Pulse varieties in drought resistance trials

The drought resistance of different pulse varieties has been tested as part of a research project involving the PGRO at Broom’s Barn research station.

The project aims to discover how mainstream varieties of peas and beans perform in drought conditions, which should provide vital technical information for growers to help them cope with dry conditions such as many experienced last season.

PGRO technical director Anthony Biddle said the varieties were planted in four tunnels with half the area irrigated and the other left untreated – and the differences in drought tolerance were recorded.

Dr Biddle said the results were still being collated and would eventually be fed into the wider DEFRA-funded project, the Pulse Crop Genetic Improvement Network.