Stephen Belcher of PGRO comments,  "Despite the desperately dry spring in the south and east, all nine of the spring pea trials and eight of the nine spring bean trials contributed data to the RL series.    Winter beans were more variable - mainly because of establishment problems - with only three of the six trials contributing data to the RL.  Trial yields of both winter and spring beans were a little above their 5 year average, but peas were the big surprise and yielded 0.5t/ha more than their 5-year mean.  The autumn was wetter and cooler than average and December was a particularly cold month.  For most parts the spring was very dry, but warmer than average.  The summer was cooler than average and rainfall in June saved many crops."

SPRING PEAS

Gregor just pips Mascara as the top yielding white seeded pea and both varieties remain fully recommended.  Salamanca continues in trial moving from Provisional year 1 (P1) to Provisional year 2 (P2) recommendation.  New to the list for 2012 is Kenzzo (Senova) with a P1 recommendation.  Kenzzo is a little lower yielding than Gregor or Mascara, but has very good resistance to downy mildew. 

For 2012, four large blue varieties are now fully recommended.  Top yielding variety, Crackerjack and Prophet have given consistent yields over the years and remain fully recommended.  Joining these as fully recommended varieties are Bluestar and Daytona.  Bluestar gives yields similar to Prophet and has a better downy mildew rating than Crackerjack.  Daytona is a little lower yielding, but has a useful combination of very good standing ability and very good downy mildew resistance.  Madras was considered for full recommendation, but was not added to the RL. 

Hawaii (small blue) and Rose (maple) remain fully recommended within their categories.  Joining Rose as a fully recommended maple pea is Mantara.  Mantara gives higher yields than Rose and as with Rose combines good standing ability with very good downy mildew resistance.

Within the marrowfats Sakura and Genki remain fully recommended varieties and the top yielding marrowfat Neon, moves from P1 to P2 recommendation.  New to the RL with a P1 recommendation is Strada (Limagrain).  Strada is a little lower yielding than Neon, but has an excellent downy mildew rating of 9.

WINTER BEANS

Pale hilum Husky becomes a fully recommended variety for 2012.  It tops the yield rankings for winter beans, increasing its yield advantage over Wizard from 2011.  Standing ability is not as good as Wizard, but more like that of Arthur.  Wizard and Sultan both remain fully recommended. 

Joining these in the pale hilum category with a new P1 recommendation is Honey (Wherry).  Honey gives similar yields to Sultan and has similar short straw and similar standing ability.  In the black hilum category, Arthur remains fully recommended.  After recent good yields in drier years, Clipper is reinstated as a fully recommended variety and this is a reflection of its value on less fertile or drier soils.

SPRING BEANS

Fuego is now joined by Pyramid and Fury as fully recommended pale hilum spring beans.  The yield difference between these three is small, but Pyramid is the higher yielding.  Pyramid is weaker for downy mildew resistance, but ratings are based on limited data for this disease over recent years.  Fury yields a little higher than Fuego, has better downy mildew resistance and has good standing ability.

Babylon yields a little below Fuego and moves from P1 to P2 recommendation. 

New to the RL with P1 recommendation is Boxer (Senova).  Boxer heads the yield rankings for spring beans, has good standing ability and a similar downy mildew rating as Fuego.  Tattoo (low tannin) and Maris Bead (tic) remain fully recommended varieties within their categories.