USask researcher knows breeding more superior pea varieties is more important than ever before
Dr. Tom Warkentin is excited about the increased interest in pea protein and the increase in pea acreages across western Canada.
Tom Warkentin has been breeding field peas at the Crop Development Centre since the 1990’s and is now realizing how important this crop will be for global food security.
With the interest of plant based proteins on the rise, the need for superior pea varieties in the marketplace will be crucial. Products such as pea snacks and the beyond meat burger are gaining popularity in the market place, but they can only be the result of pea varieties that are well adapted to the growing conditions of the Canadian prairies.
Warkentin has released over 45 pea varieties during his tenure as a pea breeder. The pulse breeding research group strives to develop better varieties with increased yield, higher protein concentrations and improved nitrogen fixation capabilities for a diversified crop rotation.
Read more in Germination Magazine