Driving the Future of Plant-Based Protein: Inside the PURIS Yellow Field Peas Breeding Program

At PURIS, we believe innovation starts from the ground up—literally. As a leader in plant-based protein and a pioneer in isolated pea protein manufacturing, our commitment to shaping the future of food begins with the seed. Our Yellow Field Pea breeding program is designed to unlock the full potential of this remarkable legume by developing high-protein varieties without the use of genetic modification. These high-yield pea varieties can meet growing consumer demand while supporting sustainable agriculture.

Why Yellow Field Peas Matter

Yellow field peas aren’t just a key crop—they’re a powerhouse of nutrition and sustainability. Naturally high in protein and other essential nutrients, yellow peas are critical for producing high-quality plant-based proteins that fuel a growing number of foods on shelves today. Beyond nutrition, yellow field peas offer significant agronomic advantages: they fix nitrogen in the soil, reducing the need for synthetic fertilizers; require less water compared to other crops; and often thrive with little to no tillage, helping improve soil health and reduce erosion. As interest in plant-based diets accelerates globally, the need for peas that deliver both superior nutrition and reliable field performance has never been greater.

That’s where PURIS comes in. Our breeding program focuses on developing pea varieties that:

• Deliver higher protein per acre
• Thrive in diverse climates and soil conditions
• Resist pests and diseases naturally
• Support sustainable, low-input farming practices

Our guiding hypothesis is simple yet ambitious: by leveraging targeted breeding strategies, we can increase protein content without compromising yield.

Key Breeding Objectives

Our program is driven by four key goals that benefit farmers, food manufacturers, and consumers alike:

1. Boosting Protein Content: We aim to maximize protein levels to improve both yield and efficiency in protein isolation, leading to better plant-based foods and beverages.
2. Improving Agronomics: From higher yields and disease resistance to broader climate adaptability, we’re building stronger peas that deliver more value per acre.
3. Advancing Sustainability: By developing varieties that fix nitrogen more efficiently and require fewer chemical inputs, we help improve soil health and reduce environmental impact.
4. Optimizing Processing Efficiency: Our peas are bred with downstream applications in mind—ensuring they extract easily, process efficiently, and perform reliably in food systems.

How We’re Breeding Better Peas

Photo: Jerry Lorenzen, founder, and Levi planting research peas.

PURIS blends traditional breeding techniques with modern agricultural innovations to create high-performance, non-genetically modified pea varieties. Our process is rigorous, data-driven, and always evolving.

Our Core Breeding Methods

• Selective Breeding & Hybridization: We crossbreed high-protein, high-yield plants to stack desirable traits such as drought tolerance, disease resistance, and protein content.
• Field Trials & Phenotyping: Extensive field evaluations help us assess traits like seed size, plant biomass, and early maturity under real-world conditions.
• Multi-Environment Trials (MET): In partnership with universities across the northern U.S., we test our varieties in diverse climates and soils to ensure adaptability and stability.
• Nutrition-Based Selection: We consistently screen for protein quality to ensure every variety meets the high isolated pea protein production standards.

Single Plant Selection (SPS)

SPS allows us to zero in on individual plants with standout characteristics—from higher yield to better disease resistance. We progressively build stronger, more reliable varieties by evaluating and selecting these plants over multiple generations.

Multi-Locational Yield Trials (MLYTs)

By testing our peas across different regions—from the Midwest to the southern U.S.—we ensure our varieties can perform consistently under various stresses, from drought to pest pressure. These trials give us crucial insights into how each variety delivers on yield, quality, and economic viability for farmers.

The Impact of Our Breeding Program

Our Yellow Field Peas Breeding Program delivers benefits that reach far beyond our fields:

• For Farmers: Higher-yielding, disease-resistant varieties improve profitability while supporting sustainable rotations that enrich the soil.
• For Food Companies: Consistent, high-protein peas streamline production and enhance the functional quality of plant-based products. Plus, all PURIS peas and ingredients are Non-GMO Project Verified to help your brand keep up with today's consumers' demands.
• For Consumers: Our innovations translate into healthier, nutrient-dense plant-based food options.
• For the Planet: Peas that require fewer inputs and improve soil health help create a more sustainable food system.

Looking Ahead

At PURIS, we’re proving that you don’t have to compromise yield to achieve higher protein. Our unique approach—combining advanced genetics with extensive field validation—has already resulted in varieties that deliver both.

As demand for sustainable protein sources continues to rise, PURIS’s high-protein, agronomically superior yellow field peas are poised to be vital in securing food systems, supporting farmers, and advancing the next generation of plant-based nutrition.

Because when you start with better seeds, you build a better future, from the farm to the table.