Pea
Pisum sativum
Pea is the major pulse crop in Europe in terms of cropping area and economic importance. Current yield limitations of this leguminous protein crop are caused by disease pressure and climate change leading to enhanced drought and heath exposure. Another reason for choosing pea as a flagship crop is the current lack of local availability of high-quality plant proteins, which is fuelling long-distance imports from abroad to fulfil the demand for industrial animal feeds and human food
Lead by CSIC
Pea Flagship crops News
16 – Screening Crop Wild Relatives of Pea under field conditions – Improving on-field phenotyping of Pea-CWR with a fence-based system
Reliable phenotyping of pea crop wild relatives (CWRs) and breeding progeny is essential for effective selection in plant breeding, but field conditions often limit the assessment of individual plants. The COUSIN Project presents a fence-supported field screening system that improves the evaluation of pea genotypes under realistic growing conditions, enabling more precise selection for plant architecture, health and agronomic performance.
15 – How genomics can help to unlock wild genetic potential for crop improvment
Modern crops have lost valuable genetic diversity through domestication, while crop wild relatives (CWRs) retain traits important for resilience and adaptation. The COUSIN Project provides high-quality genomic resources and maps for multiple CWR species, enabling the identification of beneficial genes and supporting their targeted introgression into modern crops to accelerate breeding for improved performance and resistance.
14 – Using Crop Wild Relatives in innovative food products – Translating crop diversity into practical food application
Crop wild relatives (CWRs) and CWR-derived materials from barley, wheat, pea and lettuce offer underused potential for innovative food product development. The COUSIN Project demonstrates how these resources can be incorporated into a range of food applications, supporting the creation of more diverse, nutritious and sustainable food systems.
12 – Testing soil for the presence of Aphanomyces euteiches – A. euteiches is the causal agent of Aphanomyces root rot in peas
This practice presents a protocol for testing soil for the presence of Aphanomyces euteiches, the causal agent of pea root rot. The COUSIN Project provides practical guidance on disease risk assessment using a soil bioassay, supporting field selection, crop management, and the evaluation of pea crop wild relatives for improved resistance to root rot.
Genome-wide association studies of a pea germplasm reveal novel markers and candidate genes implicated in resistance to Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. pisi races 1 and 2
On May 2026, the scientific journal "The Plant Genome" published an article written by Osman Zakaria Wohor, Diego Rubiales, Nicolas Rispail entitled "Genome-wide association studies of a pea germplasm reveal novel markers and candidate genes implicated in resistance...
Article reporting development of Ascochyta blight resistant breeding lines
On March 2026, the scientific journal "Agriculture" published an article written by Manuel Alejandro Jiménez-Vaquero,María José Cobos,Carmen María Ruiz-Pastor, and Diego Rubiales entitled "Development of Advanced Pea Breeding Lines with Improved Resistance to...
Article reporting field performance of CWR derived pea cultivars
On June 15th, the scientific journal "Field Crops Research" published an article written by Manuel Alejandro Jiménez-Vaquero, Fernando Flores, Maria José Cobos, Diego Rubiales entitled "Field pea breeding for integrated adaptation to biotic and abiotic stresses in...
Three days of activities and synergies for the third annual project meeting
The third COUSIN Annual Meeting took place from 25 to 27 May in Scandicci, Italy, and was hosted by the project partner Rete Semi Rurali. The event brought together representatives from across the consortium to review project achievements, exchange knowledge, and...
Development of Advanced Pea Breeding Lines with Improved Resistance to Ascochyta Blight
On March 25th, the scientific journal Agriculture published an article written by Manuel Alejandro Jiménez-Vaquero, María José Cobos, Carmen María Ruiz-Pastor, and Diego Rubiales entitled "Development of Advanced Pea Breeding Lines with Improved Resistance to...
Identification of genomic regions associated with partialresistance to Aphanomyces root rot in pea
On December 1th, the scientific journal The plant genome (volume 18, issue 4) published an article written by Sara Rodriguez-Mena, Maria Carlota Vaz Patto, Susana Trindade Leitão, Diego Rubiales, and Mario González entitled “Identification of...
