by PressScientists discover gene that regulates pea yield
Pea yield can be regulated at the gene level
A team from the IBMCP research institute has identified a gene responsible for pea yield. The discovery is significant for the development and transformation of the agricultural sector. It is also crucial for increasing the production of pulses. Legumes are considered an essential food on the world market.
One of the main problems facing modern agriculture is the decline in crop yields. Climatic changes, aggressive technologies, and other factors are having a negative impact on production. Not only of pulses but also of other crops. The situation is getting worse every year as the world’s population continues to consume more and more. That is why scientists in many countries are actively working to develop new crop varieties. These will produce high yields under current conditions.
An important part of the scientists’ work is to study the mechanisms responsible for the reproductive phase of plants. The new study has enabled specialists to identify the FUL gene regulating this process in peas. According to the IBMCP team, manipulating this gene opens up new possibilities for optimising yields.
The importance of the gene for breeding
Professor Cristina Ferrandis led the research team. Institute’s team published own discovery in the profile edition of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The scientists note their project’s significance in increasing the production of peas and other legumes. The gene is responsible for similar functions in chickpeas, lentils and beans. Notably, these crops occupy a prominent place in the food systems of many countries and nationalities. FUL is also responsible for the length of the flowering period in fruit plants, which can also speed up ripening.
Characteristics of annual plants helped scientists identify the gene:
— annual plants;
— crops have a single reproductive season;
— genetic factors control the mechanisms of fertilisation and ripening;
— the latter are responsible for the duration of flowering and can interrupt it;
— the stimulation of flowering will accelerate the maturation of the crop.
It is worth noting that scientists have previously focused on other parts of the genome. However, the discovery of FUL has excellent potential for further research. This gene is also present in related species. So that it can be a universal mechanism.
The scientists note that when FUL is mutated, it loses its functional properties. As a result, the plant begins to produce flowers in large quantities, slowing down fruit formation. According to Ferrandis, developing algorithms to manipulate the gene will help reduce the ripening time. In this case, it is important not only to speed up the process but also to preserve the quality of the crop. The researchers are confident that improved varieties will make it possible to increase the production of pulses by a factor of two without losing their nutritional properties.