The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
New world record for combined peas
A new world record for combining peas was set in Lincolnshire this week.
An 8.23ha crop of LG Stallion large blue peas grown by farmer Tim Lamyman yielded 6.47 t/ha, at an average of 15.35% moisture.
The last world record for combined peas in Europe was 5.21 t/ha from a crop in Ireland.
My Lamyman said the field chosen for the attempt was a grade-two chalky loam free-draining soil.
“It offered the potential to develop well-structured root systems, enabling easier nutrient uptake,” he said.
“Previously, this particular field has produced record yields of winter wheat of 16.5 t/ha and oilseed rape of 6.7 t/ha.”
The field was ploughed, followed by two passes with a Lemkin Terradisc and then finished with a Vaderstat carrier (discs and crumble roller).
The crop was drilled by a Vaderstat Rapid with the coulters set at a 4-inch row width.
Mr Lamyman attributes the crop’s success to detailed and well-targeted crop nutrition.
“Leaf samples were taken at four different stages through the crop’s growth cycle in order to identify nutrient deficiencies to which the relevant products were then applied, as required,” he said.
“Manganese deficiency is normally an issue with field peas, however levels within the crop were adequate for most of the growing period.”
He said he had learned a lot from his record attempt.
“However, as with any crop, the weather is always going to play a vital part and we didn’t come off too badly this year as we drilled into moisture and have had rain when required; perhaps the only thing we were lacking was good levels of sunlight while the pods were filling.”