Pea seeds – Professional varieties and agronomic performance

Pea seeds in professional crop systems

Pea seeds are a key component of modern legume-based production systems, bringing plant protein, nitrogen fixation and rotation benefits. Our seeds are developed for professional farming, where the choice of varieties has a direct impact on yield, quality and risk management.

Within diversified crop plans that also include cereals and oilseeds, peas contribute to soil fertility and protein autonomy. Our varieties are positioned to support these objectives, and our agronomic solutions help adjust technical choices to each field situation.

Main types of pea seeds in our categories

Our ranges of pea seeds cover several complementary types, allowing each farming system to select the appropriate balance between fresh markets, dry grain, feed and protein ingredients.

Garden peas (shelling peas)

Garden peas are mainly used for fresh consumption, freezing and canning. Our varieties are selected for grain uniformity, colour stability and tenderness, in order to support consistent quality for processing and local markets.

Sugar snap peas and mangetout

Sugar snap peas and mangetout are harvested with the pod and require particular pod texture, sweetness and appearance. Our ranges include varieties with firm but tender pods, suitable for fresh channels that demand regular supply and good shelf behaviour.

Field peas and protein peas

Field peas are harvested as dry grain for feed, on-farm use or ingredient processing. Our varieties focus on combining high yield potential with reliable protein levels and good standing ability, which is essential for clean, efficient harvesting.

Green peas and yellow peas

Green peas and yellow peas respond to different downstream markets and quality expectations. For yellow peas, our varieties are characterised by high protein content, excellent grain uniformity, strong yield potential, while our green pea ranges are defined by strong early vigour, excellent visual quality, early harvest.

Why choose our pea seed varieties?

Our varieties are designed to respond to farmers’ priorities: yield, protein value, field behaviour and integration in existing rotations. Each segment of our ranges is evaluated on agronomic and technological criteria before being made available to growers.

Yield and protein performance

Yield potential and protein concentration are central to the design of our varieties. Our seeds are tested in multiple locations and over several years to verify their ability to maintain production despite seasonal variability.

Early-cycle genetics and harvest security

Early and mid-early cycles are a major focus of our varieties in order to secure flowering and harvest in suitable climatic windows. This positioning allows pea crops to fit into tight rotations and to reduce the exposure to late-season weather risks.

Standability, disease profiles and uniformity

Plant height, stem strength and pod distribution are taken into account in our ranges to limit lodging and to facilitate mechanised harvesting. In parallel, disease profiles and grain uniformity are monitored so that our seeds can support reliable quality levels.

Agronomic guide to growing pea seeds

This section presents practical benchmarks for positioning our varieties and our agronomic solutions in the field. Figures should always be adapted to local constraints and advisory references.

Soil and climate requirements for pea crops

Peas prefer well-drained soils with moderate structure, avoiding waterlogging and compaction. Neutral or slightly basic pH is generally favourable, and our agronomic solutions can help to identify which of our varieties are best adapted to each soil type and region.

Positioning pea seeds in rotations

Peas are often placed after cereals and before oilseeds or other spring crops. This position supports weed management, breaks certain disease cycles and brings nitrogen to the following crops. Our ranges of pea seeds, together with our oilseed varieties and our hybrid sunflower seeds, allow coherent rotation design at farm scale.

Sowing dates, densities and depth

Sowing dates depend on region and variety earliness, with a general objective of avoiding strong heat at flowering and securing establishment in good soil conditions. Densities must take into account type of pea, soil potential and targeted yield, while depth remains moderate to support rapid and uniform emergence. Our agronomic solutions provide sowing benchmarks that can be adapted with local advisors.

Fertilisation, inoculation and nitrogen management

Because peas are legumes, their mineral nitrogen needs are limited compared with non-fixing crops. The focus is mainly on phosphorus, potassium and sulphur, along with micronutrients when required. Good nodulation and careful nitrogen management help maximise the benefit of pea crops within the rotation and maintain soil fertility.

Crop protection and disease risks

Key constraints for pea crops include damping-off, root rots, foliar diseases and pests affecting flowers and pods. Variety choice, rotation intervals and monitoring are all levers for reducing risk. Our varieties are characterised based on their agronomic behaviour, and our agronomic solutions support integrated crop protection strategies.

Lodging, harvest and storage

Lodging can lead to harvest losses and quality penalties, especially in high-yielding situations. The plant architecture of our varieties, combined with appropriate sowing densities and balanced fertilisation, contributes to limiting lodging. Harvest should aim to balance grain maturity and quality, followed by storage in dry, ventilated conditions to preserve germination and product value.

