Statewide Evaluation of Dry Pea Variety Performance (Montana Statewide Dry Pea Performance Trial) (2002)

Abstract

This report evaluates the performance of dry pea varieties under different climatic and cropping conditions across Montana (Moccasin Testing Site Only). Drought-like conditions persisted into the 2002 cropping year across much of Montana. At the Moccasin site, crop-year precipitation (April through July) was 86% of normal, receiving 1.14 inches below the normal growing season precipitation. Dry pea grain yields for selected varieties that have been included in the Statewide Dry Pea Performance Trial at Moccasin for three (3) or more of the five years (1998 - 2002) the trials have been conducted, were summarized (Table 5). Dry pea grain production of these selected varieties has averaged 1,666 pounds per acre (27.8 bu/acre) and has increased since 1998. With an average dry pea production of 1,967 pounds per acre, Grande, smooth yellow pea, has been the best grain producer, but has not had significantly (p ≤ 0.05) higher production than CDC Handel, CDC Mozart and Swing smooth yellow peas. Compared with Trapper yellow field pea (a forage type), all varieties tested, with the exception of the Austrian winter pea Granger, have consistently out-yielded Trapper.