The effect of weather factors on seed productivity components in pea accessions from VIR during their reproduction at Adler Experiment Station

Background. An analysis of the effect of agroclimatic conditions on the formation of pea yields in the humid subtropics of the Caucasus is important to determine optimal modes of heat and moisture supply, as well as to identify accessions with stable productivity as source material for breeding in the region. Material and methods. The materials of the study included 453 pea accessions from the VIR collection, which underwent a primary field study at Adler Experiment Station of VIR in 2020–2022. The studied set of accessions was characterized by diverse uses and various geographic origins. Field phenotyping was carried out in accordance with VIR’s guidelines. Statistical data processing was performed using the Statistica 13.3 software. Results. The effect size of the influence of weather conditions on phenotypic traits determining pea yield averaged 44.0%, and its genotypic component was 32.7%. The greatest effect of the genotype was manifested on the number of nonproductive nodes (97.0%), 1000-seed weight (83.6%), stem length (81.1%), number of flowers per raceme (80.9%), maximum number of seeds per pod (71.0%), pod size (68.3%), and average number of pods per plant (51.0%). The maximum influence of the environment was recorded for the durations of the growing season (79.0%) and the period from sprouting to flowering (65.1%). Conclusion. Excessive precipitation and high air temperatures during the maturation period were critical for peas during the years of studying. The patterns of seed productivity formation differed among the cultivars grown for three different uses: grain, vegetable, and fodder. The most productive accessions were identified, as well as those with stable productivity under weather fluctuations across the three years of testing.