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The Sirius pea was licensed by Agriculture Canada in 1989 as a high yielding, early maturing variety.

Distinct Characteristics:

• Sirius is a tall standing, pink flowered plant.
• Sirius has proven to be substantially drought resistant.
• Sirius produces large volumes of biomass for top quality silage and green manure plowdown.
• Sirius has shown vigorous growth when fall planted and offers a fall grazing potential for areas with extended seasons.
• Sirius has demonstrated the unique characteristic of being very unpalatable to grasshoppers and blister beetles. The Sirius pea has survived without insecticides in areas of heavy grasshopper infestation that destroyed other crops.
• Sirius has been confirmed to fix up to 150 lbs. of nitrogen under optimal growing conditions.
• Sirius has produced successfully for several years in the non-traditional growing areas of southern Saskatchewan, Alberta, and Manitoba, in Montana, North Dakota, and Minnesota. Yields in these more southerly districts have been comparable and frequently higher than wheat yields on comparable land and growing conditions.
• Sirius is early maturing with a typical 90 days from planting to harvest (dessication not required).

Seeding Date:

• A short growing season of only 90 days to maturity, provides a very wide window for planting.
• Early planting is permitted by good frost tolerance, i.e. mid to late April in Saskatchewan, late March in Montana and North Dakota.
• Late planting has proven successful and is particularly beneficial for farmers not wishing to use herbicides. Cultivating controls the early flushes of weeds. Rapid growth with higher temperature in the late season provides good competition (i.e. first to second week of June in Saskatchewan). Planting at approximately the same time as wheat is recommended. Consideration must be given to coinciding with the best moisture conditions.
• Seeding Rate: 90 to 120 lbs./acre.

Growth Characteristics:

• Rapid growth during establishment with good moisture.
• Tall upright growth with abundant biomass.
• Average maturity: 90 days.

Harvesting:

• Early maturity typically results in harvest prior to wheat, most frequently in August.
• Low shattering characteristics and good plant height assists harvesting.
• Can be direct harvested with the proper pickup or straight cut with appropriate equipment.

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