Frost stress evolution and winter pea ideotype in the context of climate warming at a regional scale

Pea ( Pisum sativum L.) is an important crop in temperate regions for its high seed protein concentration that is particularly sensitive to abiotic stresses. The abrupt temperature increase known as the “1987/1988 temperature regime shift” that occurs over Europe is questioning how winter pea will perform in the changing climate. This study assessed the winter frost damage evolution along from 1961 to 2015 in Burgundy-Franche-Comte by using: (1) daily observed and gridded regional temperature data and (2) a validated crop winter frost stress model calibrated for pea. This study shows a global decrease of the frost stress nevertheless resulting from a subtle balance between the decrease in its intensity and the increase of the number of events. The frost stress evolution patterns with warming depend on both plant frost resistance level and acclimation rate and are still sensitive to winter climate fluctuations. This study provides relevant information for breeding performant winter crop ideotypes able to moderate detrimental effects of climate change and offering new cropping opportunities in temperate regions.