Vetch (Grass Pea or Chickling)
Lathyrus sativus
Chickling Pea, Chickling Vetch, Blue Vetchling, Lathyrus (Pea), Manila Bean,
Indian Vetch;
Gesse Blanche, Gesse Chiche, Gesse Commune, Gesette, Lentille d’Espagne, Vesce
{Gesse} (French); Saat Platterbse (German); Pisello Bretonne, Pisello Cicerchia
(Italian); Almorta (Spanish); Sebbere, Sabberi (North Ethiopia), Guaya (Amharic
and Oromifa); Batura, Chural, Kansari, Kisari, Latri, Santal, Teora (India); Matri
(Pakistan); Kalool, Patak (Dari)
also used for Cowpea.
The Vetch or Grass Pea is a hardy and very drought resistant crop that is grown
mainly in India, and in other dry areas with poor soil and low rainfall such as Eritrea
and Eritrea. It is in fact a fodder crop, but the seeds are often eaten by poor people in
emergencies such as famine. It was one of the earliest crops grown and was farmed
in the Middle East more than 5000 years ago.
It will grow in very infertile soils, if they are not too acidic. The plant has a
long; it looks similar to Pisum sativum the common or garden pea but has much
narrower and more elongated leaflets. The flowers are usually blue, but are pink,
red, violet or white in some varieties. The pods are small and flat, 2.5–4 cm long,
and contain 3-5 seeds which are either white, black, brownish-grey, yellow or
spotted. Large, white seed is the most popular for human food. The smaller seeded
types (called Lakhori in India) have a weight of about 5–7 g per 100 seeds, while the
is the cheapest available pulse crop in most of India.
Maps showing areas where Vetch is grown in Ethiopia are available as gif files
on http://www.general.uwa.edu.au/u/enneking/lathyrus/ It is estimated that 100,000–
140,000 Ha is currently cultivated in Ethiopia.
Lathyrism
The seed of vetch also contains a non-protein, neurotoxic amino acid (beta-oxalyl-
diamino-propionic acid) which can cause paralysis of the lower limbs in children,
men, horses and cattle, known as lathyrism, if the grain is eaten for an extended
period of time. It is said that a diet with 30–50% of grass pea eaten for 3–6 months
can cause lathyrism, which is sudden, acute and irreversible ie there is no cure. In
some very poor parts of India and Africa lathyrism is a public health problem (and
the crop is sometimes banned).
Vetch is also found in some parts of North Africa, including Eritrea and North
larger seeded types (Lakh) have a weight of 7–18 g per 100 seeds. The seeds contain
climbing or straggling growth habit, with many branches, which can grow up to 9 m
about 2 5–28% protein, 0.6–1% fat, 45–61% carbohydrate and 3% mineral matter. It
Ethiopia, where its local name of T’Sebbere means “the breaker”. It is thought that
186 TONY WINCH
and Ethiopia, especially in times of famine. The plant is a native of southern Europe and
western Asia but nowadays it is not commonly grown outside India, Ethiopia