Evaluation of promising garden pea (Pisum sativum L.) Genotypes for horticultural traits at Karnali province, Nepal

Abstract

Pea (Pisum sativum L.), a major legume crop, is grown both as a garden and a field crop across the country. Despite its importance in ensuring nutritional security,the current yield potential of determinate varieties is insufficient to meet the demands for high production. The main objective of this study was to evaluate promising determinate garden pea genotypes at on-farms and to select and recommend high-yielding ones for commercial production in Karnali Province of Nepal. A total of six promising garden pea genotypes (DGP02, DGP03, DGP05, DGP06, DGP08, and DGP09) selected from on-station trials were further evaluated and compared with ‘Sarlahi Arkel’ at the farmer’s field of Dullu Municipality-11, Dailekh and Patarashi Rural Municipality, Jumla in 2018/2019. Seeds were sown on 15th October in Dailekh and on 28th April, 2018, in Jumla, respectively, and experiments were laid out in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with replicated thrice. Genotypes showed significant (P<0.05) differences in plant height, pod length, the number of seed pod-1, fresh pod weight and yield, but the effect of locations was significant (P<0.05) in all the studied traits. Genotypes × locations showed significant differences only for plant height, pod length and the number of seed pod-1. Out of seven genotypes evaluated, genotype DGP05 produced the highest pod fresh weight (4.4 kg plot-1) and yield (11.1 mt ha-1), followed by the genotype DGP08 that produced pod fresh weight (4.2 kg) and yield (10.5 mt ha-1). The average fresh pod yield was higher (11.2 mt ha-1) in Dailekh than that of Jumla (7.1 mt ha-1). Genotypes DGP05 and DGP08 produced 14.4 and 8.2% higher fresh pod yield than ‘Sarlahi Arkel’ commercial variety. Genotype and genotype × environment (GGE) biplot analysis further confirmed that DGP05 was the most stable and productive genotype, followed by DGP08 at the tested environments.  Hence, two genotypes namely, DGP05 and DGP08 are recommended to grow at on-farms for obtaining high fresh pod yield, income generation and nutritional security of people in Karnali region.