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- ‘Royal Blackeye’ Southern Pea
Dr. Donn Lancaster of the Calhoun Research Station, switched gears within in the southern pea breeding program in 1985, refocusing efforts from vining and semi vining types to bush types, due to the need for ease of hand and machine harvesting. Lancaster released ‘Royal Blackeye’, the first southern pea developed with both a purple pod and black eye. Royal Blackeye has a complex parentage involving Calhoun Crowder, Blackeye, Bunch Purplehull, Texas Cream 8, and Louisiana Purchase. It is reported to have great processing qualities and high yield potential, with field tolerance to bacterial leaf blight and possibly mosaic virus. Royal Blackeye was acquired from GRIN (PI 666265) and grown out in 2021 & 2022 for seed increase. Both years, it performed amongst the top 3 highest yielding of all the other LSU southern peas. It is easy to grow, easy to harvest, and produces a hefty crop of exceptional blackeyed peas, perfect for home gardens and kitchen use. 57-63 days to maturity.
Royal Blackeye seeds are cream colored with a black eye.
Freshly shelled Royal Blackeye peas are light green with a black eye.
Royal Blackeye pods are dark purple at fresh maturity.
A planting of Royal Blackeye approaching fresh maturity.
The LSU AgCenter and the LSU College of Agriculture