Over 160 years ago, Gregor Mendel’s experiments with pea plants laid the foundation for modern genetics by revealing how traits are passed from one generation to the next. Now, a team of scientists from China and the UK has cracked the genetic code behind three of Mendel’s most puzzling pea traits, solving mysteries that have persisted since the 19th century.
Led by Professor Cheng Shifeng of the Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen (AGIS) and researchers from the UK’s John Innes Centre (JIC), the international team uncovered the exact genetic mechanisms behind pod color, pod shape, and flower position in pea plants.
By analyzing over 700 varieties of pea plants, the researchers discovered that the yellow color in pea pods is caused by a large deletion in the genome that affects chlorophyll production—the substance that gives plants their green color. Instead of a simple gene mutation, it’s a missing segment of DNA that disrupts the final step of chlorophyll synthesis.
The team also found that pod shape is controlled by two developmental genes working together, much like co-designers shaping the structure of the pod. Additionally, they identified that a gene encoding a co-receptor-like kinase determines the position of flowers on the plant, acting as a signal guide for where flowers should grow.
Beyond solving these long-standing genetic puzzles, the researchers identified genetic markers for 72 agronomic traits, creating a valuable resource for crop breeders. These insights pave the way for using AI-powered breeding tools to develop improved pea varieties with enhanced resilience and higher yields, contributing to sustainable agriculture.
“The genomic layer of information that we added brings so much potential,” said Dr. Noam Chayut, head of the Germplasm Resources Unit at the JIC. “We can make a huge leap forward in how we apply it for food security in Europe, in China, and around the world.”
Professor Cheng highlighted the importance of international collaboration in the project’s success. By introducing a diverse collection of seeds from around the world and planting them in different regions, the team gathered rich data across multiple growing seasons.
With global food security under increasing pressure from climate change and population growth, the ability to breed more adaptable and productive crops is more crucial than ever. This groundbreaking research not only completes a long-standing scientific puzzle but also opens new doors for precision agriculture.
“There’s still a huge amount of data that we can analyze, and this collaboration has great potential yet to be realized,” added Professor Noel Ellis, a senior scientist at the JIC with decades of experience in pea genetics.
