Unlocking the Multiflowering Trait in Pea, Lentil, and Chickpea: Genetic Insights and Breeding Advancements

Multiflowering (MF) is a condition in which a plant bears more than two flowers per peduncle (FPP) on a single flowering node. In legumes, MF is reported in peas, chickpeas, and lentils and is reportedly governed by one to two recessive gene(s) or polygenes (Fn, Fna, Hr, Dne, Lf, Sn, nep–1, nep–2, sfl, and cym). MF is a relatively stable trait, although influenced by G × E interaction, particularly by temperature (11°C–20°C). Among the various genes regulating MF, the sfl gene results in the formation of two FPP in chickpea and was fine-mapped at 5.1 cM on LG6. The fine mapping and functional characterization of all the known MF genes will help in the manipulation of the number of FPPs and also the total number of flowers per plant through MAS (marker-assisted selection) or genome editing. This review investigates the roles, pathways, and genomic locations of all the MF genes in various legumes and the possibility of realizing better yield.