Abstract
ABSTRACT: Pea (Pisum sativum L.) is the fourth leading legume crop in the world, and its demand is increasing. In this study, the morphological characteristics (seed shape, seed surface, seed coat color, hilum color, cotyledon color, 100-seed weight and color values), total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), 2,2’-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulphonate) (ABTS) free radical scavenging capacity and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) of 75 pea cultivars were investigated. Results showed rich genetic diversity and a wide range of phenolic contents and antioxidant activities. Sixteen varieties enriched with phenolic contents and high antioxidant activities were screened out. A significant correlation was reported among color values, TPC, TFC, ABTS and FRAP. Principal component analysis (PCA) extracted four principal components with a total cumulative contribution of 81.29%. Hierarchical cluster analysis based on the four extracted principal components resulted in a dendrogram dividing the peas into three groups. In addition, dark pea seeds have potential as a functional food in addition to their traditional role in providing dietary protein and fibre. This study provided a scientific basis for the breeding of pea varieties, development of new products and improvement of pea resource utilization.
Highlights
Pea (Pisum sativum L., 2n=2x=14) is an annual or perennial herb belonging to the genus Pisum in the leguminosae family, which can be classified into dry peas, green peas and snow peas (THAKUR et al, 2018)
We described the correlation among phenotypic traits, phenolic contents, antioxidant activity and color of pea seeds and identify potential genotypes for pea breeders aiming to exploit the most desirable characteristics
Results obtained using Pearson correlation showed a significant linear correlation between total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC) and between ABTS and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), which were in agreement with previous results (ZHAO et al, 2014; YAO et al, 2012)
Summary
Pea (Pisum sativum L., 2n=2x=14) is an annual or perennial herb belonging to the genus Pisum in the leguminosae family, which can be classified into dry peas, green peas and snow peas (THAKUR et al, 2018) It was originated in western Asia, Mediterranean region, Ethiopia, parts of southwest Asia, and the outer Caucasus, and was traditionally cultivated in cold and wet climatic regions, due to their cold resistance, drought resistance, and barren tolerance (SAHA et al, 2018). Morphological characteristics are based on the description of individual traits of plants and are the most traditional and intuitive way to detect genetic variation. These characteristics are important in establishing gene pool collections and efficient use of crop germplasm resources (SANTOS et al, 2012). Morphological description has been widely used in plant germplasm identification and classification, breeding material selection and genetic diversity research
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