The effectiveness of artificial pollination in various representatives of the genus Pisum L.

Keywords: Pisum sativum L., Pisum elatius, Pisum fulvum, hybridisation

Abstract

Wild relatives of cultivated pea (Pisum sativum L.) represent an important reservoir of alleles associated with resistance to biotic and abiotic stressors; however, their use in breeding programs is constrained by limited knowledge of their diversity and by difficulties in obtaining hybrids under field conditions. In this study, we evaluated the efficiency of interspecific hybridization among P. sativum, P. elatius and P. fulvum under field conditions, focusing on the effects of flower emasculation timing, parental genotype, and direction of the cross. Morphological characteristics of the parental accessions were used to facilitate hybrid identification based on seed-coat coloration in direct and reciprocal crosses. Two pollination approaches were compared: immediate pollination following flower emasculation and delayed pollination conducted 24 hours after emasculation.

Across combinations involving P. sativum, hybrid seed set (S/F index) was consistently higher when pollination was performed immediately after emasculation. Delayed pollination resulted in a marked reduction of hybrid seed production, likely reflecting both physiological constraints and high temperature stress during flowering. Reciprocal crosses revealed low and relatively uniform hybridization efficiency in combinations with P. fulvum, whereas crosses involving P. elatius produced substantially higher seed set, consistent with its close genetic affinity to P. sativum. The stability of hybridization efficiency across years (2020 – 2021) was confirmed for several cross combinations. Evaluation of the F₁ and F₂ seed lots demonstrated the successful production of true interspecific hybrids, with diagnostic segregation observed in combinations where the wild species served as the maternal parent.

These results confirm that viable hybrids among representatives of the genus Pisum can be reliably obtained under field conditions and highlight that immediate post- emasculation pollination is the most effective strategy for maximizing hybrid seed production. The findings support the broader use of wild Pisum germplasm in pre-breeding and genetic research and provide practical recommendations for improving interspecific hybridization success in breeding programs.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Author Biographies

A.O. Vasylenko, Yuriev Plant Production Institute of National Academy of Agrarian Science (NAAS)

142 Heroiv Kharkova av, Kharkiv, Ukraine, 61060, avase2015@gmail.com

N.O. Vus, Yuriev Plant Production Institute of National Academy of Agrarian Science (NAAS)

142 Heroiv Kharkova av, Kharkiv, Ukraine, 61060, 61060vus.nadezhda@gmail.com

Agroécologie, INRAE, Institute Agro, University Bourgogne Franche-Comté, 17 Sully st, Dijon, France

L.M. Shevchenko, Yuriev Plant Production Institute of National Academy of Agrarian Science (NAAS)

142 Heroiv Kharkova av, Kharkiv, Ukraine, 61060, larashevchenko667@gmail.com

O.M. Bezuhla, Yuriev Plant Production Institute of National Academy of Agrarian Science (NAAS)

142 Heroiv Kharkova av, Kharkiv, Ukraine, 61060, olgabezuglaya61@gmail.com

A.V. Hlyantsev, Yuriev Plant Production Institute of National Academy of Agrarian Science (NAAS)

142 Heroiv Kharkova av, Kharkiv, Ukraine, 61060, avglyancev@gmail.com

V.O. Skydan, Yuriev Plant Production Institute of National Academy of Agrarian Science (NAAS)

142 Heroiv Kharkova av, Kharkiv, Ukraine, 61060, https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5592-2107

O.Yu. Zimohlyad, Yuriev Plant Production Institute of National Academy of Agrarian Science (NAAS)

142 Heroiv Kharkova av, Kharkiv, Ukraine, 61060, zimogladyulia25@gmail.com

References

Aznar-Fernàndez T., Carrillo-Perdomo E., Flores F., Rubiales D. (2018). Identification and multi-environment validation of resistance to pea weevil (Bruchus pisorum) in Pisum germplasm. Journal of Pest Science. 91(2). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10340-017-0925-1

Barilli E., Satovic Z., Rubiales D., Torres A.M. (2010). Mapping of quantitative trait loci controlling partial resistance against rust incited by Uromyces pisi (Pers.) Wint. in a Pisum fulvum L. intraspecific cross. Euphytica, 175,151–159. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10681-010-0141-z

Ben-Ze'Ev N., Zohary, D. (1973). Species relationships in the genus Pisum L. Israel Journal of Botany. 22, 73–91

Bonnin I., Ronfort J., Wozniak F., Olivieri I. (2001) Spatial effects and rare outcrossing events in Medicago truncatula (Fabaceae). Molecular Ecology, 10(6), 1371–1383 https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-294X.2001.01278.x

Byrne O., Hardie D., Khan T., Speijers J., Yan G. (2008). Genetic analysis of pod and seed resistance to pea weevil in a Pisum sativum× P. fulvum interspecific cross. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research, 59, 854–862. https://doi.org/10.1071/AR07353

Canty A., Ripley B. (2024). boot: Bootstrap R (S-Plus) Functions. R package version 1.3-30.

