Agriculture In India - Pea - Pisum Sativum

The pea, or green pea (Pisum sativum), belongs to the Fabaceae family and is one of the major food legumes in the world. It ranks fourth in legume production worldwide after soybean, peanut, and dry bean. Some people also refer to green peas as garden peas, while terms like sweet peas, honey peas, or sugar peas are less accurate; ''sweet pea'' often refers to a completely different type of plant mainly ornamental. Scientifically, the pea plant is a significant member of the plant kingdom. This plant was utilized by Gregor Mendel, the father of genetics, to develop the foundational concepts of inheritance. Green peas are an important part of the diet due to their content of carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins (including vitamin A and vitamin K), minerals, fiber, and other beneficial nutrients. Green peas are now grown worldwide for both human and animal consumption. However, these peas originally came from Southwestern Asian countries like India, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. Green peas are cultivated in fields and produce beautiful pink-purple flowers that bloom in the afternoon in Kaliganj, West Bengal, India, on January 8, 2024. (Photo by Soumyabrata Roy/NurPhoto via Getty Images)