Effect of nutrient management on physio morphological and yield attributes of field pea (Pisum sativum L.)

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted to investigate the impact of nitrogen management on the growth and yield of field peas. The experiment took place during the rabi season (October–March of 2022–2023) at Lovely Professional University's Agriculture Research Farm in Phagwara, Punjab, India. Fifteen different treatment combinations were utilized, involving the application of chemical fertilizers (NPK) and micronutrients (boron and zinc). The experimental design followed a randomized complete block approach with three replications. Among the treatment combinations, the application of foliar spray with B at a rate of 0.2%, Zn at a rate of 0.5%, along with 100% recommended dose of fertilizer (RDF), resulted in the highest measurements for plant height (70.44 cm), leaf count (70.60), branch count (18.86), leaf area (32.24 cm²), dry matter accumulation (6.12 g), crop growth rate (0.299 g m⁻² day⁻¹), and relative growth rate (0.05933 g g⁻¹ day⁻¹). Furthermore, treatments involving 100% RDF, 0.2% B, and 0.5% Zn exhibited enhanced yield characteristics, including the number of seeds per pod (10.26), pods per plant (12.33), test weight of seeds (15.06 g), seed yield (3537 kg ha⁻¹), and harvest index (47.49%). Furthermore, 100% RDF and the inclusion of 0.2% B and 0.5% Zn outperformed the control. Applying 100% RDF along with the micronutrients B and Zn is recommended to maximize production and net profit in field pea cultivation.