Lima Bean Breeding

Lima beans are Delaware's most widely planted vegetable crop.

Approximately 14,000 acres of green baby limas for processing are planted in the state each year. Fordhook and large seeded pole limas for fresh market are also grown in Delaware.

In 2004, Emmalea Ernest, University of Delaware Extension Associate for Vegetable Crops, began a lima bean breeding program. The goal of the breeding program is to develop new varieties of lima beans, which possess disease resistance and are well adapted to Delaware’s growing conditions and production practices.

The first green baby lima lines developed in the breeding program were tested in replicated yield trials in 2008. Fordhook breeding lines from the UD program were first trialed in 2010.  

Baby & Fordhook Lima Bean Trials

Below is a table of trial results saved into pdf report format.

2018        

2017

2016

2015

2014

2013

2012

2011

2010

2009

2008

2007

2006

2005

 

 

Contact

Emmalea Ernest,
Associate Scientist – Vegetable Crops
 302-856-7303

Mailing address:
16483 County Seat Hwy
Georgetown, DE 19947