This is the third major publication on Viaia faba reporting proceedings of seminars organised through the Commission of the European Communities in the context of the EEC Common Research Programme on Plant Protein Improvement. The previous two volumes report proceedings from the seminars in Bari in 1978 (Some current research on Vida faba in Western Europe) and in Cambridge in 1979 (Vicia faba: Feeding value, processing and viruses) - The theme of this seminar, held in Wageningen on 24th - 26th June, was selected to examine various aspects of plant physiology, especially in relation to their potential contribu- tion to plant breeding. Areas identified for discussion included those to elucidate particular responses of the plant to the environment and, in the broader concept, an examination of the combined responses of ideotypes required to exploit fully the range of environments in which Viaia faba is grown. Increased pea breeding in Europe in recent years justified an assessment of the projected progress of the crop for dry seed production and two papers were invited on this topic. Participants visited Cebeco at Lelystad where, after hearing of the involvement in field beans and peas, the advanced selections in field plots were examined and discussed. On the same day visits were also made to the SVP experimental farm and to the CABO experimental farm at de Eest, to discuss the plant breeding/physiology experiments on field beans and peas. The seminar was organised by Dr. G. Dantuma and Ir. R.J.