Effect of integrated nutrition, biofertilizers and zinc application on production potential and profitability of garden pea (Pisum sativum L.) in eastern Himalaya, India

A field experiment was conducted during 2010–11 and 2011–12 to evaluate the effect of inorganic, organic and biofertlizers on growth, yield and economics of garden pea. Application of 100% RDF (NPKS i.e. 40:20:20:20) along with 50% RDN (20 kg nitrogen through vermicompost) to garden pea result in higher growth attributes such as plant height (52.05 and 53.85 cm), number of branches plant⁻¹ (5.94 and 6.25), dry matter production plant⁻¹ (31.92 and 33.45 g), root dry weight (1.83 and 2.13 g plant⁻¹), number of nodules plant⁻¹ (20.51 and 21.80) and nodules dry weight (66.63 and 67.88 mg) in the year of 2010 and 2011, respectively. The yield attributes viz, number of pods plant⁻¹ (15.43 and 16.58), number of seeds pod⁻¹ (5.84 and 6.09), 100-grain weight (20.30 and 20.76 g); and grain yield (11.94 and 12.88 g plant⁻¹) and straw yield (21.50 and 22.30 g plant⁻¹) were significantly higher recorded with the application of 100% RDF along with 50% RDN during both the years, respectively. The grain (11.53 and 12.62 q ha⁻¹), straw (21.86 and 23.32 q ha⁻¹) and biological yield (30.95 and 35.93 q ha⁻¹) were recorded with above treatment in respective years. Gross return, net return, B:C ratio, production efficiency (kg day⁻¹ ha⁻¹) and economic efficiency (Rs. ha⁻¹ day⁻¹) were also noted higher with 100% RDF + 50% RDN during both the years. The seed inoculation with biofertilizers + zinc @ 5 kg ha⁻¹ gave the significantly higher growth and yield attributes; seed yield (10.73 and 11.97 q ha⁻¹), straw yield (19.65 and 21.15 q ha⁻¹) and biological yield (30.56 and 33.13 q ha⁻¹) in both the years, respectively. In both the years, gross return (Rs. 36131 and 40151), net return (Rs. 24495 and 28515), B: C ratio (2.07 and 2.42), production efficiency (9.67 and 10.99 kg day⁻¹ ha⁻¹) and economic efficiency (Rs. 221 and 262 day⁻¹ ha⁻¹) were obtained with the combined applied of biofertilizers + zinc @ 5 kg ha⁻¹ during both the years, respectively.