Selection in Early Generations of Dried Peas, Pisum sativum L. II. Significance of the Environment of Selection

In early generations peas arc frequently grown widely-spaced against wire netting under growing conditions considerably different from the commercial cultivation practice of dense stands. In 1985 and 1986, five morphologically different pea varieties were grown both widely-spaced against wire and in dense stand in plots. In the plot stands no methods to prevent the peas from lodging were used. Grain yield and yield-related traits were recorded in both environments of selection, i.e. ‘wire netting’ and ‘plot stand’. Data were analyzed with respect to the suitibility of the environment ‘wire netting’ for selection for grain yield to be realized in commercial stands of the crop. Against wire, the grain yield, number of podded lateral branches, number of podded nodes/main stem, and the profile of grain yield/node on the main stem were the most responsive characters as compared to the standard plot with a dense stand. The relative increase differed between genotypes, which was also indicated by highly significant genotype × environment interactions. Only small changes consistent over genotypes were observed for thousand grain weight (slightly lower), number of seeds/pod (slightly increased) and grain yield/pod (slightly higher). Against wire, the expression of varietal variation was higher for most characters. In addition, single plant error was lower, so that at the wire heritability values based on individual plants were larger than in the plots. The significance of the present results and the effects of competition on selection in early generations in dried peas are discussed.