PeaMUST, a large multidisciplinary project dedicated to pea improvement

Background and Objectives: Legume use in arable rotations provides several significant ecological services that can help to meet the challenge of delivering high-quality food and feed in an economically and environmentally sustainable manner. Nevertheless, grain legumes are underused by European farmers mainly because of yield inconsistency. PeaMUST overall objective is to develop novel pea varieties and optimize plant-symbiotic interactions for seed yield and quality regularity, in the context of pesticide reduction and climate change. Methodologies: PeaMUST project will take advantage of high-throughput sequencing, genotyping and phenotyping technologies to tackle the multiple-stress challenge. PeaMUST approach will combine different complementary approaches: (i) develop genomic selection programs based on naturally occurring variability and targeting yield stability, (ii) enhance allele mining for durable marker assisted selection (MAS) for resistance through comparative mapping, and (iii) create innovative plant architecture ideotypes by screening mutations and symbiotic biological regulations for improved stress tolerance. PeaMUST will also develop unique tools for gene identification and characterization (high throughput genotyping, association genetics, translational genomic tools, improved TILLING facilities and VIGS platform). Expected outcomes: PeaMUST will provide new insights into the mechanisms underlying multi-stress tolerance through a combination of genomics, genetics, physiology, and agronomic modelling. PeaMUST approach will allow rapid translation of genomics knowledge to breeding applications by the efficient use of the species natural diversity as well as induced diversity. PeaMUST will deliver adapted germplasm and devise novel breeding programs strategies to better exploit genetic resources that will be assessed for their socio-economic sustainability.