A disease of pea caused by pea early-browning virus was first describe
d in the Netherlands, and shortly afterwards was reported from England
. The virus has since been reported from several other European countr
ies, and also from North Africa. It can systemically infect crop legum
e species and the disease is locally important in pea in the Netherlan
ds and England. The virus, a member of the Tobravirus genus, is transm
itted through sandy or light-textured soils by species of trichodorid
nematodes, and also through seed of pea and faba bean. Seed transmissi
on is the most probable means of virus spread, especially over long di
stances, to previously uninfested soils. Aspects of the disease includ
ing symptoms, soil and seed transmission, detection, resistance and co
ntrol, and characteristics of the pathogen, are reviewed.