EFFECT OF PLANT DENSITY AND FERTILIZER LEVELS ON GROWTH AND SEED QUALITY OF PEA PLANT.

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Vegetable Research Dept., Hort. Res. Inst., Agric. Rec. Centre, Cairo, Egypt.

Abstract

Two experiments were carried out at Parramoon Experimental Farm (EI-
Dakahlia Govenorate) during winter seasons of 1998 - 1999 and 1999 - 2000.
Seeds of dwarf pea Pisum sativum L. cv. "Master B.' were sown either on one or
both sides of the ridges; 60 cm width at 10 cm apart. Plants were fertilized with three
level of ammonium sulphate (20.5% N), calcium super phosphate (16% P20S) and
potassium sulphate (48% ~O) l.e. (150, 200 and 75 Kg/fed.), (200, 250 and 100
Kg/fed.) and (250, 300 and 150 Kg/fed.) of each fertilizer, respectively.
Therefore. this experiment included 6 treatments which are the two plant
densities arranged in main plots with three N, P and K treatments as sub plots.
Low plant density were significandy increased plant height, dry weight, dry
matter % and No. of pods per plant and hepoctyl length at the first season only.
Fresh yield per plant, per plot and per feddan, NPK content of leaves were significant
increasing both season.
Plant density did not significantly affect theseparameters; No. of branches
and leaves per plant, No. of seeds per pod, No. of pods per plant, seed yield per plant
and feddan, misocotyllength and dry seeds protein content %.                     .
Moreover. increasing NPK fertilizer levels clearly increased all vegatative
characteristices of plant growth, fresh pod yield and seed weight per pod in both
seasons. However, number and weight of pods per plant, per plot and per feddan
were significantly affected by NPK fertilizer application levels only inthefirst season.
Seed index and germination rate were also increased with increasing levels of NPK
fertilizer only first season.





It could be concluted that low plant density combined with level of NPK
fertilizer i.e. 250, 300 and 150 Kg of ammonium sulphate super phosphate and
potassium sulphate, respectively improved dry seed yield and seed quality.

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