Nutritional Traits

In the faba bean diversity panel, 2 genetic loci for seed protein content were found. PhD thesis of Ahmed Warsame, University of Reading (https://centaur.reading.ac.uk/108399/)

In the pea ‘PCGIN’ diversity panel, no significant loci for seed protein content were found. However, wrinkled-seeded varieties have statistically more protein than round-seeded varieties. This is because the block in starch synthesis in wrinkled seeds diverts more carbon into protein. A negative correlation between seed protein and yield was observed in wrinkled varieties, but not in round varieties. Summary Report.

Pea mutants lacking four or five major storage proteins (vicilins) have a similar seed protein content to the corresponding wild type, with other proteins increased in abundance (Rayner et al 2024)

Diversity in protein composition in pea seeds was characterized in >200 lines of the PCGIN panel. GWAS and QTL mapping identified genetic loci associated with abundant storage proteins or with genes predicted to be involved in protein biosynthesis, trafficking and modification (Warsame et al 2025). The observed variation may be important for different functional properties of protein extract for industrial uses.

Diversity in protein composition in faba bean was characterized in 35 lines (Warsame et al 2020).