Spring protein crops: yields up thanks to genetic progress
Spring protein crops: yields up thanks to genetic progress
The same trend can be seen in spring peas and spring beans: the best-performing varieties are recent, even when the soil and climate conditions are not favourable.
The 2023 evaluations of spring pea varieties confirm that five of them, very recently registered, provide a significant improvement in yield, even when weather conditions are not favourable to the crop. The Terres Inovia results are presented as a national average and region by region.
Extract from the Arvalis & Terres Inovia infos article attached at the bottom of the news item.
19 varieties were evaluated in 18 to 28 trials of the post-registration trial network coordinated by Terres Inovia in 2023. Many new varieties have been evaluated over the last 2 years.
In 2023, the new varieties ICONIC and CORTEX showed the highest yield performances and very good consistency for their first year of evaluation between regions. Their MPG is higher than average (CORTEX has the highest MPG in the series), while their protein content is lower. ICONIC seems to have very good stem strength. As these varieties are new, these good results need to be confirmed.
PERCEVAL obtained very good yield performances in 2022 and 2023. It benefits from good consistency between trials (lower yields in the North-East) and between its two years of evaluation. Its WHC is higher than average. Its protein content is average. This is a recent, high-performance variety worth testing.
The new varieties PERSAN and COSMOS also showed good yield performances (except for COSMOS in the South) and good regularity between trials for their first year of evaluation (better yields in the South for PERSAN). PERSAN has one of the highest MWPs and a protein content below average. COSMOS has an above-average TKW and a higher-than-average protein content. As these varieties are new, these good results need to be confirmed.
Choosing a pea variety according to its regularity
The 3 varieties BATIST, KAMELEON and KAPLAN have a multiannual performance above the trial average. KAMELEON only dropped out in the South but performed well in the other regions. BATIST is the most consistent in terms of yield between years, trials and regions. KAPLAN has one of the best protein contents and BATIST has one of the best GMPs. Even if new varieties perform better in 2023, these varieties are still recommended references.
The new varieties BRELAN and LG CORVET have an average yield index and regularity. BRELAN seems to have a lower protein content and stem stability than LG CORVET. As these varieties are new, these near-average results need to be confirmed.
KAGNOTTE and SKOL produced lower yields in 2023 than in the two previous years. On a multiannual basis, they remain above average. On a multiannual basis, SKOL is more consistent between trials than KAGNOTTE. This year it is better in the Paris Basin, while KAGNOTTE is better in the South.
For their first year of evaluation, KWS KIDAM and KWS ANNAGRAM are lagging behind other new varieties, except in the Centre-West for KWS ANNAGRAM. CAPTUR, KWS PROKLAM and PIRATE are below average for the second year running.
CHARMAN, which will only be present in the northern half of France in 2023, has lower yields. After the first few years with high yields in retreat. After initial years of high yields, ORCHESTRA has fallen sharply over the last two years. It is therefore important to look at the consistency of the varieties when choosing a variety.
New spring beans with even better performance
The 2023 evaluations of spring faba bean varieties confirm that some recently registered varieties offer a significant improvement in yield, even when weather conditions are not favourable to the crop. The results are presented as a national average.
Extract from the Arvalis & Terres Inovia infos article attached at the bottom of the news item.
9 varieties were evaluated in 12 trials of the post-registration trial network coordinated by Terres Inovia in 2023 (see table 1). Over the last two years, 6 new varieties have been tested.
In 2023 and 2022, the recent variety CALLAS showed the highest yield performance in the network. The variety showed very good regularity over the two years and between trials. Its weight per unit area is average and its protein content is higher than the controls (+0.5%). CALLAS is therefore a recent variety to test.
CAPRICE, NAVARA and STELLA performed well in terms of yield in 2023, as in the last two assessment years. These 3 varieties are regular between trials and between years. Over several years (last 3 years), NAVARA and STELLA are equivalent in productivity. STELLA is the most consistent of the three varieties (CAPRICE less consistent in 2022).
NAVARA has a high WHC, STELLA's is above average, and CAPRICE is average. The protein content of the 3 varieties is average. STELLA, NAVARA and CAPRICE are recommended references.
SYNERGY achieved similar yield performance to NAVARA and CAPRICE in 2023. Over its two years of evaluation, the variety has a stable average annual yield and better regularity than NAVARA and CAPRICE (2022-2023 average). It has a PMG and protein content slightly higher than the average of the controls. SYNERGY is therefore a recent variety to test.
The control VICTUS has an average yield below the average of the trials in 2023. The average yield over the last 3 years is also below average. The variety is therefore lagging behind more recent varieties. It does, however, have the best protein content in the network (+1.5% compared to the average of the controls), which makes the variety still interesting for certain markets. Its WHC is lower than the average of the controls.
After 2 very good first years, ALLISON is in decline in 2022 and 2023. Its TKW is on a par with controls and its protein content is significantly lower this year (-1.4% compared with controls).
The control TIFFANY has now been overtaken by recent varieties. It is well behind in 2023 (no trial above average). Its GMP is slightly higher than the average of the controls and its protein content is average.
In its first year of evaluation, LG BRONTO underperformed. The variety has the highest GMP in the network and a protein content lower than the average of the controls (-0.5%).
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Contact : A. van Boxsom, a.vanboxsom@terresinovia.fr