Investigating Sustainable and Cost-Effective Strategies to Expand Production of Food Quality Winter Pea as a Viable Specialty Crop in the Palouse: Progress Report

This BIOAg progress report documents greenhouse and molecular research evaluating whether beneficial soil rhizobia improve winter pea tolerance to abiotic and biotic stress in the Palouse. Winter pea acreage has increased rapidly due to strong yield potential and nutritional value, but expansion is limited by uncertainty around pest and water stress management.

Factorial greenhouse experiments tested multiple winter pea cultivars under combinations of rhizobia inoculation, aphid pressure, virus exposure (PEMV), and water availability. Preliminary results show that rhizobia enhanced plant growth and nodulation in certain cultivars, though aphids and virus infection reduced these benefits by disrupting legume–rhizobia symbiosis. Molecular analyses revealed cultivar-specific hormone responses, particularly in jasmonic acid and salicylic acid pathways, helping explain variation in stress tolerance.

This work supports development of sustainable, soil-based management strategies aimed at reducing reliance on insecticides and synthetic fertilizers while strengthening specialty crop production in Washington.