Selecting novel material of vegetable pea for mechanical harvesting and canning.

Breeding of novel pea cultivars is of significant interest in scope of increasing food shortages. The cultivars of new generation have to be highly technological and appropriate for mechanical treatment in all stages of planting. To provide higher outcome of plant products, pea is to be harvested for prolonged seasonal period, i.e. bred for conveyor usage. In this paper we presented the results of preliminary investigation of pea germplasm collection and studies on inheritance of flowering time in a series of crosses. We evaluated all hybrid progeny for duration of vegetation, lodging resistance and seed mass. Seven maturity groups were emphasized with most of obtained lines exhibiting an average duration of vegetation period measured as number of sterile nodes (11-15 for average fraction). As a result of this survey, the prospective genotypes for breeding new forms resistant to lodging and suitable for mechanical harvest were isolated. We propose a scheme of conveyor usage of new forms for sustainable delivery of stock for conversion industry. The obtained material is recommended for further improvement as the initial material for breeding.