Pea and soybean performance in Newfoundland

Newfoundland livestock farmers import all feed grain legumes. Our objective was to compare field pea (Pisum sativum L.) and soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] nodule formation, plant growth, grain and protein yield potential in Newfoundland. Two-year experimental mean pea yield was high (approximate to0.3 t grain ha(-1)), although lodging was severe. Vision soybean yielded around 400 kg grain protein ha(-1) when seeds were inoculated, even with soil temperatures below 20 degreesC. Despite reasonable yield potentials, agronomic adaptation problems mitigate against the local production of all common feed grain legumes in the near future.