Effect of Integrated Crop Management Practices on Growth, Seed Yield and Economics of Field Pea (Pisam sativum L.)

Abstract

Background: Field pea (Pisam sativum L.) has high yield potential and is grown for food, feed and vegetable. To meet the need of pulses in human diet, the use of integrated crop management practices is indispensable. Therefore, integrated crop management practices are the only option for increasing the field pea production and sustainability. The current study aimed to study the effect the different crop management practices on growth, seed yield and economics of field pea crop.Methods: In this field experiments were conducted during rabi 2013-14 to 2015-16 at Research Farm of Pulse Section, Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar. The experiment consisted of eight crop management practices viz. control, NM (Nutrient Management): RDF (20:40 kg NP ha-1), WM (Weed Management): Pendimethalin @ 1.0 kg a.i. ha-1 + one hand weeding at 30 DAS), PM (Pest Management): spray of quinalphos 25 EC one litre per ha in 250-300 litres of water as and when required, NM + WM, NM + PM, WM + PM, NM + WM + PM was laid out in a randomized block design with three replications.Result: Our investigations under field study revealed that significantly taller plants and higher plant height, number of branches per plant, number of pods per plant, 100 seed weight, seed and straw yield were recorded under integration of NM + WM + PM being at par with that of integration of NM + WM over remaining crop management practices either singly or in combinations of both or control. Integration of NM + WM + PM recorded lower weeds dry weight (42.9 kg ha-1) at harvest and higher weed control efficiency (92.2%) compared to all other crop management practices. The practice of integration of NM + WM + PM gave highest net returns of `49196 ha-1 compared to other crop management practices.