Validation of Molecular Markers Significant for Flowering Time, Plant Lodging, Stem Geometry Properties, and Raffinose Family Oligosaccharides in Pea (Pisum sativum L.)

The field pea (Pisum sativum L.) is studied as an important grain legume used in both human and animal feed. DNA markers can contribute to the rapid breeding of novel pea cultivars. This study aimed to identify such molecular markers as the number of days to the beginning of flowering, plant lodging, and stem geometry. Phenotypic measurements were recorded during the field trials. Qualitative and quantitative analyses of soluble carbohydrates (e.g., monosaccharides, sucrose, and raffinose family oligosaccharides) in the pea seeds were performed. A t-test was used to detect the significance of markers associated with each trait. Fifteen markers that were significant for thirteen traits were identified in this analysis. The same markers were identified for verbascose concentration in 2013 and 2014 and stem-wall thickness in 2014 and 2015. Our marker for the number of days to the beginning of flowering (AB141) was 4 cM from the AB64 marker, which was identified as a marker linked to days to 50% bloom. We found a negative correlation between lodging score at the end of flowering and stem diameter in the middle (2015, -0.40) of this study set of pea lines. Although similar correlations were detected in the Carneval x MP1401 population, the correlation between lodging at maturity and diameter in the middle and upper stem sections was positive. In markers validation, particularly for polygenic traits, a statistical analysis of the observed characters is an important step for a division of the trait values into a bimodal distribution.

Automated summary

This study identified multiple important traits related to field pea through phenotypic measurements and marker validation. This has significant implications for breeding and improving yield and quality of field pea.