Grass pea (Lathyrus sativus)

It is a winter-season legume crop adapted to areas with arid or semi-arid conditions. It is grown predominantly under rainfed conditions and on marginal and submarginal lands that are generally characterized by poor soil health/fertility. In Portugal, grass pea is a traditional grain legume that was recovered by the local authorities. Due to the effort done in order to promote this grain legume, grass pea cultivation has gained a new strength. Consumer demand increased, therefore grass pea became a profitable crop. Moreover, grass pea is a very low-input crop and undemanding in labour. One of the main limitations in Portugal consist of a lack of adjusted machinery to harvest and sorting.