High Temperatures During the Seed-Filling Period Decrease Seed Nitrogen Amount in Pea ( L.): Evidence for a Sink Limitation.

Higher temperatures induced by the on-going climate change are a major cause of yield reduction in legumes. Pea ( L.) is an important annual legume crop grown in temperate regions for its high seed nitrogen (N) concentration.

Transcriptional Reprogramming of Pea Leaves at Early Reproductive Stages.

Pea ( L.) is an important source of dietary proteins. Nutrient recycling from leaves contributes to the accumulation of seed proteins and is a pivotal determinant of protein yields in this grain legume.

Determinism of carbon and nitrogen reserve accumulation in legume seeds.

In legume plants, the determination of individual seed weight is a complex phenomenon that depends on two main factors. The first one corresponds to the number of cotyledon cells, which determines the potential seed weight as the cotyledon cell number is related to seed growth rate during seed filling. Since cell divisions take place between flowering and the beginning of seed filling, any stress occurring before the beginning of seed filling can affect individual seed growth rate (C and N reserve accumulation in seeds), and thus individual seed weights.

How does temperature affect C and N allocation to the seeds during the seed-filling period in pea? Effect on seed nitrogen concentration.

The effect of moderate temperature on seed N concentration during the seed-filling period was evaluated in pea (Pisum sativum L.) kept in growth cabinets and the relation between plant assimilate availability and the variation of seed N concentration with temperature was investigated. Seed N concentration of pea was significantly lowered when temperature during the seed-filling period decreased from a day / night temperature of 25 / 20°C to 15 / 10°C.