Clement S.L., McPhee K.E., Elberson L.R., Evans M.A. (2009). Pea weevil, Bruchus pisorum L. (Coleoptera: Bruchidae), resistance in Pisum sativum×Pisum fulvum interspecific crosses. Plant Breeding, 128, 478-485. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1439-0523.2008.01603.x

Chekrygin P. M., Bezugliy I. M., Ryabukha S. S., Vasylenko A. O. (2008). Method for increasing the efficiency of pea hybridization. Patent No. 33483, applicant and patent owner V. Ya. Yuryev Institute of Plant Production of the UAAS. No. u 200801875; filed on 13.02.08; published on 25.06.08, Bull. No. 12, 2008

Chen B., Shi Y., Sun Y., Lu L., Wang L., Liu Z., Cheng S. (2024). Innovations in functional genomics and molecular breeding of pea: exploring advances and opportunities. aBIOTECH, 5, 71–93. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42994-023-00129-1

Davison A.C., Hinkley D.V. (1997) Bootstrap Methods and Their Applications. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. ISBN 0-521-57391-2

Devi J., Mishra G. P., Sagar V., Kaswan V., Dubey R.K., Singh P.M., Sharma S.K., Behera T.K. (2022). Gene-Based Resistance to Erysiphe Species Causing Powdery Mildew Disease in Peas (Pisum sativum L.). Genes, 13(2), 316. https://doi.org/10.3390/genes13020316

Dostálová R, Seidenglanz M, Griga M. (2005) Simulation and assessment of possible environmental risks associated with release of genetically modified peas (Pisum sativum L.) into environment in Central Europe. Czech Journal of Geneticsand Plant Breeding, 41(2), 51–63. https://doi.org/10.17221/3672-CJGPB

Ellis T.H.N., Smýkal P., Maxted N., Coyne C.J., Domoney C., Burstin J., Bouchenak-Khelladi Y., Chayut N. (2024). The Taxonomic Status of Genera within the Fabeae (Vicieae), with a Special Focus on Pisum. Diversity, 16(7), 365. https://doi.org/10.3390/d16070365

Fondevilla S, Torres A.M., Moreno M.T., Rubiales D. (2007). Identification of a new gene for resistance to powdery mildew in Pisum fulvum, a wild relative of pea. Breeding Science, 57(2), 181–184. https://doi.org/10.1270/jsbbs.57.181

Genesys-PGR https://www.genesys-pgr.org. (Available 26.11.2025)

Guerra M.E., Wünsch A., López-Corrales M., Rodrigo J. (2010) Flower Emasculation as the Cause for Lack of Fruit Set in Japanese Plum Crosses. Journal American Society for Horticultural Science, 135(6), 556–561. https://doi.org/10.21273/JASHS.135.6.556

Henry L., Wickham H. (2023). rlang: Functions for Base Types and Core R and 'Tidyverse' Features. R package version 1.1.1. https://CRAN.R-project.org/package=rlang

Hoban S, Strand A. (2015) Ex situ seed collections will benefit from considering spatial sampling design and species’ reproductive biology. Biological Conservations, 187, 182–191. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2015.04.023

Jha A., Tar’an B., Stonehouse R., Warkentin T. D. (2016). Identification of QTLs associated with improved resistance to ascochyta blight in an interspecific pea recombinant inbred line population. Crop Science, 56 (6), 2926–2939. https://doi.org/10.2135/cropsci2016.01.0001

Jha A.B., Gali K.K., Tar'an B., Warkentin T.D. (2017). Fine mapping of QTLs to develop improved markers for ascochyta blight disease resistance in pea. Front. Plant Science. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2017.00765

Jiang Y., Lahlali R., Karunakaran C., Kumar S., Davis A.R., Bueckert R.A. (2015) Seed set, pollen morphology and pollen surface composition response to heat stress in field pea. Plant Cell Environ, 38, 2387–2397. https://doi.org/10.1111/pce.12589

