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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Pullman, Washington » Plant Germplasm Introduction and Testing Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #372037
Research Project: Management of Temperate-adapted Forage Legume Genetic Resources and Associated Information

Location: Plant Germplasm Introduction and Testing Research

Title: Environmental and genetic determinants of amphicarpy in Pisum fulvum, a wild relative of domesticated pea

Author
item HELLWIG, TIMO - Hebrew University Of Jerusalem
item FLOR, ALMOG - Hebrew University Of Jerusalem
item SARANGA, YEHOSHUA - Hebrew University Of Jerusalem
item Coyne, Clarice - Clare
item MAIN, DORRIE - Washington State University
item SHERMAN, AMIR - Volcani Center (ARO)
item OPHIR, RON - Volcani Center (ARO)
item ABBO, SHAHAL - Hebrew University Of Jerusalem

Submitted to: Plant Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/15/2020
Publication Date: 6/18/2020
Citation: Hellwig, T., Flor, A., Saranga, Y., Coyne, C.J., Main, D., Sherman, A., Ophir, R., Abbo, S. 2020. Environmental and genetic determinants of amphicarpy in Pisum fulvum, a wild relative of domesticated pea. Plant Science. 298. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.plantsci.2020.110566.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.plantsci.2020.110566

Interpretive Summary: Pisum fulvum is an annual legume native to Syria, Lebanon, Israel and Jordan. In certain populations, it displays a reproductive dimorphism - amphicarpy, with both above and below ground flowers and pods. Herein we aimed; to study the possible role of soil texture on amphicarpy in P. fulvum; to investigate the possible bio-climatic associations of P. fulvum amphicarpy and to identify genetic markers associated with this phenotype. We found amphicary is more common in fine textured soils and is associated with earlier flowering and modest production above ground biomass. We identifed 12 DNA markers (SNPs in genes or genic regions), a start of understanding the genetic control of this adaptive trait for seed production under drought conditions.

Technical Abstract: Pisum fulvum is an annual legume native to Syria, Lebanon, Israel and Jordan. In certain populations, it displays a reproductive dimorphism - amphicarpy, with both above and below ground flowers and pods. Herein we aimed; to study the possible role of soil texture on amphicarpy in P. fulvum; to investigate the possible bio-climatic associations of P. fulvum amphicarpy and to identify genetic markers associated with this phenotype. A set of germplasm accessions sampled across the Israeli distribution range of the species was phenotypes in two common garden nurseries. Bioclimatic data was used to delineate the eco-geographic clustering of accession's sampling sites. SNP markers were employed in GWAS to identify associated loci. Its amphicarpy was subject to strong experimental site x genotype interaction with higher phenotypic expression in fine textured soil relative to sandy loam. Amphicarpy is more prevalent among natural populations in eastern Judea and Samaria and is weakly associated with early phenology and relatively modest above ground biomass production. Twelve SNP were significantly associated with the phenotype explaining between 12 and 8% of the phenotypic variation. In P. fulvum amphicarpy seems to be a polygenetic trait controlled by an array of genes that is likely to be affected by environmental stimuli. The probable selective advantage of the association between amphicarpy and early flowering is in line with its relative prevalence in drought prone territories subject to heavy grazing.