Sumary of the book : Rich in bibliographic references, this book presents the current status of knowledge on the physiology of the pea crop. It draws on contributions from plant physiologists and researchers in various other disciplines who have been working together for many years on the production of plants rich in proteins. The text first discusses vegetative and reproductive development, growth under non-limiting conditions, and the nitrogen nutrition of the pea crop. It then explores the effects of the abiotic and biotic stresses on the development as well as the growth and nitrogen uptake by the plant. The book concludes with a global model of the functioning of the pea crop, which is proposed as a tool for the diagnosis of the yield-limiting factors.