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Plant cells exposed to photo-inhibitory conditions respond by accumulation of the early light-induced proteins (Elips) with a potential photoprotective function. Here we studied the expression of Elip in various pea cultivars grown under agricultural or climate-chamber conditions. We demonstrated that the expression of Elip in all cultivars was developmentally regulated and its level decreased during flowering and post-flowering periods. Surprisingly, significant amounts of Elip transcripts, but not proteins, accumulated in senescing leaves already under low light conditions and the exposure to light stress resulted in a 10-times higher induction of Elip transcripts. Furthermore, the expression pattern of Elip transcript and protein significantly differed under field and growth-chamber conditions. First, the expression level of Elip was much higher in field-grown than in chamber-grown cultivars. Second, substantial amounts of Elip transcripts and protein were detected during the night in field-grown plants in contrast to chambergrown cultivars due to a synergistic effect of light stress occurring during the day and low temperature present during the following night. The expression of the PsbS protein related to Elips and involved in the photoprotection of the photosystem II was relatively constant under all conditions tested.

Variation for virulence among Scandinavian isolates of Peronospora viciae f.sp. pisi (downy mildew) on different pea genotypes was investigated. Variation for virulence was found within and between mass‐conidial isolates which were originally obtained from oospore populations. Virulence towards pea cultivars that have not been commerically cultivated in Scandinavia was observed. The specific resistance of the pea cultivars Puget, Cobri, Gastro, Starcovert and Starnain was confirmed. One pea breeding line showed a stable partial resistance to different isolates of the fungus and it was also highly resistant to race 8’from The Netherlands which is considered to be virulent on most pea genotypes carrying known specific resistance factors.

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