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RVT Trials 2013 (PCN Winter 2014) JAN 23 2014 | Consumers and Producers | Pulse Crop News

This article appeared in the Winter 2014 issue of Pulse Crop News.

The goal of the Alberta Regional Variety Testing Program (RVT) is to provide scientifically valid crop variety performance information to producers, industry and extension specialists. This information is to serve as a basis comparison as to how new varieties perform versus current commercial varieties under different agro-climactic conditions.

There are three main goals of the RVT program are

  1. Ensure that all breeding lines can perform to their genetic potential.
  2. The performance of the varieties is not compromised of affected by any factors other than the environment of the trial site.
  3. Rate of fertilization, weed and disease control is maintained at a level to encourage higher than average yields than what can be expected in the testing area.

RVT trials are managed through strict guidelines and protocols which were designed to guarantee the integrity of the testing program. Data collected from the trials is analysed by crop coordinators with the owners of the seed checking results as well. This data is only made public once all checks have been completed.

A couple changes were made to the reporting process for the 2013 season. The lentil tables were changed this year and are now sorted by market class. Some old varieties have been removed from the field pea tables.

After five years with no trials, Fababean testing has resumed. There was also a new crop added to this year’s RVT program- soybeans. A total of 10 sites were established across the province. Two of the sites were unfunded (St. Paul and Forestburg) and although the Barrhead site was hailed out, five sites were added to the database (Bow Island, Brooks, Falher, Medicine Hat and Vegreville).

2013 was a very successful year for the RVT program this year had the fewest number of trials lost due to management issues since the program’s inception.

  1. Green peas: established 20 harvested 18. Barrhead was hailed out.
  2. Yellow peas: established 20 harvested 18. Two sites had high CV’s
  3. Faba beans: established nine harvested eight. One was hailed out.
  4. Dry beans: established five, all five were harvested although one site had higher than average CV’s
  5. Chickpeas: established four all four were harvested although one site had higher than average CV’s
  6. Lentils: established four all four were harvested although one site had higher than average CV’s
  7. Soybeans: established 10 (eight were funded) seven were harvested. Barrhead was hailed out.

For complete details of this year’s RVT trials please see the attached tables.