Problems of Breeding for Improved Standing Ability in Dried Peas, Pisum sativum L.

Standing ability is a major component of combining ability and yield stability in dried peas. In performance trials during 1986–1988 commercial varieties and new breeding lines were evaluated for standing ability at one location. Standing ability was measured by visual scores, crop height and standardized crop height (crop height in percent of plant length) at several observation dates during the generative phase. Visual scoring proved to be the most suitable method for the measurement of standing ability as far as time requirement and precision are concerned. Considerable differences between years and varieties were found for both the course of lodging during the generative phase and the standing ability shortly before harvest. Several, at least three or four measurements of standing ability should be done during the generative phase. Also highly significant variety x year interactions were observed. Heritability values estimated for different parameters of standing ability were medium to high as compared to plant length and maturity date (high) or grain yield (low). In general, standing ability of the semi‐leafless varieties proved to be much better than standing ability of the conventional ones. However, the semi‐leafless plant type was not always associated with an improved standing ability. Problems relating to the methods of measurement of standing ability, its phenotypic expression and variability are discussed.