Organic dry pea (Pisum sativum L.): A sustainable alternative pulse-based protein for human health.

Dry pea (Pisum sativum L.) is a cool-season food legume rich in protein (20-25%). With increasing health and ecosystem awareness, organic plant-based protein demand has increased; however, the protein quality of organic dry pea has not been well studied. This study determined the genetic variation o...

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Main Authors: Dil Thavarajah, Tristan Lawrence, Lucas Boatwright, Nathan Windsor, Nathan Johnson, Joshua Kay, Emerson Shipe, Shiv Kumar, Pushparajah Thavarajah
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2023-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0284380
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author Dil Thavarajah
Tristan Lawrence
Lucas Boatwright
Nathan Windsor
Nathan Johnson
Joshua Kay
Emerson Shipe
Shiv Kumar
Pushparajah Thavarajah
author_facet Dil Thavarajah
Tristan Lawrence
Lucas Boatwright
Nathan Windsor
Nathan Johnson
Joshua Kay
Emerson Shipe
Shiv Kumar
Pushparajah Thavarajah
author_sort Dil Thavarajah
collection DOAJ
description Dry pea (Pisum sativum L.) is a cool-season food legume rich in protein (20-25%). With increasing health and ecosystem awareness, organic plant-based protein demand has increased; however, the protein quality of organic dry pea has not been well studied. This study determined the genetic variation of individual amino acids (AAs), total AAs (liberated), total protein, and in vitro protein digestibility of commercial dry pea cultivars grown in organic on-farm fields to inform the development of protein-biofortified cultivars. Twenty-five dry pea cultivars were grown in two USDA-certified organic on-farm locations in South Carolina (SC), USA, for two years (two locations in 2019 and one in 2020). The concentrations of most individual AAs (15 of 17) and the total AA concentration significantly varied with dry pea cultivar. In vitro protein digestibility was not affected by the cultivar. Seed total AA and protein for dry pea ranged from 11.8 to 22.2 and 12.6 to 27.6 g/100 g, respectively, with heritability estimates of 0.19 to 0.25. In vitro protein digestibility and protein digestibility corrected AA score (PDCAAS) ranged from 83 to 95% and 0.18 to 0.64, respectively. Heritability estimates for individual AAs ranged from 0.08 to 0.42; principal component (PCA) analysis showed five significant AA clusters. Cultivar Fiddle had significantly higher total AA (19.6 g/100 g) and digestibility (88.5%) than all other cultivars. CDC Amarillo and Jetset were significantly higher in cystine (Cys), and CDC Inca and CDC Striker were significantly higher in methionine (Met) than other cultivars; CDC Spectrum was the best option in terms of high levels of both Cys and Met. Lysine (Lys) concentration did not vary with cultivar. A 100 g serving of organic dry pea provides a significant portion of the recommended daily allowance of six essential AAs (14-189%) and daily protein (22-48%) for an average adult weighing 72 kg. Overall, this study shows organic dry pea has excellent protein quality, significant amounts of sulfur-containing AAs and Lys, and good protein digestibility, and thus has good potential for future plant-based food production. Further genetic studies are warranted with genetically diverse panels to identify candidate genes and target parents to develop nutritionally superior cultivars for organic protein production.
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spelling doaj.art-37467f5617984e1abfaa4693cbd4338b2023-04-21T05:33:53ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032023-01-01184e028438010.1371/journal.pone.0284380Organic dry pea (Pisum sativum L.): A sustainable alternative pulse-based protein for human health.Dil ThavarajahTristan LawrenceLucas BoatwrightNathan WindsorNathan JohnsonJoshua KayEmerson ShipeShiv KumarPushparajah ThavarajahDry pea (Pisum sativum L.) is a cool-season food legume rich in protein (20-25%). With increasing health and ecosystem awareness, organic plant-based protein demand has increased; however, the protein quality of organic dry pea has not been well studied. This study determined the genetic variation of individual amino acids (AAs), total AAs (liberated), total protein, and in vitro protein digestibility of commercial dry pea cultivars grown in organic on-farm fields to inform the development of protein-biofortified cultivars. Twenty-five dry pea cultivars were grown in two USDA-certified organic on-farm locations in South Carolina (SC), USA, for two years (two locations in 2019 and one in 2020). The concentrations of most individual AAs (15 of 17) and the total AA concentration significantly varied with dry pea cultivar. In vitro protein digestibility was not affected by the cultivar. Seed total AA and protein for dry pea ranged from 11.8 to 22.2 and 12.6 to 27.6 g/100 g, respectively, with heritability estimates of 0.19 to 0.25. In vitro protein digestibility and protein digestibility corrected AA score (PDCAAS) ranged from 83 to 95% and 0.18 to 0.64, respectively. Heritability estimates for individual AAs ranged from 0.08 to 0.42; principal component (PCA) analysis showed five significant AA clusters. Cultivar Fiddle had significantly higher total AA (19.6 g/100 g) and digestibility (88.5%) than all other cultivars. CDC Amarillo and Jetset were significantly higher in cystine (Cys), and CDC Inca and CDC Striker were significantly higher in methionine (Met) than other cultivars; CDC Spectrum was the best option in terms of high levels of both Cys and Met. Lysine (Lys) concentration did not vary with cultivar. A 100 g serving of organic dry pea provides a significant portion of the recommended daily allowance of six essential AAs (14-189%) and daily protein (22-48%) for an average adult weighing 72 kg. Overall, this study shows organic dry pea has excellent protein quality, significant amounts of sulfur-containing AAs and Lys, and good protein digestibility, and thus has good potential for future plant-based food production. Further genetic studies are warranted with genetically diverse panels to identify candidate genes and target parents to develop nutritionally superior cultivars for organic protein production.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0284380
spellingShingle Dil Thavarajah
Tristan Lawrence
Lucas Boatwright
Nathan Windsor
Nathan Johnson
Joshua Kay
Emerson Shipe
Shiv Kumar
Pushparajah Thavarajah
Organic dry pea (Pisum sativum L.): A sustainable alternative pulse-based protein for human health.
PLoS ONE
title Organic dry pea (Pisum sativum L.): A sustainable alternative pulse-based protein for human health.
title_full Organic dry pea (Pisum sativum L.): A sustainable alternative pulse-based protein for human health.
title_fullStr Organic dry pea (Pisum sativum L.): A sustainable alternative pulse-based protein for human health.
title_full_unstemmed Organic dry pea (Pisum sativum L.): A sustainable alternative pulse-based protein for human health.
title_short Organic dry pea (Pisum sativum L.): A sustainable alternative pulse-based protein for human health.
title_sort organic dry pea pisum sativum l a sustainable alternative pulse based protein for human health
url https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0284380
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