Pea growers face £65m virus threat as new trials launch

UK pea growers are facing losses of up to £65 million a year from crop viruses, as a new trial is launched to tackle the growing threat.

Turnip Yellows Virus, one of the most significant risks to vining pea crops, can cut yields by as much as 40%, although much of the existing data is based on modelling rather than field evidence.

The new research project, backed by Defra’s ADOPT fund, will investigate virus infection in commercial crops and aim to give growers clearer guidance on when control measures are justified.

Changing weather patterns are adding to the challenge. Earlier aphid migration, linked to climate change, is exposing crops to infection sooner in the season — particularly where peas are drilled later in the spring.

The project brings together the Processors and Growers Research Organisation (PGRO) and growers from the Green Pea Company network to generate practical, field-based data.

Researchers will use advanced sequencing techniques to identify all viruses present in crops — including those that show no visible symptoms in the field.

Erin Matlock, research agronomist at PGRO, said farm-scale tramline trials would test different aphicide programmes and application timings across crops drilled on different dates.

She said: “By comparing treated and untreated tramlines, the trials will provide practical evidence on when intervention is justified and when it may not be necessary.”

The results are expected to help growers make more precise pest management decisions and avoid unnecessary treatments.

The project is part of Defra’s ADOPT-funded Farming Innovation Programme, delivered in partnership with Innovate UK, which supports farmer-led trials to generate practical, real-world evidence.

The work is expected to give growers clearer guidance on managing virus risk while reducing unnecessary costs.