Markets and uses for pea seeds

Pea crops can be directed to several outlets: fresh market, processing industry, feed and protein ingredients. Our ranges are organised to respond to these different uses and to the associated quality specifications.

Fresh market and processing peas

Garden peas and certain green pea varieties are oriented toward fresh consumption, freezing and canning. For these channels, our varieties focus on grain size uniformity, colour and texture, as well as concentrated harvest windows that match industrial schedules.

Feed and on-farm use

Field peas are integrated into livestock rations as a source of energy and protein. The characteristics of our varieties help to obtain dense grain lots with good storage behaviour, allowing farmers and feed formulators to benefit from local protein resources.

Plant-based protein and ingredient markets

Yellow peas and certain field pea types can be directed to protein extraction chains and starch processing. For these outlets, our seeds are chosen for their protein content, grain homogeneity and compatibility with industrial processes.

Soil fertility and agro-ecological services

Beyond their direct market value, peas contribute to nitrogen fixation, soil structure and biodiversity in crop rotations. By combining our varieties with other legumes and our agronomic solutions, farmers can strengthen agro-ecological performance while maintaining economic objectives.

Research, varietal creation and agronomic support

The development of our pea seed ranges is based on long-term varietal creation and continuous evaluation in the field. Each candidate variety passes through several steps before entering our categories.

Varietal creation and testing of our pea seeds

Our varieties result from selection programmes that prioritise agronomic robustness, early cycles and adaptation to diverse soils and climates. Pea lines are screened for yield potential, protein value, standing ability and disease tolerance before being integrated into our ranges.

Multi-year field trials and regional adaptation

Multi-year and multi-site trials provide a realistic view of how our seeds behave across different seasons. This work allows us to characterise each variety and to position it in the regions and soil types where it brings the most value to farmers.

Our agronomic support and technical services

Alongside our seeds, we provide agronomic solutions that cover variety choice, sowing windows, density targets and rotation integration. This support aims to secure the performance of our varieties and to help each farm make the best use of pea crops in connection with legumes and oilseeds.

Pea seeds: technical questions from the field

This section brings together frequent questions from farmers about the use of pea seeds in their cropping plans. The answers are indicative and are designed to be combined with local recommendations.

What is the difference between garden peas, sugar snaps and field peas?

Garden peas are harvested for their shelled grains, while sugar snaps and mangetout are eaten with the pod at a young stage. Field peas are dry harvested and used mainly for feed or processing; our varieties for each group are positioned according to these end uses.

Which pea seeds are best suited to protein and feed production?

Field peas and yellow peas are generally preferred for protein and feed production. Within our ranges, protein-oriented varieties are selected for their yield, protein content and grain quality to support reliable ration formulation and ingredient production.

How do pea crops contribute to nitrogen fixation and soil fertility?

As legumes, peas host nitrogen-fixing bacteria in root nodules, reducing the need for mineral nitrogen and enriching the soil for following crops. The correct positioning of our varieties in the rotation, combined with our agronomic solutions, helps maximise this effect.

What sowing window and density are recommended for pea seeds in temperate climates?

In many temperate regions, peas are sown from late winter to spring when soil conditions allow traffic and rapid emergence. Density depends on end use and variety type, but the objective is to achieve a uniform stand without excess competition; reference values can be refined with our agronomic support.

How can I limit lodging and disease pressure in pea crops?

Lodging and disease risks can be reduced through variety choice, adapted sowing dates, reasonable densities and balanced fertilisation. Our varieties are described according to their agronomic behaviour, and our agronomic solutions help define the most robust strategy for each field.

Are early-cycle pea varieties compatible with existing cereal and oilseed rotations?

Early-cycle pea varieties are designed to fit into rotations that also contain winter cereals and spring or summer oilseeds. By combining our pea seed ranges with other crops, farmers can structure rotations that optimise workload, harvest timing and soil cover.

How do green and yellow pea seeds differ in markets and end uses?

Green pea seeds are mainly oriented toward fresh and frozen markets where visual quality is decisive, while yellow pea seeds are often used for dry grain, feed and protein extraction. Our varieties are positioned according to these market expectations to support clear commercial strategies.

How long can pea seed lots be stored without losing vigour?

Under cool, dry and stable storage conditions, pea seed lots generally maintain good vigour for several months. Storage recommendations are provided with our products so that farmers can preserve the qualities of our seeds until sowing.