The effect of the r a and r b loci on the lipid content of the seed of Pisum sativum.

The lipid content of seed from a set of isogenic lines for the R a : r a locus has been determined; the results show that this locus as well as affecting the starch, sugar and storage protein content and composition, also has a marked effect on the lipid content of the seed. Genotypes having different combinations of alleles at the r a and r b loci have also been examined; an r a r a r b r b , genotype had 5.57% purified total lipid in its seed - a more than 2-fold increase over that found in the round-seeded varieties (R a R a R b R b ) usually grown for the dry sed crop.