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Large germplasm collections of each of pea, lentil, faba bean and chickpea are now maintained and have been described. The range in the morphology of these species for vegetative, root and reproductive characters is surveyed. Current breeding aims for the vegetative characters of growth habit, leaf type, plant height and lodging resistance are reviewed, as are the selection methods in use and the known response to selection. Amongst reproductive characters, the breeding for improved flower and pod retention, for a multipodded habit (either through an independent vascular system or otherwise), and for pod indehiscence is summarized for all four crops. The small amount of work done on root morphology is also reviewed.

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