loose skin. Recent experiments have attempted to develop this chemical as a treatment to avoid disfiguring skin contractions after skin grafting. Genetics Gregor Mendel is today recognized as the "Father of Modern Genetics" for his work with the cross breeding of pea plants (Pisum sativum) with different characteristics, and sweet pea has been used in a similar way. The sweet pea is thus a model organism being used in early experimentations in genetics, particularly by the pioneer geneticist Reginald Punnett. It is highly suitable as a genetic subject because of its ability to self-pollinate and its easily observed Mendelian traits such as colour, height and petal form. Many genetic principles were discovered or confirmed in this species. It was used by Punnett in early studies of genetic linkage. Complementary factor inheritance was also elucidated in sweet peas, from the cross of two pure-breeding white strains which gave rise to a blue hybrid, the blue colour requiring two genes derived independently from the two white parents. Hybridization with Lathyrus belinensis Like the blue rose, the yellow sweet pea remains elusive. Lathyrus belinensis is a related Lathyrus species which has red and yellow flowers. There are ongoing attempts to bring the yellow color into Lathyrus odoratus by crossing it with Lathyrus belinensis. Several new sweet pea cultivars have been created as a result, though not any with the yellow flower color so far. Gallery See also List of AGM sweet peas - list of sweet peas that have gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit References Lathyrus Annual plants Vines Garden plants Garden plants of Europe Plants described in 1753 Nitrogen-fixing crops