ABSTRACT
The pea (Pisum sativum) crop is an important source of protein for animal and human nutrition. The productivity of pea could be greatly increased by the introduction of pest and disease resistance, improved protein quality, and herbicide tolerance traits. Plant genetic engineering provides an opportunity to introduce such traits from previously unavailable sources. The first production of fertile transgenic pea plants was reported in 1992 (1). Since then several improved methods of pea transformation have been developed. In this chapter we provide a detailed protocol for efficient pea transformation and review the current status of projects aimed at pea improvement by the transgenic approach.
