A new farmer-led research project backed by Defra’s ADOPT fund will put modern vining pea agronomy to the test under real farm conditions with the aim of updating plant population guidance for today’s varieties and drilling systems.

The initiative from Fen Peas, in partnership with the Processors and Growers Research Organisation (PGRO) and Dyson Farming Research, will work with growers to reassess optimum plant densities in vining peas for the frozen food market.

The crop remains a key part of arable rotations across eastern England and Scotland, covering around 35,000 hectares each year.

Despite significant advances in genetics, drilling accuracy and crop management, recommended plant populations for vining peas have changed little in almost two decades.

“The most recent UK research into plant density dates back to 2006, and both the varieties being grown and the precision drilling technology used by farmers have moved on considerably since then,” says Erin Matlock, PGRO Research Agronomist.

Through the ADOPT programme, which supports farmer-led innovation, the new project will test whether those long-standing recommendations still hold true under modern commercial conditions.

ADOPT funding is designed to help farmers trial new ideas, practices and technologies on their own farms while reducing the risks associated with innovation. ADOPT is part of Defra’s Farming Innovation Programme, delivered in partnership with Innovate UK.

By supporting projects facilitated by approved organisations such as PGRO, the scheme aims to generate practical results that can be quickly shared across the industry.

The new study will run as a series of farm-scale strip trials over two seasons at Fen Peas in eastern England, and Dyson Farming Research. A range of current vining pea varieties from across the PGRO Descriptive List will be grown at different plant populations to assess how density affects crop performance.

Researchers will monitor yield and maturity alongside a wider set of agronomic and economic measures, including seed costs, gross margins, and levels of pest, disease and weed pressure.

The trials will also examine the wider sustainability impacts of plant population decisions. Water and nutrient use efficiency will be assessed alongside tissue analysis and local weather data, helping to build a clearer picture of how plant density influences crop resilience and resource use.

Erin adds: “By bringing together modern varieties, precision drilling systems and commercial-scale trial work, the project aims to refine plant population guidance so that growers can achieve more uniform crops, stronger margins and improved resilience in vining pea production.”

Findings from the trials will be shared with growers and the wider industry as the work progresses, ensuring that the results can be quickly applied in practice.