Effects of row space and fertilizer nitrogen level on the yield and quality of short duration garden pea [Pisum sativum] grown on a clay terrace soil of Bangladesh

A field experiment was conducted in the rabi (dry) season of 1997-98 to determine the optimum requirement of row space and fertilizer N level for achieving the highest yield potential of garden pea on a clay terrace soil of Bangladesh. The experiment was executed in the split-plot design comprising the combination of three intensities of row spacing (30, 40, and 50cm) assigned to main plots and six levels of N application (0, 20, 40, 60, and 80kg N ha sup(-1), and 20 kg N ha sup(-1) plus inoculation of seeds with Rhizobium leguminosarum) distributed to subplots. Garden pea was harvested at the green pod and matured seed stages. As an interaction effect, the highest yields of green pods (2.75 Mg ha sup(-1)) and matured seeds (1.86 Mg ha sup(-1)) were obtained with the application of N at the levels of 40 and 80kg ha sup(-1), respectively, under the row space of 30cm. However, the main effect of N level indicated that the yields were not significantly different among the N levels of 40 through 80 kg ha sup(-1) and of 20 kg ha sup(-1) with inoculation of seeds with Rhizobium leguminosarum. Concerning the impact of row space, the yield of green pods was significantly higher under the space of 30cm. The yield of matured seeds was not significantly affected by the row space. The row space and the N level affected independently the N content in seeds, and the higher row space along with the medium level of N application favored increase in the seed N content. The N harvested through plant biomass was remarkably increased by reducing the row space and increasing the N level. The combination of the row space of 30cm and the N application at the level of 40kg ha sup(-1) was judged to be best with respect to yield and quality of garden pea on the clay terrace soil of Bangladesh. Pea harvest at the green pod stage is advantageous in terms of yield and cropping duration.