Seed size and protein, sulfur (S), total phenolics, condensed tannins, and
proteinase inhibitor concentrations were measured in 4
Vicia species (V. faba,
V. sativa, V. ervilia,
V. narbonensis) grown at up to 30 locations in the
south-west of Western Australia. There was a species × environment
interaction for all seed traits, and this was reflected in the relationships
with environmental parameters and other seed traits within each species. For
V. faba, it was difficult to account for the production
of seed quality traits or antinutritional factors on the basis of descriptive
environmental parameters such as climate or edaphic characteristics. The
remaining species were more responsive to environmental factors measured
throughout the study. Seed size was negatively associated with soil salinity
in V. narbonensis and V. ervilia.
Seed protein content was positively correlated with soil total nitrogen (N)
and phosphorus (P) in V. sativa and
V. ervilia, and also with electrical conductivity, pH,
and exchangeable cations in V. ervilia. The S content of
V. narbonensis seeds increased with increasing soil S
availability, while the opposite occurred in V. ervilia
and V. sativa. Total phenolics were positively
associated with total N and P in V. sativa, and negatively correlated with
soil clay content, S, and salinity in V. ervilia.
Proteinase inhibitors in V. sativa were positively
associated with soil salinity, while the opposite was the case in
V. ervilia. Proteinase inhibitors in
V. ervilia were also negatively correlated with pH, clay
content, total N, and exchangeable cations, whereas the total N and
exchangeable cations were associated with increasing proteinase inhibitors in
V. narbonensis. These complex and contrasting
relationships between antinutritional factors and environmental parameters
suggest that the carbon: nutrient balance hypothesis, the pre-eminent paradigm
used to predict plant resource allocation to N and C based defence, may not be
applicable to the seeds of legumes.
The agricultural significance of the species ´ environment interaction
above depends on the seed characteristic in question. Increased S uptake by
V. narbonensis relative to
V. ervilia and V. sativa may
advantage this species as a fodder crop, given that these species are targeted
at alkaline, fine-textured soils where soil S availability is likely to be
relatively high. However, in the seed of V. narbonensis
and V. sativa, fluctuating concentrations of
polyphenolics and condensed tannins occasionally reach the relatively high
levels recorded in V. faba, and other anti-nutritional
factors not withstanding, this may limit their palatability to monogastrics.
Genomic Selection Using Pedigree and Marker-by-Environment Interaction for Barley Seed Quality Traits From Two Commercial Breeding Programs
