Development and characterization of penta-flowering and triple-flowering genotypes in garden pea (<i>Pisum sativum</i> L. var. <i>hortense</i>)

<div><p>This study reports the development of a garden pea genotype ‘VRPM–901–5’ producing five flowers per peduncle at multiple flowering nodes, by using single plant selection approach from a cross ‘VL-8 × PC-531’. In addition, five other stable genetic stocks, namely VRPM-501, VRPM–502, VRPM–503, VRPM–901–3 and VRPSeL–1 producing three flowers per peduncle at multiple flowering nodes were also developed. All these unique genotypes were of either mid- or late- maturity groups. Furthermore, these multi-flowering genotypes were identified during later generations (F₄ onward), which might be because of fixation of certain <i>QTLs</i> or recessive gene combinations. Surprisingly, a common parent PC–531, imparting multi-flowering trait in ten cross combinations was identified. Thus, the genotype PC–531 seems to harbor some recessive gene(s) or <i>QTLs</i> that in certain combination(s) express the multi-flowering trait. The interaction between genotype and environment showed that temperature (11–20°C) plays a key role in expression of the multi-flowering trait besides genetic background. Furthermore, the possible relationship between various multi-flowering regulatory genes such as <i>FN</i>, <i>FNA</i>, <i>NEPTUNE</i>, <i>SN</i>, <i>DNE</i>, <i>HR</i> and environmental factors was also explored, and a comprehensive model explaining the multi-flowering trait in garden pea is proposed.</p>