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What is new in pea, lentil and chickpea varieties?

Improvements in agronomics, yield and weed control systems highlight the new pea, lentil and chickpea offerings.

New varieties are being introduced for the 2010 growing season, or are being released in commercial quantities for the first time this year. Information comes from Dr. Bunyamin Tar’an, Dr. Bert Vandenberg and Dr. Tom Warkentin, pulse crop plant breeders with the Crop Development Centre at the University of Saskatchewan. For more information on their research, visit: www.pulse.usask.ca.

CDC Redbow is an extra small red lentil.
CDC Imigreen CL is a new green Clearfield lentil.
CDC Centennial yellow pea is a top yielder.   All photos courtesy of Sask Pulse. Advertisement

Red Lentils
In 2010, the CDC says that limited amounts of red lentil varieties like CDC Redbow (extra small red), CDC Rosebud (extra small red), and CDC Redcoat (small red) will be available. The breeders report that these varieties are outyielding CDC Redberry and CDC Rouleau by more than 10 percent, which means that they outyield CDC Impact CL and CDC Blaze by more than 25 percent.

Green Lentils
A number of Clearfield green lentils are at the multiplication phase – CDC Imvincible CL (small green), CDC Imigreen CL (medium – excellent colour) and CDC Impower CL (large green with better colour than CDC Improve) will become available in the next year or two.

Yellow Peas
Breeder seed of CDC Centennial was released in 2007 and certified seed should be available in 2010. It was a top yielder in the Co-op and regional trials. CDC Centennial has a large seed size, which is preferred in some markets.

Green Peas
CDC Patrick is similar to CDC Sage with powdery mildew resistance, good lodging resistance, good seed bleaching resistance and medium-small seed size.  So far, CDC Patrick has been a stronger yielder than CDC Sage.

Maple Peas
CDC Rocket is a new maple pea variety with good yield, powdery mildew resistance and fair lodging resistance. It is earlier maturing than CDC Acer, with somewhat larger seed size and lighter seed coat colour. Certified seed of CDC Rocket should be available in 2010.

Forage Peas
CDC Leroy is a second forage pea variety, which was released for the first time in 2008. It has similar characteristics to CDC Tucker, however CDC Leroy produces somewhat greater seed yield and has slightly smaller seed size.

Chickpeas
CDC Luna is medium-large seeded (nine-10 millimetres in diameter) kabuli variety with good yield and fair resistance to ascochyta blight. It is slightly earlier maturing than CDC Frontier.
CDC Vanguard is a high yielding desi variety with fair resistance to ascochyta blight. CDC Vanguard is classified as having medium maturity and has a tan seed coat colour with plump seed shape. Seed size of CDC Vanguard is in the range of 200 to 220 grams per 1000 seeds. Initial fungicide application is needed for both CDC Luna and CDC Vanguard at the seedling to pre-flowering stage to limit early spore development and spread.

In 2010, limited supply of CDC Luna and CDC Vanguard will be available.