Early season varieties of vegetable pea

Early varieties

•  These are more popular in India because of better economic return.
•  They are not high yielder but give high initial remuneration to the growers.
•  Two pickings of green pods are generally done in these varieties. First picking is done after 60 days of sowing and second after 15-20 days of first picking.
•  The maturity period is 60-80 days.

Details of various varieties are given below:

Asauji

•  A dwarf, green and smooth seeded variety developed at IARI.
•  Pods are produced singly.
•  Flowering in 30-35 days after sowing and blossom appear in 6-7 nodes.
•  Pods are about 8 cm long, curved, dark green, narrow and appear round when fully developed,
•  Each pod contains seven seeds.
•  Pods give high shelling percentage (45%).

Early Superb

•  An introduced and dwarf variety from England with yellowish green foliage.
•  It flowers in about 45 days and first blossom appears at 8-10th node.
•  Pods are borne singly; these are dark green, curved with 6-7 smooth seeds.
•  Shelling percentage is 40%.

Meteor

•  An introduced variety from England.
•  Plants are 35-40 cm tall, dark green, pods are produce singly, dark green, 8.7 cm long with seven smooth seeds.
•  Shelling percentage is 45%.

Arkel

•  This widely grown variety is an exotic variety from France.
•  The plant is dwarf but the growth is vigorous and may grow upto 45 cm.
•  Flowers are white and are borne in singly double on 6-7th node.
•  It flowers in 35-40 days.
•  Pods are dark green, 8.5 cm long, incurved towards the sutures and pointed distal end with 8-10 well filled, wrinkled seeds.
•  Shelling percentage is 40%.
•  It is suitable for both fresh market and dehydration.
•  It takes 60-65 days for first picking.
•  Green pod yield 8-10 t/ha.

Early Badger

•  A dwarf, wrinkled seeded variety introduced from USA.
•  Pods are ready for picking in 60-65 days after sowing.
•  First blossom appears in 10-11th node; pods are yellowish green and borne singly, 7.5 cm long with 5-6 bold and sweet seeds.
•  It is a good caning variety and resistant to Fusarium wilt.

Little Marvel

•  A dwarf, wrinkled seeded variety introduced from England.
•  It is bred in England from the cross Chelsea Gem x Suttons Alaska.
•  Foliage dark green; first blossom appears at 9-10th node in 40 days after sowing.
•  Pods are 8 cm long, borne singly, thick, shinny, dark green, straight and broad containing 5-6 very sweet seeds.

Alaska

•  An introduced variety from England.
•  Pods are light green and appears singly with 5-6 small, bluish-green seeds.

VL-Ageti Matar-7 (VL-7)

•  Developed at VPKAS, Almora through advanced generation selection from the cross Pant Uphar x Arkel.
•  Plants are dwarf with green foliage and white flowers.
•  Pods are light green, attractive, medium in size (about 8 cm) containing 6-7 seeds.
•  The seeds are light green, dimpled bold and very sweet with high TSS (16.8%).
•  Average yield 10 t/ha with 42% shelling.

Jawahar Matar 3 (JM 3, Early December)

•  This variety was developed at Jabalpur through hybridization of T19 x Early Badger followed by selections.
•  Plant height 70-75 cm with bushy growth habit; flower colour white, pods light green, roundish-oval in shape with 4-5 wrinkled seeds.
•  It gives high shelling percentage (45%).

Jawahar Matar 4 (JM 4)

•  This variety was developed at Jabalpur through advanced generation selections from the cross T19 x Little Marvel.
•  Plant height 65 cm, foliage and stem are green.
•  First picking after 70 days.
•  Pods are green, medium in size (7 cm) with 6-7 green, wrinkled and sweet seeds.
•  Average pod yield 7 t/ha with 40% shelling.

Harbhajan (EC 33866)

•  Developed at Jabalpur by selection from the exotic genetic stock.
•  It is very early and first picking can be taken in 45 days of sowing.
•  Plant type resembles that of field peas; pods are small with yellow, round and small seeds.
•  Average pod yield 3 t/ha.

Pant Matar 2 (PM-2)

•  It was developed at Pantnagar through pedigree selection from the cross Early Badger × IP3 (Pant Uphar).
•  Plant height 50-55 cm; fruit setting starts from 6^th node.
•  Pods are green, relatively small in size with 6-8 sweet and wrinkled seeds.
•  First picking starts 60-65 days after sowing.
•  Average pod yield 7-8 t/ha.

Matter Ageta (E-6)

•  Dwarf, high yielding variety developed at Ludhinana through pedigree selction from the cross Massey Gem × Harabona.
•  Plants are dwarf (40 cm), erect, vigorous and quick growing; foliage green and 1-2 pods are borne in a bunch; first picking within 50-55days after sowing; pods are long with 6-8 round green seeds; it is tolerant to high temperature; average pod yield 6 t/ha with 44% shelling.

Jawahar Peas-4

•  This powdery mildew resistant and wilt tolerant variety for hillocks was developed at Jabalpur through advanced generation selections from a triple cross Local Yellow Batri × (6588 × 46C).
•  Plants attain height of around 75 to 80 cm on hillocks and about 1 m in plants; medium size pods with 5-6 bold, green seeds.
•  First picking after 60 days in hillocks and 70 days I plains. Average pod yield 3-4 t/ha in hillocks and 9 t/ha in plains.

Pant Sabji Matar-3  

• It is an early maturing variety developed through pedigree selection from a cross of Arkel & GC 141. Plants are dwarf with dark green foliage. The pod are long well filled with 8-10 seeds. Its green pod yield is 9-10 t/ha.

Pant Sabji Matar-5

•  Pant Sabji Matar-5 is an early-maturing variety whose plant is dwarf.
•  Pods are long, well-filled and slightly curved towards the tip.
•  The seeds are green and wrinkled at maturity.
•  This variety is resistant to the powdery mildew disease.
•  The first green pod picking can be done within 60 to 65 days and seed maturity is recorded in 100 to 110 days after sowing.
•  Its green pod yield potential is 90-100 quintals per hectare.
•  The variety is suitable for cultivation in Kumaon hills and the plains of Uttarakhand.