by PressBritish scientists want to make grass peas an agricultural crop
Grass peas could be a worthy alternative to soybeans
Grass peas, also known as blue peas, could be a great alternative to soybeans. Scientists in the UK are actively looking for ways to replace the production of an oilseed crop. Because it doesn’t grow well in the country. They believe grass peas, considered unsuitable for food, could be a viable option.
British breeders have turned their attention to this pea variety for good reason. Widespread in India, the crop has several advantages:
— this pea shows resistance to changes in weather conditions;
— can grow in poor-quality soil;
— requires no special growing conditions;
— virtually unaffected by pests.
Grass pea does not attract insects or animals due to the presence of a toxin. The toxin is dangerous to human health and has, therefore, not been used in agriculture. But British scientists want to change that by removing the toxin from peas. They plan to use gene editing to do this. If successful, the project could give global agriculture another protein-rich crop.
An important advantage of peas is their ability to grow in dry conditions and poor soils. This means it can be grown in different regions without large amounts of fertiliser. This makes peas attractive to farmers in terms of profitability.
Scientists working on changing the pea genome
The first step in turning a poisonous plant into a useful agricultural crop is to discover its genome. Scientists have succeeded in tracing the chain of neurotoxin production. They now need to switch off the parts of the genes responsible for producing the toxin. At a research centre in the UK, they have already carried out the first successful tests.
Scientists are carrying out various field trials. They have chosen Lebanon and Morocco, where there are long periods of drought. Specialists have been able to reduce the concentration of the toxin by crossing the grass pea with other varieties that grow in these countries. Much work remains, however, as researchers need to understand the mechanisms of the toxin’s influence on the plant’s main characteristic, its high survival rate. Then the final stage of gene editing can begin.
The success of this project is vital to the economy and development of the UK agricultural sector. The country’s climate makes it impossible to grow soybeans, so the market relies on imports. Protein-rich peas will be an excellent replacement for oilseeds.