Variation for nutritional and cooking properties among Turkish field pea landraces

The objective of this study was to explore the extent of the variation for important seed traits present in a set of 28 field pea landraces collected from various regions of Turkey. A high level of variation was observed for the content of protein, crude fat, ash, fiber and starch. Seed weight, volume and density also varied markedly, as did hydration capacity, swelling index and cooking time. The capacity of the landraces to accumulate trace minerals (Cu, K, Ca, Mg, P and Zn) also varied. Trait correlations were established, although the genetic component of these remains uncertain pending multi- location testing. Landraces which produced either seed with high protein content or which had a short cooking time were identified. One of the high protein types also was a good accumulator of Zn, P and Mg. Our results provide an initial step toward the identification of field pea landraces that may be useful for the development of high-quality field pea cultivars