Field Pea

Field Pea

Scientific name: Pisum sativum L.

Bangla/local name: ‘Matarsuti’

Taxonomic position according to Cronquist (1981)

Kingdom         : Plantae
Division           : Magnoliophyta
Class                :Magnoliopsida

Subclass          : Rosidae

Order               : Fabales
Family             : Fabacaeae

Genus              : Pisum

Species            : P. sativum

Origin and Distribution

At present peas are grown worldwide, but because of sensitivity to extremes in weather, they are largely confined to temperate regions and to the higher altitudes or cooler seasons of warmer regions.

Botanical description of Garden Pea

Habit: A short-lived, climbing, annual cultivated herb

Root: The root system consists of a tap root and laterals having root nodule containing N₂-fixing bacteria Rhizobium

Stem:  The weak stem is mostly hollow and semi-vining, smooth, glaucous

Leaf:  Alternate, pinnately compound, with terminal branched tendril, leaflet 2-8, ovate or elliptic

Inflorescence: Axillary, solitary or two to three flowered racemes, bract very small

Calyx: Sepal 5, gamosepalous,  campanulate, calyx lobes un-equal, aestivation imbricate.

Corolla: Petal 5, one standard, two wing and two keel, aestivation vexillary.

Androecium: Stamen 10, diadelphous (9+1), anther bilubed,  basifixed.

Gynoecium: Carpel one, ovary superior, placentation marginal,

Fruit:  Legume (a pod)

IPSA Motoshuti-1

IPSA Motoshuti-2

Floral formula:

Floral diagram:

Economic Importance: Fresh green seeds are cooked and eaten as vegetable. Ripe dried seeds are used as human food. The plants and haulms are used for forage, hay, silage and green manure Seed oil has sterility and anti-sex hormonic effects, produces sterility in women and antagonises effect of male sex hormone The seed is cooling, fattening, laxative, and purifies blood.

Table 1. Garden pea variety developed by BSMRAU, Salna, Gazipur, Bangladesh

1	IPSA motorshuti 1	Released in 1998	Short duration, seed remain green after maturity
2	IPSA motorshuti 2	Released in 1998	Short duration, bold seeded
3	IPSA motorshuti 3	Released in 1998	Short duration, high yielding