PISUM SATIVUM: CHARACTERISTICS, VARIETIES, HABITAT, CULTIVATION, CARE - BIOLOGY - 2025

The Pisum sativum, better known as pea is a species belonging to the family Fabaceae. It is also commonly known as pea, pea, pea and petit pois in French. It is a plant of Eurasian origin with high nutritional value.

The pea plant is an annual herb, with a low stem (reaching a maximum of 2 meters), with tendrils as climbing structures and a root system provided with a taproot. Its flowers are produced in clusters and are white, lilac, pink and with purple structures. The seeds are produced within an elongated pod and are rounded, with a smooth or rough texture.

Pisum sativum flower. Source: pixabay.com

Pea cultivation is done in many countries of the world, although it is best produced in temperate climates where the temperature is between 13 and 18 ° C. It can be consumed naturally or canned. It is useful for preparing soups.

This species has great historical importance in science, since it was the plant used by Gregor Mendel, considered the father of genetics, to carry out his experiments on the inheritance of characters. It is considered a very useful crop for school meal plans in some countries.

Origin

The origin of the pea is Eurasian and from eastern Mediterranean regions. Today it is cultivated in many countries of the world, being a popular crop.

In addition to its origin, historically the pea is a well-known plant for having been important in the development of science, especially in genetics.

Gregor Mendel (1822-1884) chose this species to carry out the crosses of pure lines and to identify how hereditary characters are transmitted in the first and second filial generations.

The reason for their choice was the favorable characteristics of Pisum sativum such as fast growth, differentiation into smooth and rough, green and yellow seeds, tall and dwarf plants, among others.

characteristics

Appearance

It is a short annual herb that climbs through tendrils. It is considered a dwarf plant when it measures less than 0.4 m, semi-climber when it measures between 0.8 and 1 m, and climber when it measures 1.5 to 2 m.

The root system of this plant is underdeveloped, although it produces a taproot that can be very deep.

Leaves

The leaves have a pair of leaflets and culminate in the development of a tendril, which attaches to the structures that function as tutors to guide their growth.

flowers

The flowers are produced in clusters that show leafy bracts, and which are inserted in the axil of the leaves by means of a long peduncle. The inflorescences can have up to 3 flowers, and there can also be solitary flowers.

The flowers have the banner and the keel of white, pink or lilac color, the purple or white wings.

The peas are wrapped in pods that, depending on the variety, are also consumed. Source: pixabay.com

Fruit

The pea is produced in pods 5 to 10 cm long, which contain 4 to 10 seeds. The pods are elongated and contain smooth (for canning use) or rough (for direct consumption) seeds.

Nutritional composition

Pisum sativum has a nutritional content per 100 g, 73 mg of calcium, 6.0 mg of iron, 364 mg of phosphorus, 0.57 mg of vitamin B, 6.5 mg of vitamin C, 23% protein, 58% carbohydrates, 1.3% lipids, 6.0% fibers and 348 calories.

Taxonomy and varieties

-Kingdom: Plantae

-Filo: Tracheophyta

-Class: Magnoliopsida

-Order: Fabales

-Family: Fabaceae

-Gender: Pisum

-Species: Pisum sativum L.

Also, the pea is known as Lathyrus oleraceus and Pisum vulgare. Likewise, the subspecies Pisum sativum subsp. elatius, and Pisum sativum subsp. sativum.

Of the varieties of this species, depending on whether they are green, the following are known:

Negret

This pea plant is dwarf in size, its grain is round and smooth with some small holes. It is used for greening and industry.

Lincoln

It is a pea of ​​medium height, with a more or less curved pod and rough and cylindrical grain. It is useful in the canning area and for freezing.

Aura

This is a dwarf variety, with smooth, round grain and some small holes, ideal for the market, to freeze and to preserve.

Voluntary

Its height is medium, the pod somewhat curved with truncated ends, dark green. The grain is rough and cylindrical.

Peas can be eaten fresh or canned. Source: pixabay.com

Allegro

It is a pea of ​​early cycle, medium height, with smooth and round seeds, as well as dimples.

Telephone

The grain in this case is oval, large and rough since its pods reach a great development. There are sub-varieties of enrame or climbers.

Tirabeque

It is also known as cappuccino and is recognized by a fairly curved and elongated pod, as well as a coarse, oval, smooth grain, and with little holes. Its pods and grains are edible.

Other varieties that are known are Apache, Azur, Cosmos, Grande, Gracia, Cartouche, Elegant, Forrimax, Isard, among others.

Habitat and distribution

In nature it is achieved at heights above 500 meters. It does well in cool or temperate climates and tolerates low temperatures.

It is mainly distributed in Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Egypt, Ethiopia, France, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Guatemala, Haiti, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Japan, Kenya, Lebanon, Mexico, Holland, New Zealand, Norway, Peru, Philippines, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Spain, Turkey, Ukraine, the United States or Vietnam, among others.

Culture

Temperature

The pea is grown in temperate climates, with temperatures between 13 and 18 ° C. It stops its growth when the temperature is between 5 or 7 ° C.

A temperature above 27 ° C affects the productivity of this species, especially if they occur in the flowering and pod formation phases.

Floor

The ideal pH for its cultivation is between 5.5 and 6.5. The soil must have a good calcium content. Depending on the soil analysis, the correction or application to be made must be three months before sowing and 25 cm deep. Dolomitic lime is recommended, as it also corrects the magnesium deficiency in the plant.

When peas are sown for the first time, it is recommended to inoculations with nitrogen-fixing bacteria of the genus Rhizobium, since with this symbiosis the plant is able to assimilate nitrogen from the air.

In this sense, cobalt and molybdenum are important elements for a successful nitrogen fixation in pea plants and must be taken into account at the time of inoculation.