Kilian A., Wenzl P., Huttner E., Carling J., Xia L., Blois H., Ciag V., Heller-Uszynska K., Jaccoud D., Hopper C., Aschenbrenner-Killian M., Evers M., Peng K., Cayla C., Hjk P., Uszynski G. (2012) Diversity Arrays Technology: a generic genome profiling technology on open platforms. Methods in Molecular Biology, 888, 67–89. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-61779-870-2_5

Knott C. (2008). A key for stages of development of the pea (Pisum sativum). Annals of Applied Biology. 111. 233 - 245. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1744-7348.1987.tb01450.x

Kouam, E.B., Pasquet R.S., Campagne P. Tignegre J.B., Thoen K., Gaudin R., Ouedraogo J.T., Salifu A.B., Muluvi G.M., Gepts P. (2012). Genetic structure and mating system of wild cowpea populations in West Africa. BMC Plant Biology, 12. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2229-12-113

Leimu R., Mutikainen P., Koricheva J., Fischer M. (2006) How general are positive relationships between plant population size, fitness and genetic variation? Journal of Ecology, 94(5), 942–952. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2745.2006.01150.x

Loenning W.E. Cross fertilization in peas under different ecological conditions. Pisum Newsletter. 1984;16: 38-40

Martin-Sanz A., De La Vega M., Caminero C. (2012). Resistance to Pseudomonas syringae in a collection of pea germplasm under field and controlled conditions. Plant Pathology, 61(2), 375–387. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-3059.2011.02522.x

Naim-Feil E., Toren M., Aubert G., Rubinstein M., Rosen A., Eshed R., Sherman A., Ophir R., Saranga Y., Abbo S. (2017). Drought response and genetic diversity in pisum fulvum, a wild relative of domesticated pea. Crop Science. 57(3), 1145–1159. https://doi.org/10.2135/cropsci2016.10.0880

Ochatt S., Benabdelmouna A., Marget P. Aubert G., Moussy F., Pontécaille C., Jacas L.(2004) Overcoming hybridization barriers between pea and some of its wild relatives. Euphytica, 137, 353–359. https://doi.org/10.1023/B:EUPH.0000040476.57938.81

Pedersen T. (2024). patchwork: The Composer of Plots. R package version 1.3.0. https://CRAN.R-project.org/package=patchwork

Polowick P.L., Vandenberg A., Mahon J.D. (2002) Field assessment of outcrossing from transgenic pea (Pisum sativum L.) plants. Transgenic Research, 11(5), 515–519 https://doi.org/10.1023/a:1020368322335

R Core Team (2023). R: A Language and Environment for Statistical Computing. R Foundation for Statistical Computing, Vienna, Austria. https://www.R-project.org/

Saboor N., Sajjad A., Kamran S., Raham D., Bismillah S. (2016) Insect pollinators and their relative abundance on pea (Pisum sativum) at Peshawar. Journal of Entomology and Zoology Studies, 4(1), 112–117. https://www.entomoljournal.com/archives/?year=2016&vol=4&issue=1&ArticleId=794

Sari H., Sari D., Eker T. Toker C. (2021). De novo super-early progeny in interspecific crosses Pisum sativum L. × P. fulvum Sibth. et Sm. Scientific Report, 11(1), 19706 https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-99284-y

Sari H., Eker T., Sari D., Aksoy M., Bakır M., Dogdu V., Toker C., Canci H. (2023). The Fastest and Most Reliable Identification of True Hybrids in the Genus Pisum L. Life (Basel), 13(11), 2222. https://doi.org/10.3390/life13112222

Saha S. (2021) A practical manual on Fundamentals of Plant Breeding. The Neotia University 64 р. tnu.in

Schauberger P., Walker A. (2022). openxlsx: Read, Write and Edit xlsx Files_. R package version 4.2.5.1. https://CRAN.R-project.org/package=openxlsx

Sekiguchi Y., Ubi B.E., Ishii T. (2023). Chemical emasculation in cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.) and dicotyledonous model species using trifluoromethanesulfonamide (TFMSA). Plant Reproduction, 36, 273–284. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00497-023-00469-4

Slowikowski K. (2024). ggrepel: Automatically Position Non-Overlapping Text Labels with 'ggplot2'. R package version 0.9.6. https://CRAN.R-project.org/package=ggrepel.

