Response of vegetable pea (Pisum sativum) to sowing date and phosphorus under on-farm conditions

A field experiment was conducted during the winter season of 1999-2000 and 2000-20Q1 at Kokriguda model watershed, block Semiliguda, district Koraput (Orissa), to find out optimum sowing time and phosphorus dose for vegetable pea (Pisum sativum L.). The earliest sowing date (18 October) resulted in significantly better growth, yield attributes, green pod yield and net returns than 2 November and 17 November. Between the later 2 sowing dates, 2 November was significantly superior. Increasing phosphorus levels from 0 to 75 kg P,O,/ha sig- nificantly improved growth, yield and net returns. Moreover, combination of 18 October sowing and 75 kg P,O$ha resulted in highest green pod yield of 43.33 qlha being significantly higher than all other combinations. Phorphorus-use efficiency was highest with 18 October sowing and with 25 kg P,O,/ha. Maximum water-use-effi- ciency was recorded with 2 November-sown and 75 kg P,O$ha applied crop.