The aforementioned bacteria form nodules on the roots of leguminous plants, thus improving the supply of nitrogen and therefore the crop yield.

Harvest

Harvesting should be done before the pods become fibrous. One row usually yields at least three crops if the pods are started from the bottom.

After harvest, the plants are cut down at ground level, thus allowing the roots to decompose and thus the assimilated nitrogen returns to the soil and is available for subsequent harvests.

Consumption

Peas are the base of a very nutritious succulent soup. Source: pixabay.com

The pea can be consumed in the form of green beans, raw or canned. The pea can also be consumed in the form of dried grains, rehydrated or canned.

These dried grains are very useful for preparing soups, being widely consumed in many parts of the world. In the same way, it is a basic and simple food with high nutritional value that can easily be used in school meal plans.

Green peas can be eaten either alone or with the pod. When the peas are tender, they taste somewhat sweet and can be eaten raw. They can also be eaten cooked, stewed and for canning.

In addition, the pea serves as a fodder. It can be used when the pods are full, without reaching maturity. Hay can be made, taking into account the fragility of its leaves and fruits. For silage it can be mixed with a cereal.

Care

Irrigation

Watering should be done when there is a dry weather, especially if the plant is flowering and fruiting.

Weeding

It is recommended to remove weeds regularly to avoid nutrient and light competition between peas and other plants, as well as to reduce the risks of pests and diseases.

Trained

At the moment of the appearance of the first tendrils, it is recommended to guide the stem of the plant using canes or sticks.

Reproduction

Pisum sativum is a winter-spring crop. According to each region, the pea can be sown between January and February and the cycle can last until summer.

The seeds should be covered with a mixture of insecticides such as pyrethroids and diazinon, as well as fungicides such as captan.

The cultivation should be done in rows or quadrants (if they are climbing species) to facilitate their tutored. The furrows are 15 cm wide by 5 cm deep and the seeds are separated every 5 cm.

Sowing is done directly, manually or mechanically, at a depth between 4 and 5 cm. The sowing density used is 100 to 200 kg / ha.

The short varieties (up to 45 cm high), or the semi-recumbents (between 50 and 80 cm) are the most recommended for a garden. These should be fitted with a tutor when they are approximately 7 cm tall.

Rounded peas are sown in the fall or late winter as they are hardier. The rough-seeded varieties are sown from spring.

The leaves of Pisum sativum end in tendrils that the plant uses for climbing. Source: pixabay.com

Diseases

Rhizoctonia solani

Most damage to peas is caused by fungi, bacteria, viruses, and nematodes. The soil fungus Rhizoctonia solani causes stem rot, affecting up to 40% of the production of plants in their initial state.

Other important fungi are Fusarium solani and Cylindrocladium clavatum, which can affect individually or simultaneously. These two species cause symptoms similar to those of Rhizoctonia solani.

Powdery mildew

The disease called Powdery mildew is caused by the fungus Erysiphe pisi (Oidium sp.), Which can cause great losses in grain quality, especially in short-cycle varieties.

While, in conditions of high relative humidity, the attack of the fungus Ascochyta spp. it produces small lesions on the leaves, which are identified by having a dark edge and a central part of a lighter color, and can attack both the stems and the pods.

Sclerotinia sclerotiorum

The Sclerotinia sclerotiorum fungus is very common in areas of compacted soil and with excess irrigation. This phytopathogen causes watery plant rot resulting in plant death.

Mildew

The mildew caused by Peronospora viciae occurs mostly in very humid and cold climates with excessive watering. This disease manifests itself with the appearance of large necrotic spots, covered by a green mold.

The invasion of the plant is systemic and is distorted in the apical part and causes shortening of the internodes, malformed leaves. The intensity of this disease decreases as the temperature rises above 20 ° C.

Brown pod disease

The brown pod disease is caused by the tan virus transmitted by a thrips, and which is known as a very common disease in pea plants.

It manifests itself during pod formation and grain filling. The pods turn brown, dry, twist, and grow small. Some show necrotic rings, very typical of this disease.

Pests

Pea plants are attacked by few pests. Among the most important are the pea aphids (Acyrthosiphon pisum), which affects plants in their phase close to flowering and forms colonies on the apical meristem of the stem, as well as on the underside of the leaves.

Some other pests that affect the foliage are naturally controlled by biological controllers (Bacillus thuringiensis), not even requiring the application of pesticides.

These pests include the green worm (Heliothis virescens), the green bug (Nezara viridula) and the small bug (Piezodorus guildini), which affect the plant at the beginning of grain filling; and thrips (tobacco thrips) that affect the crop from 25 days after germination.

Other less important pests are the false measuring caterpillar (Pseudoplusia includens), the military caterpillar (Spodoptera ssp.), The miner larva (Liriomyza huidobrensis) and the Iridopsis spp. Moth. All of them affect the foliage.

References

1. De Brito, L. 1997. Cultivo da Ervilha (Pisum sativum L.). Instrucoes Técnicas da Embrapa Hortalicas 3rd ed. Embrapa. 20 p.
2. Catalog of Life: 2019 Annual Checklist. Species details: Pisum sativum L. Taken from: catalogueoflife.org
3. Canals, R., Peralta, J., Zubiri, E. 2019. Family Leguminosae, Pisum sativum L: pea. Herbarium of the Public University of Navarra. Taken from: unavarra.es
4. Infojardin. 2019. Green peas, pea, pea, peas, pea, peas, Pisum sativum. Taken from: chips.infojardin.com
5. Curtis, H., Barnes, N., Schnek, A., Massarini, A. 2007. Biology. 7th ed. Editorial Médica Panamericana. Taken from: curtisbiologia.com