Effect of planting method, irrigation schedule and weed management practice on the performance of fieldpea (Pisum sativum L. arvense)

A field experiment was conducted during Rabi seasons of 200708 and 2008–09 on mollisols at G.B. Pant University of Agriculture & Technology, Pantnagar to study the performance of fieldpea (Pisum sativum L. arvense) under different planting methods, irrigation levels and weed management practices. Results revealed that growth attributes such 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, yield attributes (viz., pods/plant, 1000-grains weight and grain yield/plant) and grain yield (kg/ha) 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 per cent over that of flat bed. Two irrigations applied at critical stages such as pre-flowering and pod formation proved useful in increasing the growth, yield attributes and grain yield of pea. Irrigated condition had higher weed density and its dry matter over rainfed condition. One hand weeding at 25 days after sowing reduced both these above parameters significantly and raised productivity of the crop (through higher growth and yield attributes, number and dry weight of nodules and grain yield) in comparison to both pendimethalin 1.0 kg/ha applied as pre-emergence and weedy check.