Dry Beans for Dollars

This presentation provided details about the Ontario Pulse Crop Committee and the role it plays in variety registration and generating reliable, unbiased data for Ontario farmers. OPCC yield trial data, obtained from the GoBeans.ca website, was used in conjunction with yield trial data from the MichiganBean.com website to examine how growing environments in both Ontario and Michigan relate to each other. The analysis showed that varieties in Ontario short season testing locations (Elora, Auburn and Blyth) behave more similarly to Tuscola and Huron county testing locations in Michigan. Ontario full season testing locations (Woodstock and St. Thomas) behaved similarly to Sanilac and Bay county testing locations. As a result of this analysis, depending on where a producer is located in the province (short or full season), they can utilize location specific Ontario and Michigan data to make variety selection decisions. It is important to note that Montcalm and Gratiot county testing locations in Michigan did not group consistently with any Ontario testing locations, meaning that data from these locations might not be appropriate for basing dry bean variety selection decisions in Ontario. The reason for this is not clear, but could be due to the prevalence of irrigation in that region.