Peas Top Crop List for Western Australia

SYDNEY - Sep 7/04 - SNS -- Data developed by the state agriculture department in Western Australia shows field peas have surpassed narrow-leafed lupins and emerged as the most widely adapted and highest yielding grain legume crop for the state.

Department of Agriculture research has shown that field peas not only perform well on medium and heavy soils types, but also on sandy-surfaced and duplex soils.

Department researcher Peter White said on many soil types where lupins generally performed poorly, field peas produced higher yields. "In a series of 40 trials over three seasons, field peas were compared to lupins," Dr White said.

"The trials were arranged in clusters of up to three at each site, over a range of contrasting soil types from deep yellow sands - the preferred lupin soil type, through to the duplexes and loams.

"The research showed the yield of field peas was less variable than the yield of lupins over the range of soil types. Field peas on average yielded 32 per cent more than lupins."

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