VRPE-29 (Pea variety)

Technology Background:

Early maturing pea genotypes (65-75 Days of picking) are highly preferred by farmers and consumers due to their economic value and quality traits. Farmers aim to sow peas from late September to mid-October for premium early-season prices. However, available early varieties are limited, often low-yielding and single pod-bearing. There’s a critical need for high-yielding, short- duration (65-75 days) varieties ready for picking by early December. Such varieties would also allow timely sowing of succeeding crops like wheat. Hence, breeding efforts must focus on developing improved early pea cultivars to replace existing ones and overcome current yield limitations. 

Technology Details:

The genotype is having important trait of extra early DTF (29-35 days) along with synchronous maturity, making it suitable for single picking which is ready in first week of Dec (short duration). The plants are determinate, with shorter internodal length, 1^st  flower appeared on 8th to 9th node onward. The pods are very attractive and slightly curved in shape having on average 8 seeds/pod. Plant bears 10-12 dark green pods of 8-8.5cm long, having pod width of 1.5cm, average pod weight of 8-9.5 g, 100-green seed weight of 54g, shelling percentage of 50% and pod yield potential of 90-100 q/ha (yield is at par with other commercial varieties like Kashi Nandini, Kashi Udai). It has additional advantage of synchronous maturity (single picking) and can be easily fit for multiple cropping and high intensity cropping systems. Additionally, it could be a potential parent for breeding early maturing cultivars in peas. The genotype is also capable to grow at high temperature of 28-32°C.