CONTENDER

Contender is a large-seeded high-oleic Virginia-type that has enhanced pod size distribution and seed size when compared to the Virginia type cultivar VENUS.  Released jointly by the USDA ARS and Oklahoma Agricultural Experiment Station in 2018, Contender is the result of a cross between the high-oleic Virginia cultivar Brantley and high-oleic runner cultivar Red River Runner.  Contender had an average pod yield of 5,773 lbs/acre, a grade of 69, 55% ELK, and 76% total fancy pods, giving it the highest estimated value for the producer among the Virginia-type cultivars tested in Oklahoma Variety Trials for 2016-2017. Contender is moderately resistant to Sclerotinia blight and pod rot when compared to Jupiter.