b'SEED OF THE YEAR 2022The Little Beanmarkets the bean. Of all the varieties weve handled over the years, Dynasty is one that That Could: really broke through on so many levels. Its such a big success story all-around.Based on yield data generated through WHY DYNASTYOntario Pulse Crop Committee variety trials, Dynasty consistently outperforms Red Hawk from the Michigan State University breeding CHANGED THEprogram, showing an impressive 613 lb/acrePeter Pauls, bean breeder advantage (based on the five-year average)at University of Guelph.over Red Hawk.DARK REDWith current prices for kidney beans, thats about $324.89 more per acre going back into growers pockets if they grow Dynasty, KIDNEY BEANsays Ontario Bean Growers Project Manager Jennifer Mitchell.If we were very conservative with our GAME numbers and said the return to growers was $250 more per acre, based on 15,000 acres of Dynasty grown in Ontario, thats a $3.75 mil-lion return to those growers. Tom Smith, retired Based on information provided by OntarioUniversity of Guelph plant bean dealers, Mitchell estimates that 90% ofbreeder.the dark red kidney beans planted in Ontario NEARLY A DECADEafter its release, the Dynastyare Dynasty.Dark Red Kidney Bean has set the beanFor Pauls and Smith, seeing Dynasty world on fire and now comprises 90% of allbecome the definitive dark red kidney bean dark red kidneys grown in Ontario. variety in Ontario and abroad is a huge90%Its hard to imagine a humble little kidneyreward considering it didnt live up to expec- is how much darkbean making such big waves in the farmingtations the first year it was trialed. red kidney bean acreage world and food space. During the first year of provincial trials itDynasty makes upBut thats exactly what the Dynasty Darkfor some reason didnt yield well compared toon OntarioRed Kidney Bean has done and why itsthe checks, but we knew we had something earned the Seed of the Year Award for 2022,in this line. So, we entered it as a first-year50-60%which recognizes breeders for their researchline again, and of course then it performed accomplishments in developing a new varietythe way we expected. We still dont reallyis the total dark red of field crops, forages, fruits, vegetables andknow what happened that first year, but its akidney bean acreage herbs. good thing we believed in it and didnt giveacross North America The Dynasty bean, which was bred atup, Smith says. made up by Dynastythe University of Guelph by Peter Pauls andDynasty has a complicated pedigree, Tom Smith, has had a huge impact on the dryhaving been derived from a double-cross613bean industry in Ontario. Its rise in acreagebetween HR85-1885 and Montcalm andis the lb/acre advantage across the province has been phenomenalUSWA-39 and AC Litekidit is part of what(based on the five-year over the past eight years. is known as a conical cross.average) DynastyIts also been widely adopted abroad,Now that Dynasty dominates the kidneyhas over the variety approaching 50-60% of the total dark redbean industry, Pauls says the reputation of Red Hawkkidney bean acreage across North America.the University of Guelph breeding program Its wide adaptability, tremendous yield poten- has received a significant boost.tial and stress tolerance have made it oneIts really opened up the eyes of some variety that bean farmers want to grow. of the people in the bean breeding com-Dynasty is all about yield. It has alwaysmunity. Its not that large a community, and stood out in that department, says Paulword travels fast and far when youre able toListen to our podcast episode Cornwell, field marketer and seed managerdevelop really good lines.with Peter and Tom at for Hensall Co-op based in Ontario, whichgermination.ca/dynasty6GERMINATION.CAMARCH 2022'