Smýkal P., Aubert G., Burstin J., Coyne C., Ellis N.T.H., Flavell A.J., Ford R., Hýbl M., Macas J., Neumann P., McPhee K.E., Redden R., Rubiales D., Weller J.L., Warkentin T.D. (2012) Pea (Pisum sativum L.) in the Genomic Era. Agronomy, 2(2), 74-115. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy2020074

Smýkal P., Coyne C., Ambrose M.J. Maxted N., Schaefer H., Blair M.W., Berger J., Greene S.L., Nelson M.N., Besharat N., Vymyslický T., Toker C., Saxena R.K., Roorkiwal M., Pandey M.K., Hu J., Li Y.H., Wang L.X., Guo Y., Qiu L.J., Redden R., Varshney R.K. (2015) Legume crops phylogeny and genetic diversity for science and breeding. Critical Reviews in Plant Science. 34(1-3), 43–104. https://doi.org/10.1080/07352689.2014.897904

Smýkal P., Trněný O., Brus J., Hanáček P., Rathore A., Roma Das R., Pechanec V., Duchoslav M., Bhattacharyya D., Bariotakis M., Pirintsos S., Berger J., Toker C. (2018) Genetic structure of wild pea (Pisum sativum subsp. elatius) populations in the northern part of the Fertile Crescent reflects moderate cross-pollination and strong effect of geographic but not environmental distance. PLoS ONE, 13(3), e0194056. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0194056

Suso M.J., Bebeli P.J., Christmann S., Mateus C., Negri V., Pinheiro de Carvalho M.A.A., Toricelli R., Veloso M.M. (2016) Enhancing legume ecosystem services through an understanding of plant–pollinator interplay. Frontiers in Plant Science, 7, 333 https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2016.00333

Tayeh N., Aubert G., Pilet-Nayel M.L., Lejeune-Hénaut I., Warkentin T.D., Burstin J.(2015) Genomic Tools in Pea Breeding Programs: Status and Perspectives. Frontiers in Plant Science. Nov 27;6, 1037. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2015.01037

USDA, Agricultural Research Service, National Plant Germplasm System. (2025). Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN Taxonomy). National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland. https://npgsweb.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxon/taxonomydetail?id=27592 (Available 30.06.2025)

Valderrama M., Román B., Satovic Z., Rubiales D., Cubero J.I., Torres A.M. (2004). Locating quantitative trait loci associated with Orobanche crenata resistance in pea. Weed Research, 44(4), 323–328. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-3180.2004.00406.x

Vasylenko A.O., Vus N.O., Bezuhlyi I.N., Bezuhla O.N., Shevchenko L.N., Kucherenko Ye.Yu, Hliantsev A.V. (2021). Pea Donors of Valuable Breeding Traits. Вісник Харківського національного університету імені В.Н. Каразіна. «Серія Біологія», 36, 74–82. https://doi.org/10.26565/2075-5457-2021-36-8

Vito di M., Perrino P. (1978). Reaction of Pisum spp. to the attacks of Heterodera goettingiana Nematologia Mediterranea, 6(1), 113–118.

Warkentin T.D., Smýkal P., Xu P., McPhee K. (2024) Editorial: Advances in pea breeding and genomics. Frontiers in Plant Science, 15:1430421. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2024.1430421

Wickham H. (2016). ggplot2: Elegant Graphics for Data Analysis. New York: Springer-Verlag

Wickham H., Henry L. (2023). _purrr: Functional Programming Tools_. R package version 1.0.2, .

Yan J., Chen J., Lin Y., Yuan X., Somta P., Zhang Y., Zhang Z., Zhang X., Chen X. (2023). Mapping of quantitative trait locus reveals PsXI gene encoding xylanase inhibitor as the candidate gene for bruchid (Callosobruchus spp.) resistance in pea (Pisum sativum L.). Frontiers in Plant Science, 14. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2023.1057577

Yang T., Liu R., Luo Y., Hu S., Wang D., Wang C., Pandey M.K., Ge S., Xu Q., Li N., Li G., Huang Y., Saxena R.K., Ji Y., Li M., Yan X., He Y., Liu Y., Wang X., Xiang C., Varshev R.K., Ding H., Gao S., Zong X. (2022). Improved pea reference genome and pan-genome highlight genomic features and evolutionary characteristics. Nature Genetics, 54(10),1-11. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41588-022-01172-2
Published
2026-05-31
Cited
How to Cite
Vasylenko, A., Vus, N., Shevchenko, L., Bezuhla, O., Hlyantsev, A., Skydan, V., & Zimohlyad, O. (2026). The effectiveness of artificial pollination in various representatives of the genus Pisum L. The Journal of V.N.Karazin Kharkiv National University. Series «Biology», 46, 82-92. https://doi.org/10.26565/2075-5457-2026-46-7
Section
PLANT PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY