Regeneration of peas

Seed dormancy

When seeds are stored in genebanks, they usually develop hard-seededness due to extreme seed desiccation. Seed coats are then cut to allow germination prior to sowing.

Vernalization

None.

Crop phenology

phen peas.jpg

Sowing

Sowing is done manually in March. Approximately 100 seeds per accession are sown against a fence. Peas are sown 5 cm apart with a distance of 80 cm between the rows.

Harvesting

The seeds are harvested manually in July or August.

Pest and disease control

Preventive

  • Seed treatment against soil pathogens

 Non-preventive

  • Sitona lineatus in seedling stage
  • Laspeyresia nigricana in pre-flowering stage

During the entire growing season, infections by the Pea Seedborne Mosaic Virus (PSMV) are monitored with assistance from the Plant Protection Service of the Netherlands (PD). Plants expressing symptoms of PSMV are removed entirely. Accessions that are considered to be infected by PSMV are first grown in the greenhouse for detection of the virus. Single plants are tested for the infection of PSMV using serological tests (ELISA). Only the healthy plants are retained for seed regeneration.