PEAS (Pisum sativum L.)

Peas are highly nutritive and a high percentage of protein, carbohydrates and vitamins and proportion of mineral matter. Season and Climate The peas is cool season crop and as such it should grown in the plains only in winter season. This is possible only in our State in Deccan plateau of Telangana region where the minimum temperature during winter ranges between 10-17degrees centigrade for over 30-35 days. Hot weather upsets pod setting and lowers the quality of pods. Peas grow best in those areas where there is slow transformation of cool weather to warm weather in spring. SOILS Well drained loamy soils are desirable All soils except those having very high pH and alkalinity are suitable. Varieties Early varieties EARLY BADGER It is an early variety crops in 55-60 days. Peduncles bear usually white flowers. Pod 6-7 cm long, long green, well filled and sweet. ARKEL A wrinkle seeded high yielding dwarf variety, takes 60 days to be ready for green pod harvest. METEOR Smooth seeded variety suitable for early takes 60-65 days to be ready for green pod harvest. Medium duration varieties PERFECTION NEW LINE Mid - season variety, crops in 70 -80 days. Medium tall in habit, peduncles usually bear white bear white flowers. Pods well file, 8 cm long and sweet in taste. Pods and foliage are light green in Color. Seed wrinkled, takes 85 days to be ready for green pod harvest. BONNE VELLE It is a mid season variety. Medium tall in habit, peduncles usaually bear white flowers. Pods well fille, 8 cm long and sweet in taste. Pods and foilage are light green in color. Seed wrinkled, takes 85 days to ready for green pod harvest. Late maturing varieties NP-29, Tall plants, wrinkle seeded, takes 100 days to harvest. Seeds and Sowing The long duration varieties may be spaced at 45cm x 20cm in the line with a seed rate of 80-90 kg/ha. Short duration types can be grown at 30cm x 15cm with a seed rate of 100-120kg/ha. Sowing can be started from 15th October to 15th November, towards the end of December when the temperatures begin to rise at pod setting and the pods become less sweet and develop slight bitterness resulting in poor quality. Through ploughing bring the soil into aggregate structure is necessary. In the last ploughing well decomposed faryard manure to an extent of 20 tons per hectare may be applied. The crop can be grown in beds and channels. A thorough preparation of soil is necessary for perfect germination. Uneven germination of seed results in variation in maturity at harvest Seed Treatment To control root diseases and mildews treat the seed with 1 gm Bavistin/kg of seed. Manures and Fertilizers Peas do not require heavy Nitrogenous fertilizers as they are legumes. However, a starter dose of 25kg of Nitrogen, 70 kg P2O5 and 150 kg K2O/ha at the time of sowing in beneficial. This is to be applied after the soil is prepared and seeds sown. Phosphorus and potash increase the nitrogen fixation capacity of peas crop. Intercultivation 1 or 2 hoeings can be given to put down weed growth. They begin to flower from 30-35 days. Pods are ready for picking from 45th day to 75th day. Irrigation Irrigate the field before sowing of seeds. Irrigate every 10-15 days. Especially flowering, fruit setting stages one or two irrigations improves the crop yield. Plant Protection Name of the Pests/Diseases Symptoms of damage Control measures PESTS Gram pod border Heliothis armegera Eats the tender foliage, later they bore into the pods. Spray Endosulfan 0.07% @ 2ml/lit or Monocrotophos 0.5% @ 1.5ml/lit Pod borer (kayatoluchu purugu) Etiella zinckenella They initially feed inside the developing seeds, but later instars feed freely inside the pods. The partly grown caterpillar may Leave the original pod and penetrate one or More fresh pods before reaching maturity. -do- Aphids (penu banka) Acythosiphon pisum Aphis craccivora Nymphs and adults suck the sap from tender leaves and shoots resulting into attack of saprophytic the fungus, ultimately leading to devitalization of plants. Spray Monocrotophos 0.05% @ 1.5 ml/lit or Phosphamidon 0.5% @ 0.5 ml/lit 0r Dimethoate 0.06% @ 2ml/ Lit or Malathion 0.1% @ 2ml/lit. Jassids (Deepapu purugu) Amrasca bigutella Bigutella Suck the sap and devitalise the plant. Plant turns yellowish. Spray Monocrotophos 0.05% @ 1.5 v ml/lit or Phosphamidon 0.05% @ 0.5 ml/lit or Dimethoate 0.06% @ 2ml/ lit or Malathion 0.1% @ 2ml/lit. DISEASES Damping off or seeding Disease (Kullu Tegulu) Pythium spp. Pre-emergence and post-emergence damping off seedlings is very common and in severe cases fibrous roots are also infected. Treat seeds with Thiram 2-3 g/kg seed. Downy mildew (Majjiga Tegulu) (Erysiphe polygoni White, cottony growth is seen on the lower surface of leaflets. In advanced stages white powdery growth is seen on leaves stems and pods. Spray Dithane M-45 0.2% @ 2 g/lit of water or Maneb 0.2% @ 2 g/lit water. Mosaic Virus (Verri Tegulu) Clearing of veins followed by chlorosis or severe yellowing of the leaves with numerous dark green areas dispersed over the leaflets. Grow resistant varieties. Wilt (Endu tegulu) Fusarium oxysporum f. Pisi Yellowing of leaves which wilt and die. infected roots become brown and rot. The Late sowing and using resistant Varieties is found to be effective.