ABSTRACT
I. INTRODUCTION The garden pea (Pisum sativum, also commonly known as the English pea or green pea; these terms are used interchangeably here) is one of the oldest cultivated vegetables in the world. Currently, it ranks among the top 10 vegetable crops. It is also one of the most popular vegetables grown for home use by home gardeners. The word is derived from the Greek pison, which in Middle English became pease and was later shortened to pea. Peas are widely cultivated in all but the tropical and subtropical countries of the world.
