A seed remains attached to mother plant through funiculus which is the only means of communication between seed and mother plant. In general, the funiculus is detached from seeds at maturity while harvesting and threshing. However, out of about 950 accessions of fieldpea (Pisum sativum) screened at ICAR-Indian Institute of Pulses Research, Kanpur, India, eight accessions were identified to have intact funiculus in matured and harvested seed. The role of intact funiculus after maturity and harvesting is not yet known. This article summarizes the results of a preliminary investigation on the effect of presence of funiculus on mature harvested seeds of fieldpea on water uptake, as the region underneath the funiculus (hilum–micropylar region) is known to be actively involved in water imbibition by seed. We also propose the possible implications (positive and negative) of incorporation of such trait in high yielding cultivars. The preliminary investigation suggested that the presence of funiculus in harvested seeds has a significant but negative role in rate of water uptake, as the seeds of all eight accessions imbibed more water when funiculus was removed. Such an effect on water uptake, which triggers many physiological metabolisms of dry seed, could have an effect on rate and final germination, dormancy, seed shattering, and cooking time. Also, such genotypes are expected to perform better under high initial moisture and/or flood situation like rice (Oryza sativa) fallows.

中文翻译：

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豌豆（Pisum sativum L.）成熟收获种子中的完整绳索：初步调查和可能的影响

种子通过绳索附着在母株上，绳索是种子和母株之间唯一的交流方式。通常，在收获和脱粒的成熟时，绳索与种子分离。然而，在大约 950 份野豌豆（Pisum sativum) 在印度坎普尔的 ICAR-印度豆类研究所筛选，鉴定出 8 个种质在成熟和收获的种子中具有完整的绳索。成熟和收获后完整的绳索的作用尚不清楚。本文总结了关于绳索的存在对成熟收获的豌豆种子对吸水的影响的初步调查结果，因为已知绳索下方的区域（种脐 - 珠孔区）积极参与种子吸水。我们还提出了在高产栽培品种中纳入此类性状的可能影响（正面和负面）。初步调查表明，收获的种子中存在的绳索对吸水率有显着但负面的影响，因为当去除绳索时，所有八个种质的种子都吸收了更多的水。这种对水分吸收的影响会触发干种子的许多生理代谢，可能对速度和最终发芽、休眠、种子破碎和烹饪时间产生影响。此外，预计此类基因型在高初始水分和/或洪水情况下（如水稻）表现更好（水稻）休耕。