Two field experiments investigated the applicability of two French breeding lines of winter pea for green crop as winter catch crop and for seeds as the main crop. Over the eight-year research period winter survival of pea plants accounted for an average of 51%, ranging from 0 to 92%. Minimal temperature at the ground determined winter survival most considerably, while the total freezing of plants occurred at -18^oC. Due to poor winter survival, pea grown for green crop was inferior to hairy vetch although the yield potential of both species was similar. Spring development rate and the content of total protein in the aboveground parts of pea and vetch plants were similar. Pea winter losses and a low 1000 seed weight resulted in a relatively low seed yield of 10-12 dt·ha^-1. Winter pea reproduction coefficient ranged from 8 to 12, depending on the breeding line.

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