This book is a detailed account of recent research into the physiology of the pea crop that draws on contributions from researchers in a range of disciplines within crop and plant science. It summarizes an extensive research programme in France which was a collaborative effort between technical institutes, research and agronomy schools, public and private plant breeders, co-operatives and Chambers of Agriculture. The book is well organized, providing an accessible account of current knowledge of pea physiology for researchers and students of crop science. The text is well supported by figures and diagrams throughout and cites journal papers extensively. The Physiology of the Pea Crop concludes with a chapter on the prospects for legume crops in France and Europe – an important issue with the current focus on global food security. My only criticism of the book is that in a few places the English can be difficult to follow and some important words are spelt inconsistently, e.g. phyllochron is spelt phyllochrone in some chapters (presumably the French spelling), which could be confusing for students who are unfamiliar with the terminology.

Overall, I welcome this book as an excellent summary of research into the physiology of the pea crop. It is well presented and is a valuable new text in this area.