Response of fieldpea (<italic>Pisum sativum</italic> L. var arvense) to various planting methods, irrigation schedule and weed management practices

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted during rabi seasons of 2007-08 and 2008-09 on mollisols at G.B. Pant University of Agriculture & Technology, Pantnagar to study the performance of fieldpea (Pisum sativum L.var arvense) under different planting methods, irrigation levels and weed management practices. Results revealed that growth attributes as plant height, number of branches and dry matter accumulation per plant, number and dry weight of nodules per plant, density and dry matter of weeds/unit area, nutrient uptake and yield attributes as pods/plant, 1000-grain weight, grain yield/plant and grain yield of fieldpea were significantly higher under raised bed planting as compared to flat bed. Planting on raised bed increased grain yield of fieldpea by 17.5% over flat bed. Two irrigations applied at critical stages i.e. pre-flowering and pod formation proved promising in increasing the growth, nutrient uptake, yield attributes and grain yield of pea. One hand weeding done at 25 days after sowing (DAS) reduced the density and dry matter of weeds significantly and one hand weeding done at 25 DAS increased the values of growth attributes, number and dry weight of nodules, nutrient uptake, yield attributes and grain yield as compared to pendimethalin 1.0 kg a.i./ha applied as pre-emergence and weedy check.