In breeding of multi-purpose crops, such as peas (Pisum sativum), there is always a concern about which are the best quantitative descriptors to characterize germplasm for each one of their uses and to apply in multi-trait selection in breeding programs (3, 7). The characterization of the genetic material has to be mostly based upon high heritable traits in order to know the variability within the collection. Only those characters that show consistent genetic versus environmental basis should be taken into account, because those markedly influenced by the environment are unreliable and uneven from one place to another. As many metrical characters (that are important from an agricultural point of view but has not been yet genetically analyzed) either have low stability in different environments or their genetic basis are low, they are not able to be used for breeding programs until they were better known. Instead, reproductive characters less affected by environmental factors and interactions must be considered (2). They are useful along with the habitual quantitative ones when the material is intended for a breeding program.

Peer reviewed