Toward a heat tolerant shelling pea landrace

[oldmobie]

Last season, late spring/ early summer, a few of my peas survived ~two weeks longer than the rest. I know there's some desire for peas that grow through summer, and these were from Joseph Lofthouse 's shelling landrace, so I know there's diversity. I saved the seed seperately. Obviously, as long as any difference is visible in heat tolerance, I'll continue to select for that.

The question is this: All I've done so far is to select. Once. These seeds are only one generation removed from Joseph's garden. Should I plant at the normal time (about now), wait a few weeks, or split into two lots and do both? What plan is likely to accelerate selection without killing the peas before they produce?

[keen101 (Biolumo / Andrew B.)]

no idea. I know joseph usually separates things into two landraces, and early one and a late one. The only pea i've observed to be heat tolerant is Biskopens, which is originally from sweden. I actually think the strain i've been saving for a few years might even grow better than the original seeds did (including heat tolerance). But i've only been growing them a few years too. Some say that plants that are cold tolerant are more likely to also be heat and drought tolerant. Who knows? I certainly don't. Biskpens however is a really late flowering pea and so i'm not sure if it's heat tolerance or if the plant just hangs on better because it hasn't produced seed yet. I could send you some seed after this season if you want. It's not really a shelling pea, but more of a soup pea if anything.


edit: If your long term goals are to acquire any that may have heat tolerance i'd suggest trying Native Seeds/SEARCH as thier peas are commonly grown in the hot southwest and are apparently originally from spain. Contrary to what people may tell you, i found the variety 'wando' to have no such heat tolerance.

[blueadzuki]

I'm completely guessing here (I don't have any but the scantiest evidence of this) but I have always worked from the assumption that pea (or indeed any vegetable) variety seeds that originate from those areas closer to the tropics/equator will generally tend to be more heat tolerant than those from more polar latitudes (they'd sort of have to be barring microclimates and altitude) So I might try and find strains from places in Southern Europe. I know there are a few in Italy, like my own Piselle d' Ago (which unfortunately I lost to critters this year, or I'd send you some) and that wild pea of Rovenja that Baker Creek had in it's explorer series (though I don't think they carry it anymore). Wonder if there are any peas of Greek origin?

Ricter's still has an Estonian pea (Surami) but Estonia is basically the same latitude as Sweden so that's probably the same tolerance-wise.


I know India grows a lot of peas too (as does China I think, and not just snow peas), though I suppose their heat tolerance may be heavily dependent on WHERE in India they grow them, which I don't know (India's a big place and the north is probably even colder than most of Europe, especially if peas are a winter crop there.)

[oldmobie]

Honestly, I guess I'm just exploring some of the diversity that's already in these seeds. I don't know how far I can push 'em toward heat tolerance by selection alone, without some manual crosses. It should be interesting to find out. I figure worst case, I fold 'em right back into general population / best case, I have something to share with the serious breeders.

I appreciate the offers to share seed. Thank you. I'll take a little of whatever's offered. As long as it's nothing too precious. Seeds you've worked hard to develop or find, that you don't have many of, ought to get into the hands of someone more diligent than me.

If these seeds increase adequately, I'll share 'em with anyone who would like some. Same with any that are sent to me.

[Joseph Lofthouse]

About half of the seed for my original planting of my shelling pea landrace was a grex from the Long Island Seed Project. The rest were varieties that the local nurseries sell because people really like them in this area.

[ethin]

Speaking of mine and Joseph's local nurseries, one of them has a website and lists what they sell. So if your interested in what some of the varieties Joseph used were, here you go. andersonseedandgarden.com/products

[Joseph Lofthouse]

Green Arrow is my favorite shelling pea. It's the one variety that I continue to grow separate from the landrace.

I remember adding one pea to my original planting, against the advice of the seed salesman, who badmouthed the variety as unsuitable. It took about 2 years for it to die out. During those two years though, the kids really loved it, because the pods were gigantic.