The highest yielding spring bean, an earlier winter bean and a new yellow pea variety are additions to Senova’s range of pulse varieties and have joined the PGRO Descriptive Lists for 2025.

All bring additional choice to growers and extend the range of variety characteristics on offer, at a time when interest in home-grown pulses and resilient, sustainable farming systems is increasing.

Notilus comes onto the spring bean Descriptive List with a yield of 110, putting it in top position. A very high yield is complemented by a good seed size of 600g, a high protein content of 27.3% and the pale hilum required by the human consumption market.

With an 8 for standing ability and a 5 for earliness, Notilus combines good agronomic characteristics with market acceptability. As a result, it is expected to sell well when seed is available.

Last year’s newcomer Navara – Senova’s first spring bean variety for some time - maintained its strong field performance in 2024 and has a yield of 107. Slightly taller than Notilus, it also has very good standing ability along with a 5 for downy mildew resistance and a 6 rating for rust.

Seed supply for Navara is good, says Senova’s managing director Tom Yewbrey, who adds that the company’s success with winter beans has paved the way for the introduction of new spring bean varieties.

“Pulse crops enjoyed a much better year in 2024 and were some of the few to buck the falling yield trend,” he notes. “Our new varieties have come along at just the right time.”

Senova’s new winter bean Miro joins the company’s top selling varieties, Vincent and Vespa, which jointly lead the Descriptive List with yields of 108. Both have cemented their position and now have chocolate spot ratings of 6 and 7 respectively.

Vespa remains the market leader by a considerable distance and has sold very well again, confirms Senova.

Newcomer Miro has a yield of 101, an earliness rating of 7 and brings a seed size of 775g, along with a high protein content of 26.2%. It also has a provisional chocolate spot rating of 7.

Like Ninja, Miro is shorter and earlier, with very good standing ability.

Senova’s new yellow pea, Bonham, comes onto the Descriptive List on 107.

With 6 ratings for earliness, standing ability and downy mildew resistance, it also has a Thousand Seed Weight of 314g and a protein content of 22.6%.

It joins Batist, which was added to the list last year. Batist has a yield of 116, a 6 rating for earliness and a 7 for standing ability. Pea wilt resistance and a 6 for downy mildew mean that it has the agronomic strengths to complement its very high yields.

 “With these new varieties, as well as our existing selection, there is plenty of choice for growers and genetic improvements for them to consider,” ends Tom.



“As they continue to de-risk their businesses and look for ways to cope with the climate crisis, peans and beans will have an important place.”