Variation in biochemical attributes and rust reaction in response to crop geometry in mono-picking garden pea for mechanical harvesting

Abstract

The present study was conducted on single-harvest garden
pea to standardize the agronomic practices for mechanized
cultivation in India. The experiment was laid out in split plot
design with 30 treatments comprising five dates of sowing,
viz. 20th October, 5th November, 20th November, 5th
December and 20th December in main plots and 2 different
planting methods (flat and bed) sown at three different
spacing (20 × 5 cm, 20 × 7.5 cm and 20 × 10 cm) in subplots
and replicated three times. The bed size was standardized
according to front loading width of the pea combine. The
sowing of garden pea cv. Punjab-89 on 5th November at
intermediate spacing of 20 × 7.5 cm resulted into significantly
higher green pod yield of 136.2 q/ha (in single harvest) which
was statistically at par with same sowing date i.e. 5th
November at wider (135.0 q/ha) and closer spacing (131.4 q/
ha), which was due to cool temperature during plant growth,
moderate temperature during pod development and filling
stage. The significant interactions were observed between
date of sowing and spacing for total yield, protein content
and rust incidence. However, for all the traits, there is nonsignificant
interaction for date of sowing with sowing
method, spacing with sowing method and 3-way interaction
betth December) crop resulted lowest total yield
but less incidence of rust incidence which was due to high
temperature and low relative humidity at pod development
and filling stage.ween date of sowing, spacing and sowing method. The

late sown (20