Investigation to different genotypes of winter peas towards winter hardiness and value for cultivation in organic farming

Funding

Bundesprogramm Ökologischer Landbau, BLE (02OE566)

Cooperations

  • University of Kassel, Department Agronomy: Dipl. Ing. agr. J. Reulein, Dr. R. Graß
  • University of Kassel, Department Ecological Plant Proection: Dr. H. Saucke, Dipl.-Ing. agr. A. Balasus

Duration

2002 - 2003

Participants at FOEL

  • Peer Urbatzka
  • Christian Schüler
  • Eberhard Kölsch

Cropping legumes is of particular importance in organic farming. It is, alongside organic fertilisation, the main source for nitrogen supply in the crop rotation. Grain legumes are currently almost exclusively cultivated as spring crops, because there are hardly any winter hard genotypes. Until now, there are no winter pea cultivars approved by the Federal Plant Variety Office in Germany. Therefore, twelve different origins from the Gene Bank Gatersleben (Germany) and five EU-cultivars (cvs. Aravis, Dove, EFB 33, Iceberg, Spirit) are tested for their suitability under the conditions of organic farming at two experimental sites belonging to the University of Kassel (Hessian State Domain Frankenhausen, Hebenshausen). Winter hardiness, biomass yield at the beginning of flowering, weed suppression and grain yield of the different pea genotypes will be determined.