Author
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Fery, Richard |
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Submitted to: HortScience
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal Publication Acceptance Date: 11/11/2006 Publication Date: 6/6/2007 Citation: Fery, R.L. 2007. ‘GreenPack-DG’, a Pinkeye-type Southernpea with an Enhanced Persistent Green Seed Phenotype. HortScience 42:692-693. Interpretive Summary: The pinkeye-type cultivar Charleston Greenpack is the leading cultivar used by the frozen food industry because its seeds can be harvested at the dry stage of maturity without loss of their fresh-green color. This cultivar has a persistent green seed phenotype conditioned by the green cotyledon gene. However, ‘Charleston Greenpack’ must be harvested in a timely manner because its seeds are susceptible to color loss when harvesting is delayed. Nine years ago, an effort was initiated at the U.S. Vegetable Laboratory, Charleston, SC, to develop a pinkeye-type cultivar with a persistent green seed color conditioned by two genes, i.e., the green cotyledon gene and the green testa (seed coat) gene. These efforts resulted in the January 2006 release of ‘GreenPack-DG’. A major attribute of the new cultivar is the persistence of the green color of unharvested dry seeds long after optimal harvest time. Growers of ‘GreenPack-DG’ will have a considerable harvest window for harvesting a high-color product. Color loss is a critical problem in southernpea production systems where pre-harvest chemical desiccants are used to facilitate mechanical harvesting operations. The 7-day delay between application of the desiccant and initiation of harvesting operations can result in serious color degradation of dry seed. Technical Abstract: The USDA has developed a new pinkeye-type southernpea cultivar named ‘GreenPack-DG’. ‘GreenPack-DG’ is the first pinkeye-type southernpea to be developed that has a persistent green seed phenotype conditioned by both the green cotyledon gene and the green testa (seed coat) gene. The new cultivar was developed from a cross between ‘Charleston Greenpack’ (green cotyledon phenotype) and the breeding line USVL 97-296 (green testa phenotype). ‘GreenPack-DG’ originated as a bulk of an F8 population grown in 2003. Except for longer pods, ‘GreenPack-DG’ is similar in appearance and maturity to ‘Charleston Greenpack’. Fresh peas are kidney shaped, slightly smaller than ‘Charleston Greenpack’ seeds, and have a pink eye. Dry ‘GreenPack-DG’ seeds have a richer and more uniform green seed color than dry seeds of ‘Charleston Greenpack’. The major attribute of the new cultivar is the persistence of the green color of unharvested dry peas long after optimal harvest. Results of three years of replicated field tests at Charleston, SC, indicate that ‘GreenPack-DG’ yields are comparable to ‘Charleston Greenpack’ yields. The new cultivar has excellent field resistance to blackeye cowpea mosaic virus and does not produce hard seeds. ‘GreenPack-DG’ is recommended for trial by the frozen food industry as a replacement for ‘Charleston Greenpack’. It should perform well in all areas where ‘Charleston Greenpack’ has been grown successfully. |
