This study was conducted at Horticultural Research Institute, NARC, Islamabad, Pakistan during autumn 2009-10 to evaluate the performance of 13 peas genotypes for higher yield and drought tolerance under rainfed conditions. Morphological characters studied were; days to 50 percent flowering, number of plants per plot, stem girth per plant, pod length, plant height, number of branches per plant, number of pods per plant, number of seeds per pod, 100-seed fresh weight, 100-seed dry weight and pod yield. Maximum pod yield was noted in 2001-55 (10.43 t/ha) followed by FS-21-87 (9.52 t/ha). Genotype 2001-55 also excelled in number of seeds per pod (8.56) and pod length (9.33 cm). Maximum plant height was observed in Shareen (125.7 cm) against minimum plant height (65.57 cm) in genotype 2001-55. Maximum 100- seed fresh weight (49.50 g) was noted in FS-21-87 followed by 2001-55 (46.00 g) and check Climax (40.0g) against minimum in genotype DMR-4 (20.20 g) On the basis of overall performances, genotypes 2001-55 and FS-21-87 are recommended for further evaluation.

Morphological performance of peas (pisum sativum) genotypes under rainfed conditions of potowar region

Is foliar enrichment of pea plants with iodine and selenium appropriate for production of functional food

A pot experiment was carried out to explore the role of glycinebetaine (GB) as foliar spray foliar on two pea (Pisum sativum L.) varieties (Pea 09 and Meteor Fsd) under saline and non-saline conditions. Thirty-two-day-old plants were subjected to two levels 0 and 150 mM of NaCl stress. Salt treatment was applied in full strength Hoagland’s nutrient solution. Three levels 0, 5 and 10 mM of GB were applied as foliar treatment on 34-day-old pea plants. After 2 weeks of foliar treatment with GB data for various growth and physiochemical attributes were recorded. Rooting-medium applied salt (150 mM NaCl) stress decreased growth, photosynthesis, chlorophyll, chlorophyll fluorescence and soluble protein contents, while increasing the activities of enzymatic (POD and CAT) and non-enzymatic (ascorbic acid and total phenolics) antioxidant enzymes. Foliar application of GB decreased root and shoot Na+ under saline conditions, while increasing shoot dry matter, root length, root fresh weight, stomatal conductance (g
 s), contents of seed ascorbic acid, leaf phenolics, and root and shoot Ca2+ contents. Of three GB (0, 5, 10 mM) levels, 10 mM proved to be more effective in mitigating the adverse effects of salinity stress. Overall, variety Pea 09 showed better performance in comparison to those of var. Meteor Fsd under both normal and salinity stress conditions. GB-induced modulation of seed ascorbic acid, leaf phenolics, g
 s, and root Ca2+ values might have contributed to the increased plant biomass, reduction of oxidative stress, increased osmotic adjustment and better photosynthetic performance of pea plants under salt stress.

Modulation in growth, photosynthetic efficiency, activity of antioxidants and mineral ions by foliar application of glycinebetaine on pea ( Pisum sativum L.) under salt stress

Powdery mildew caused by Erysiphe pisi DC results heavy losses in the yield and quality of pods and seeds of pea crop. Germplasm comprising 701 accessions of garden and field pea originating from 60 countries were screened for powdery mildew resistance under natural epiphytotic conditions and 64 accessions found resistant in field screening for 2 years at one location were further screened both in field at two locations and artificially in laboratory to four isolates. The information was also obtained on the amount of genetic diversity and agronomic superiority in resistant accessions. Fifty-seven accessions showed resistant reaction for 3 consecutive years in field screening but only 14 accessions originating from 10 countries showed resistant reaction in laboratory screening against the four most prevalent isolates of E. pisi collected from different places in the area of experiment. Germplasm lines showed both complete and incomplete levels of resistance and variable reactions to different isolates. There was sufficient genetic diversity and agronomic superiority in the resistant accessions e.g. EC598655, EC598878, EC598704, IC278261, and IC218988, which may serve as useful genetic material to plant breeders for breeding pea varieties for powdery mildew resistance and high yield.

Screening of pea germplasm for resistance to powdery mildew

Gixhari B., Pavelkova M., Ismaili H., Vrapi H., Jaupi A., Smýkal P. (2014): Genetic diversity of Albanian pea (Pisum sativum L.) landraces assessed by morphological traits and molecular markers. Czech J. Genet. Plant Breed., 50: 177–184. In order to investigate the genetic diversity present in the pea germplasm stored in the Albanian genebank, we analyzed 28 local pea genotypes of Albanian origins for 23 quantitative morphological traits, as well as 14 retrotransposonbased insertion polymorphism (RBIP) molecular markers. The study of morphological characters carried out during three growing seasons (2010, 2011 and 2012) had the objective of characterization of traits useful in breeding pro grams. RBIP marker analysis revealed the genetic similarity in range from 0.06 to 0.45. ANOVA, principal component analysis (PCA) and cluster analysis was used to visualize the association among different traits. Most of the quantita tive morphological traits showed significant differences. PCA and cluster analysis (Ward’s method) carried out for morphological traits divided the local pea genotypes into three clusters. Finally, the study identified the agronomicaly important traits which will facilitate the maintenance and agronomic evaluation of the collections.

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A. Javaid

Papers

Evaluation of local and exotic pea Pisum sativum germplasm for vegetable and dry grain traits