Biotechnology Enabled Genetic Improvement of Pea (Pisum sativum): From Genomic Tools to Commercial Cultivar Development

Abstract

The pea (Pisum sativum L.) is a significant cool-season legume that is valued for its role in sustainable cropping systems, nutritional value, and capacity to fix nitrogen. Despite its importance, a limited genetic base, vulnerability to biotic and abiotic stresses, and the complexity of polygenic traits have limited pea genetic improvement. Breeding of pea has been revolutionized with the advent of biotechnology, which has enabled the breeder to make the desired changes selectively, quickly, and as needed. Quality reference genomes, dense molecular markers, quantitative trait loci (QTL), and genome-wide association studies (GWAS) are genomic resources that have been utilized in unraveling complex traits and identifying desirable alleles. Among the methods used to accelerate cultivar development is high-throughput phenotyping based on the application of molecular breeding, such as marker-assisted selection (MAS), marker-assisted backcrossing (MABC), or genomic selection (GS), and speed breeding. Transgenic systems, including genetic engineering and others, have introduced novel characteristics (e.g., disease and insect resistance), and the system using genome editing, particularly CRISPR/Cas, can be utilized in conjunction with previously unheard-of accuracy in editing properties of yield, stress, and quality. These biotechnological tools, in combination with traditional breeding, have led to the introduction of pea cultivars that are high-yielding, resistant, and contain nutritionally enhanced properties. Pangenomics, artificial intelligence, and synthetic biology are some of the upcoming technologies that will strive to enhance pea in the future to contribute to food security in the world, as well as climate-adaptive agriculture. The majority of reported yield, stress-tolerance, and nutritional-enhancement improvements are, however, pegged on published QTL/GWAS relations and experimental validation in regulated or multi-location field trials, whereas others are projected potential based on genomic resources and a marker-based breeding pipeline.