Effect of Surface Soil Removal and Organic Amendments on Growth, Yield and Nutrient Content and Uptake of Pea (Pisum sativum L.)

Pea (Pisum sativum L.) an important rabi season legume crop from the fabaceae family is cultivated in over 95 countries for both fresh and processed forms. It contains about 20-25% protein and ranks as the fourth most significant grain legume and is considered as one of the major green vegetables globally. Pea is native to the mediterranean region of Southern Europe and Western Asia. Peas are a versatile and resilient crop that thrives in various agricultural systems, adapting to different soil types and temperatures. Peas offer a sustainable solution for farmers aiming to balance environmental care with productivity.

An experiment entitled “Effect of surface soil removal and organic amendments on growth, yield and nutrient content and uptake of pea (Pisum sativum L.)” was conducted during the rabi season of 2023 at the experimental field of the Department of Soil and Water Conservation, School of Agricultural Sciences, Nagaland University, Medziphema campus. The study was conducted using a split-plot design. Surface soil removal was applied at the depths of 0, 5 and 10 cm designated as D₀, D₁ and D₂, respectively and various organic amendments were added including control (O₀), FYM @ 5 t ha^-1 (O₁), vermicompost @ 2 t ha^-1 (O₂) and poultry litter @ 2.5 t ha^-1 (O₃).

The results of the experiment showed that the surface soil removal of 5 cm (D₁) and 10 cm (D₃) underperformed considerably as compared to 0 cm (D₁) in all aspects of growth, yield and N, P and K content and uptake. Additionally, the interaction between surface soil removal and organic amendments revealed that D₀O₁i.e. 0 cm soil removal combined with FYM @ 5 t ha^-1 performed significantly better than most of the interaction.