Longping Peas

Longping Peas

　　The pea varieties planted last year in Longping Subdistrict and to be promoted this year are Zhongwan 6. Zhongwan 6 belongs to the legume family, subfamily Faboideae, tribe Fabeae, and is a biennial herbaceous plant. Its growth characteristics are similar to those of local broad beans. Zhongwan 6 is a short-vined, hard-podded, round-seeded pea primarily used for consumption and bears white flowers. Peas are commonly grown crops in northern regions, preferring dry conditions and disliking moisture, making them suitable for sowing in high, dryland areas.

　　II. Growth Period and Crop Rotation Schedule Zhongwan 6 is generally sown between Frost’s Descent and the Beginning of Winter. When using plastic film mulching, sowing can be appropriately postponed to around the Beginning of Winter. Pod harvesting usually occurs in early May, but with careful cultivation, it can be advanced to late April. The pod harvesting period typically lasts about 20 days. Mature peas are generally harvested at the end of May or early June. Based on their growth characteristics, crop rotation models such as Pea–Cotton–Pea and Pea–Vegetable–Pea can be adopted in the Longping area.

　　III. Yield and Economic Benefits Compared to Conventional Crops Zhongwan 6 yields an average of 1,000 kilograms of green pea pods per mu. If harvested promptly in early May, market prices in cities such as Wuhan, Jiujiang, and Nanchang can reach 0.80 yuan per kilogram, with even higher prices if harvested by the end of April, yielding an average economic return of over 800 yuan per mu. Compared to other crops, this is five times that of wheat (wheat yields nearly 250 kilograms per mu at a price of 0.66 yuan per kilogram) and three times that of rapeseed (rapeseed yields nearly 150 kilograms per mu at a price of 1.64 yuan per kilogram). Additionally, pea roots host rhizobia, similar to soybeans, which have nitrogen-fixing properties. Compared to planting rapeseed or wheat, peas also offer the advantage of soil improvement.

　　IV. Current and Planned Planting Area Last year, the total pea planting area in the subdistrict was 500 mu. Due to the favorable comparative benefits, this generated strong interest throughout the area. Last year, 10,000 mu were planned for planting, including 1,000 mu to adopt the Pea–Vegetable–Pea model, while the rest would use the Pea–Cotton–Pea model. According to precise estimates by the agricultural technology station, the Pea–Vegetable–Pea model can achieve an economic benefit of 1,800 yuan per mu, while the Pea–Cotton–Pea model can yield 1,700 yuan per mu. Longping is expected to develop a sizable pea industry base within three years. (Wuxue)