Peas that like it hot

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Farmers across the world produce between 10 and 13 million tons of field pea every year. That makes it a top legume crop, just behind dry beans and chickpeas.

Farmers across the world produce between 10 and 13 million tons of field pea every year. That makes it a top legume crop, just behind dry beans and chickpeas.

But as the global climate changes and temperatures continue to rise, heat stress is becoming a major limiting factor for pea cultivation.

A new study indicates that pea plants with some specific traits – such as longer flowering time and higher pod numbers – may be more resistant to heat stress.

The researchers also gained new insights into the genetics of heat tolerance in pea.

Read more at American Society of Agronomy

Extreme heat has resulted in these pea blossoms not producing a pod. (Credit: Rosalind Bueckert)