A new broad bean variety suited to the Lower South-East of South Australia and the high rainfall districts of southern Victoria was launched today.

To be commercially available for the 2010 winter cropping season, PBA Kareema was launched by Pulse Breeding Australia (PBA) in association with commercial seed partner, Keith Seeds.

The launch of the new variety and a presentation on agronomy, pollination and marketing for broad beans occurred during a MacKillop Farm Management Group field day on Lachie Sears’ “Boonderoo” property at Conmurra in SA.

PBA Kareema is the first broad bean variety released from the PBA faba bean breeding program. Its development has involved a concerted effort from PBA partners, the University of Adelaide and the South Australian Research and Development Institute, with assistance from Keith Seeds.

The new variety’s release is also supported by growers and the Australian Government through the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) and PBA partner agencies.

PBA provides a single world class breeding and germplasm enhancement program for faba beans (including broad beans), chickpeas, field peas, lentils and lupins in Australia. PBA aims to fast-track the release of improved pulse varieties to Australian growers.

PBA Kareema, for which End Point Royalty applies, has been developed as a replacement to Aquadulce, which has been the most widely grown broad bean in southern Australia.

According to PBA pulse breeder at the University of Adelaide, Dr Jeff Paull, PBA Kareema offers growers improved attributes and characteristics.

“Yields are either comparable or slightly higher than Aquadulce, it is more uniform in colour, it does not produce ‘evergreen’ seeds and its overall size is larger than Aquadulce,” Dr Paull said.

“PBA Kareema has significantly better resistance to Ascochyta blight and its resistance to chocolate spot is comparable. Growers will not need to change their agronomic management with this new variety.”

Dr Paull said work on developing the new variety began in 1997 following an approach from growers in the South-East of SA who were seeking an alternative to the Aquadulce line.

Selection of seed based on size, shape and colour characteristics was followed by yield trials and selection of seed based on Ascochyta resistance. However, drought in 2006 impacted on the program, delaying multiplication of seed of the new variety.

The Gilbertson family at Millicent was among the group of SA growers which initially sought development of a new broad bean variety, and they have since been heavily involved in the seed selection and multiplication process.

Brett Gilbertson said the new variety had been grown on the family property for seed multiplication purposes for the past three seasons.

“We have been growing the bean in isolation from the Aquadulce crops, to avoid cross pollination,” said Mr Gilbertson, whose family grow about 400 hectares of broad beans annually.

Mr Gilbertson said he welcomed the release of PBA Kareema which he hoped would be the catalyst for an ongoing broad bean variety improvement effort.

Pulse Australia pulse development officer - South-Central, Wayne Hawthorne, said broad bean production was largely restricted to the higher rainfall areas of southern Australia where around 16,500 hectares is under crop.

Average production is 2-2.5 tonnes/ha, depending on seasonal conditions, and most of the Australian crop is grown for export to Egypt, the Middle East, Europe and Indonesia.

Mr Hawthorne said that compared with other faba beans, broad beans were later flowering and maturing and had a longer growing season overall.

GRDC southern panel chair, David Shannon, said the new broad bean variety was part of a pipeline of pulse varieties to be released by PBA over a five year period.

“The GRDC, along with the other PBA partners, is pleased to support PBA in bringing growers varieties with improved yield, harvestability, disease resistance, tolerance to abiotic stresses, quality and weed management,” Mr Shannon said.

“PBA is to be commended for the way it has actively responded to specific issues within small volume crops. The release of these new pulse varieties is another demonstration of growers’ levies at work and contributing to positive industry outcomes.”