Effect of irrigation and phosphorus levels on seed production of garden pea (Pisum sativum L.)

Abstract

Garden pea is one of the most leading off-season vegetables in the Himachal Pradesh. Irrigation water is a limiting factor in the hilly regions. Availability of phosphorus is somewhat restricted in the acidic soils. Quality seed is the basic input in any of the production programme. Irrigation and phosphorus are important to improve the seed yield as well as its quality. Hence, the present investigation entitled Effect of irrigation and phosphorus levels on seed production of garden pea (Pisum sativum L.) was conducted in the Department of Vegetable Science and Floriculture, CSK Himachal Pradesh Krishi Vishvavidyalaya, Palampur (H.P) during rabi 2005-06, 2006-07 and 2007-08, to study the response of irrigation and phosphorus levels on growth and development, yield attributes and yield, seed quality, plant/soil chemical studies and water use efficiency of garden pea. The treatment combinations comprised of five main-plot treatments (irrigation levels viz., I1: water-seeding, I2: I1 + irrigation (1cm) at vegetative stage, I3: I2 + irrigation (1cm) at 75% flowering, I4: I3 + irrigation (1cm) at 75% podding and I5: recommended 5cm irrigation at all the stages viz., pre-sowing, vegetative stage, 75% flowering and 75% podding) and three sub-plot treatments (phosphorus levels viz., P1: 40kg P2O5/ha, P2: 60kg P2O5/ha and P3: 80kg P2O5/ha). In all there were 12 treatment combinations. The field experiments were conducted in split-plot design with three replications. The results revealed that water-seeding (0.43cm irrigation water applied within the rows before sowing) proved better than pre-sowing irrigation of 5cm depth in early emergence of seedlings. Early flowering and seed maturity were recorded in the treatments receiving limited irrigation water at one or more of the critical growth stages (I1 to I4) as compared to the recommended (I5).The irrigation levels I5 (recommended) and I4 (water-seeding + 1cm irrigation water along the rows at all the critical stages) were at par with each other and both were significantly superior over rest of the irrigation levels with respect to growth, yield attributes, seed yield and quality traits and nutrient uptake. Water use efficiency was the highest with I4. The highest phosphorus dose P3 (80kg P2O5/ha) was the best for early maturity, yield attributes, seed yield and quality and nutrient uptake. In general, the I X P interactions were non significant. In conclusion, the best irrigation schedule and phosphorus dose proved to be I4P3.