Quality Attributes of Garden Pea (Pisum sativumL.) as Influenced by Integrated Nutrient Management Under Mid Hill Conditions

The present investigation was undertaken to study the effect of integrated nutrient management on yield and quality of pea (Pisum sativum L.) in an acid Alfisol of Himachal Pradesh using cv. Palam Priya under irrigated conditions at the experiment farm of the Department of Soil Science, CSK Himachal Pradesh Krishi Vishvavidyalaya, Palampur during rabi 2006–07. The results indicated that the treatment 10 t FYM + 100 per cent recommended NPK (50:60:60 kg ha−1) gave the highest seed yield (31.6 q ha−1) which was at par with the treatment getting 10 t vermicompost + 100 per cent recommended NPK (31.5 q ha−1). It increased significantly with the application of recommended doses of NPK along with vermicompost, FYM and biogas slurry and the magnitude of increase was 34.6, 35.0 and 25.6 per cent, respectively over 100 per cent NPK alone. There was a significant improvement in total soluble solid content of pea with the application of different organics and fertilizer doses. Total and non reducing sugar content in pea seeds also significantly increased with the application of organics alone and in combination with NPK fertilizers. Maximum reducing sugar content was recorded in the treatment where recommended NPK was applied along with 10 t ha−1 of vermicompost. The highest protein and starch contents were also recorded in the treatment where 100 per cent NPK was applied along with 10 t vermicompost ha−1. Application of 75 per cent of recommended dose of fertilizer was at par with 100 per cent of recommended dose of fertilizer along with vermicompost or FYM concluding that 25 per cent of the recommended dose of fertilizer can be substituted either with vermicompost or FYM with respect to quality parameters.