On-farm vining pea trials aim to tackle costly UK virus losses

A new research project investigating the threat of viruses in UK vining pea crops hopes to provide pea growers with clearer information on when and how to implement control measures.

Shifting weather and drilling patterns means virus infection is becoming an increasingly costly and unpredictable challenge for the pea sector.

In fact, annual farmgate losses are estimated to reach as much as £65m. Furthermore, earlier aphid migration is exposing crops to virus pressure sooner, particularly where peas are drilled later in the spring.

See also: See also: N-fixing bacteria cuts cost and lifts yield for Cambs growers

Key threats

One of the key threats to peas is turnip yellows virus which can significantly reduce yields, up to 40% in some situations.

However, it is worth noting that many of these figures are based on modelling rather than direct from fields of commercial crops.

The new Adopt-funded project will bring together the Processors and Growers Research Organisation (PGRO) and growers from the Green Pea Company network to generate clearer, field-based answers.

Researchers will begin by using high-throughput sequencing to identify the full range of viruses present in vining pea crops.

This approach will detect if infection is present, even if there are no obvious symptoms in the field.

Erin Matlock, PGRO research agronomist explains how a series of farm-scale tramline trials will test different aphicide programmes and application timings across a range of drill dates.

 “By comparing treated and untreated, the trials will provide practical evidence on when intervention is justified and when it may not be necessary.

The results are expected to support more precise integrated pest management decisions and help growers target control measures more effectively,” she says.

Farmer-led research

The project forms part of a farmer-led research  programme supported by Adopt funding.

The scheme enables growers to test ideas directly on farm, helping generate robust, practical evidence that can be used across the industry.

Adopt funding is designed to help farmers trial new ideas, practices and technologies on farms.

It is part of Defra’s Farming Innovation Programme, delivered in partnership with Innovate UK.