Field Pea / Garden Pea (Pisum sativum L.)
Importance (Expanded)
- One of the earliest domesticated legumes with historical importance in human diet.
- Acts as a soil ameliorative crop due to nitrogen fixation and addition of organic matter through residues.
- Plays a major role in cropping diversification, especially in rice-based systems of Indo-Gangetic plains.
- Improves soil structure and microbial activity.
- Provides high-quality fodder and green manure potential.
- Economically important for smallholder farmers because of low input requirement.
- Suitable for sustainable and climate-resilient agriculture due to short duration and low water requirement.
Climate Requirement
- Cool season crop; optimum temperature 13–18°C for vegetative growth.
- Temperature above 30°C during flowering reduces pod setting.
- Sensitive to frost at flowering and pod formation stage.
- Requires bright sunshine during pod filling.
- Moderate rainfall (400–600 mm) is ideal.
Soil Requirement
- Best suited to well-drained loam to clay loam soils.
- Performs well in alluvial soils of North India.
- Optimum pH: 6.0–7.5 (tolerates slight alkalinity).
- Avoid waterlogged and highly acidic soils.
Botanical & Morphological Significance
- Tendrils improve light interception and reduce lodging.
- Papilionaceous flower structure favors self-pollination → genetic purity maintained.
- Nodules contain Rhizobium leguminosarum for biological nitrogen fixation.
- Wrinkled seed trait associated with higher sugar and lower starch content.
Improved Varieties (India)
- Field pea: Rachna, HFP-4, Pant P-13, IPF-99-25, KPMR-522
- Garden pea: Arkel (early variety), Bonneville, Azad P-1, Lincoln, Pusa Pragati
Seed Treatment
- Treat seeds with Carbendazim or Thiram @ 2–3 g/kg seed to control seed-borne diseases.
- Inoculate with Rhizobium culture before sowing.
Land Preparation
- Requires fine, firm seedbed for proper germination.
- One deep ploughing followed by 2–3 harrowings.
- Proper leveling ensures uniform irrigation.
Nutrient Management (Conceptual): Pea has moderate nutrient requirement but responds well to phosphorus.
Recommended dose: 20 kg N + 40–60 kg P₂O₅ + 20 kg K₂O + 20 kg S/ha. Sulphur improves protein synthesis and nodulation.
Weed Management: Critical weed competition period → 20–40 DAS
Major weeds: Chenopodium album (Bathua), Phalaris minor, Anagallis arvensis
Control: One hand weeding at 25–30 DAS, Pendimethalin pre-emergence
Growth Stages
- Germination (5–7 days)
- Vegetative growth (20–30 days)
- Flowering (40–50 days)
- Pod formation (60–70 days)
- Maturity (90–120 days)
Harvesting & Post Harvest
- Harvest when pods turn yellow and seeds hard.
- Avoid delayed harvesting to prevent shattering.
- Dry to 10–12% moisture for safe storage.
Physiological Traits
- C3 plant with high photosynthetic efficiency in cool climate.
- Sensitive to moisture stress during reproductive stage.
- Long-day response accelerates flowering.
Key Exam Points (High Yield Facts)
- Botanical name: Pisum sativum
- Self-pollinated crop
- Long-day plant
- Protein ~20–22%
- Nitrogen fixation 40–60 kg/ha
- C3 plant
- Wrinkled seeds → garden pea
- Critical stage → flowering
- Family: Leguminosae (Papilionaceae)
- Origin: Southwest Asia / Mediterranean
- Season in India: Rabi crop
- Type: Cool season, C3, long-day plant
- Pollination: Self-pollinated
- Root system: Tap root with Rhizobium nodules
- Nitrogen fixation: ≈40–60 kg N/ha
- Protein content: 20–22%
- Major use: Pulse (field pea) and vegetable (garden pea)
- Wrinkled seeds: Garden pea (sweet type)
- Seed rate: 70–80 kg/ha (grain), 90–100 kg/ha (vegetable)
- Spacing: 30 × 10 cm
- Duration: 90–120 days
- Critical irrigation stage: Flowering to pod filling
- Yield: 15–20 q/ha (grain)
- Major states: UP, MP, Bihar
- Major pest: Pod borer
- Major disease: Powdery mildew
- Best soil: Well-drained loam
- Optimum temperature: 13–18°C
- Cropping system: Rice–Pea rotation common
- Relay cropping: Utera/Paira in rice fields
- Economic importance: Improves soil fertility and cropping intensity
