RESEARCH: SUPER DWARF
CULTIVAR STUDIES: 'EARLIGREEN' PEA |
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'Earligreen' Pea is ideal for controlled environment studies due to its fast life
cycle, short height, and excellent growth in low light. 'Earligreen'
peas typically grow 18 to 35 cm tall and flower 20 to 25 days after
emergence with the first fresh seed ready at 40 days. Optimal
temperature is 20 to 25˚C. 'Earligreen' grows well under a wide
range of light levels (photosynthetic photon flux (PPF), 100 to 1000
µmol m-2 s-1) and a photoperiod of 16 to 24
hours. Leaves display a characteristic silver speckling pattern.
'Earligreen' was developed in 1950 at the Morden research station in Manitoba,
Canada. 'Earligreen' (PI 365417) is a hybrid of 'Engress'
and an unknown early maturing field pea. C. Walkof from the Canada
Department of Agriculture donated 'Earligreen' seed to the ARS-GRIN
network in June of 1971. Germplasm has not been commercially available
for at least 20 years.
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GENERAL INFO / RECOMMENDED CULTURAL CONDITIONS:
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HEIGHT:
LIFE CYCLE:
TEMPERATURE:
PPF:
PHOTOPERIOD:
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18 to 25 cm tall (shorter in lower light)
24 days to first flower;
54 days to harvest
20 to 25 °C
100 to 1000 μmol m-2 s-1
(grows extremely well in low light)
16 to 20 hours (day length sensitive)
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ABSTRACTS:
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'Earligreen'
growth and development were compared to twelve other cultivars
listed as less than 25 cm tall in the ARS-GRIN database. Plants were
greenhouse grown with supplemental high pressure sodium light to
provide a sixteen hour photoperiod and were watered twice daily with
a dilute nutrient solution. After 43 days plant height and
developmental progress were recorded. 'Earligreen' plants were first
to flower and were shorter than 11 of the selected cultivars. |
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'Earligreen' was compared
to two Russian cultivars (cv. 131 and cv. 102), which have been grown
on the International Space Station. Plants were greenhouse grown with
supplemental high pressure sodium light to provide a sixteen hour
photoperiod and were watered twice daily with a dilute nutrient
solution. Fully matured dry pods were harvested. Yield was
cumulatively calculated and averaged for each cultivar. 'Earligreen'
flowered earlier and continuously produced a higher seed yield per
unit area.
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'Earligreen' Pea and
Low Light: 16 and 24 hour Photoperiod Comparison
Joseph Romagnano,
E. Mills, and B. Bugbee
'Earligreen'
plants were grown under cool white fluorescent lights at a PPF of 90
µmol m-2 s-1 and a photoperiod of either 16 or
24 hours. Osmocote Plus was mixed into the media with approximately 7
g per 2 L pot. Plants were watered with tap water twice daily. Plants
were grown in ambient laboratory conditions. Lab temperature was
maintained between 20 and 25˚C. The three replicate plants in each
treatment were harvested 65 days after emergence. No evidence of
chlorosis was seen in plants grown under either photoperiod. Although
time until first flower was unaffected, plants grown under continuous
low light had a slightly higher yield and harvest index than those
grown using a 16 hour photoperiod.
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