Phenotypic and genetic analysis of pod wall ratio, phenology and yield components in field pea

Abstract

Trait-based selection to improve stress adaptation can complement direct selection for yield provided the trait meets six criteria: (1) it must be genetically correlated with yield in the target environments; (2) it should be less affected by the GxE interaction than yield; (3) it should not be associated with low yield in favourable conditions; (4) it must show genetic variation; (5) it must be genetically stable, persistent across generations and relevant in different genetic backgrounds, and (6) it must lend itself to rapid, cost-effective and reliable quantification. Against these criteria, this study focused on pod wall ratio, defined as the weight ratio between the pod wall and the who..