Beschreibung:
<jats:p>A series of greenhouse and field studies were conducted to determine the inheritance of the green cotyledon trait exhibited by the recently released southernpea `Bettergreen' and to elucidate the genetic relationship between the green cotyledon trait and the green testa trait exhibited by `Freezegreen'. Evaluation of parental, F<jats:sub>1</jats:sub>, F<jats:sub>2</jats:sub>, and backcross populations of the crosses `Bettergreen' × `Carolina Cream' and `Bettergreen' × `Kiawah' indicated that the green cotyledon trait is conditioned by a single recessive gene. Evaluation of parental and F<jats:sub>2</jats:sub> populations of the cross `Bettergreen' × `Freezegreen' indicated that this gene is neither allelic to nor linked with the <jats:italic>gt</jats:italic> gene that conditions the green testa trait in `Freezegreen'. The color of seeds harvested from plants homozygous for both the green cotyledon and green testa genes was superior and more uniform than the color of seeds harvested from either `Bettergreen' or `Freezegreen' plants. We propose that the newly discovered gene be designated <jats:italic>green cotyledon</jats:italic> and symbolized <jats:italic>gc</jats:italic>. Seeds containing embryos homozygous for the <jats:italic>gc</jats:italic> gene are easily identified. The ability to select in the seed stage should greatly facilitate efforts to backcross the <jats:italic>gc</jats:italic> gene into cream-, pinkeye-, and blackeye-type cultivars.</jats:p>