U.K. recognition for Whero pea

Press, 11 March 1983, Page 20

U.K. recognition for Whero pea

The New Zealand-bred field pea Whero has achieved recognition in the United Kingdom and faces a bright future on that market, according to Dr Michael Dunbier, director of the Crop Research Division. D.S.I.R. Dr Dunbier was commenting on an announcement by the U.K. National Institute of Agricultural Botany (N.1.A.8.) that Whero had been confirmed on the National List and granted plant variety rights. Whero was bred by the Crop Research Division and released to the New Zealand grower in 1976. In 1979 it was the first pea cultivar to become protected by the Plant Variety Rights legis lation in this country. Whero was the result of a research programme aimed at achieving an improved maple pea cultivar with resistance to top yellows virus,

a major disease which frequently reduced yields of susceptible cultivars such as “Partridge 73". Whero exhibits good disease resistance being immune to top yellows and pea mosaic viruses and fusarium wilt. In early trials Whero displayed a distinct yield advantage over Partridge 73; however, its principal advantage for the New Zealand grower was its determinate flowering pattern \Vhich allows it to be successfully sown in spring. This means that the bacterial blight problem often associated with autumn-sown maple pea crops could be overcome. The implementation of plant variety rights in this country and the recently introduced marketing system for the Crop Research cultivars through the New Zealand Plant Breeders and Research Association has been instrumental in esiab-

lishing Whero in the U.K., commented Dr Dunbier. “Wrightson NMA. Ltd. was appointed international marketing agent in 1979 and maintained a high degree of involvement throughout the trialling period to ensure the cultivar was given every chance," he said. Without the combination of plant variety rights and industry involvement Whero would not have been listed in the U.K. The D.S.I.R. does not have the resources to undertake this testing and it was only because private organisations could see a potential financial return from an agency marketing agreement- in the U.K. that this expensive trialling was carried out. The manager of Wrightson NMA grain and seed division, Mr Jack Hartley, has hailed the U.K. listing of Whero as a major breakthrough for New Zealand.

"The prowess of New Zealand as breeders of herbage cultivars such as ‘Grasslands Huia’ white clover is internationally recognised. “However. competing against the very large public and private breeding organisations of the northern hemisphere which are pouring millions of dollars into breeding new crop cultivars and coming up with a winner such as Whero is very exciting,” he said. “The competition within the European seed market is severe but we are confident that Whero will perform with distinction,” said Mr Hartley. “It has taken four years of trialling and a considerable outlay of money to get Whero to this stage in the U.K.,” commented Mr Hartley. “We are now expanding our commitment to ensure the cultivar becomes fully exposed in the marketplace. We have appointed an exclusive agent for the region and are assisting him in developing the cultivar with English farmers. Whero will be fully protected from exploitation by plant variety protection in the U.K.." he said. “The U.K. is only the beginning." stated Mr Hartley. “Already an agent has been confirmed for Ireland where listing is anticipated later this year, and final trials are under way in several other European countries and the U.S.A." Whero is a versatile pea

and is generating considerable interest overseas. While the traditional use of New Zealand maple peas has been for pigeon rations, stock food or processing for human consumption. the main use for Whero in the northern hemisphere is likely to be as a forage legume. The use of peas for short term autumn and spring forage crops is a developing trend in Europe. This is due' to the aggressive growing nature‘of the specialist peas and the high level of protein produced. These characteristics make forage peas suitable for the production of quality silage, hay or direct grazing. Whero in both official and private trials overseas has consistently produced higher forage yields when evaluated against comparable European cultivars. Mr Hartley said: “Although an agency agreement will allow for the production of Whero seed outside New Zealand, local seed growers should not feel threatened as we are confident ■ that New Zealand-produced certified seed will prove competitive in both price and quality compared to European production. Already several containers of certified seed have been shipped to the U.K. for the initial launching of the cultivar later this year. If Whero is produced overseas, then this country will benefit from the generation of royalties.