15 vs. 16 g per 100 dry seeds). ‘Charleston Blackeye’ is recommended for use by home gardeners for production of fresh-shell, blackeye-type peas. ‘Charleston Blackeye’ is also recommended for trial by market gardeners to produce attractive fresh-shell stage pods and fresh-shell peas for sale in farmers’ markets.