Despite a season of severe drought, the UK pulse sector has received a significant boost as PGRO announced 11 new pea and kidney bean varieties on its 2026 descriptive list.
The Processors and Producers Research Institute has released an updated list that includes seven combination peas, two winter beans and two spring beans.
Chief technical officer Dr Chris Judge said that although the drought had crippled some test facilities, the large footprint meant new and existing materials “performed well” and provided enough reliable data for evaluation.
He explained that PGRO evaluates varieties using a “five-year trial” to compare yield, maturity and disease resistance, noting that control yields across pea and both bean types “were all very similar to previous years, despite weather effects.” He added: “The descriptive list allows producers to identify the best option for their cropping system.”
The smooth performance in trials is also reflected in the pea section, where two new yellow varieties, KWS Telegram and Cushla, stand out for their yields.
At Greenpeace, KWS Arkam leads this category, followed by Bullet and LG Mamba, both of which have strong disease resistance. Mallowfat growers will acquire Yoshi and Nyx, with the former joining Midori as co-top yielder.
Winter kidney beans are showing useful development as well. Patagonia will be the fastest maturing bean on the entire list, while Hepworth has the strongest rust protection. This year’s production data was especially valuable because many of the 2025 winter kidney bean plots were shorter and had fewer branches due to drought stress.
Spring Bean additions focus on low-bicine, low-convicin (LVC) materials, with both Callas and Maderas included on the list. Callas combines good yield with early ripening and high protein content, while Madera offers strong mold resistance and stable yields.
Existing high performers, Notilus and LG Eagle, remain at the top, but seed availability may still be limited as production increases. LG Viper continues to offer the best disease resistance profile.
Growers can find a complete descriptive list of legumes and vine peas in the latest issue of The Pulse and The Vegetable Magazine, and the results are discussed in the new edition of PGRO’s Inside the Pod podcast.
With drought pressure expected to influence planting decisions again in 2026, the expanded list will allow growers to choose from a wider range of more resilient varieties.
