Impact of sowing dates and row spacing on the root rot incidence and seed yield of pea crop under field conditions

AbstractPea (Pisum sativum L) is an important cool-season legume cultivated widely for its fresh pods, seeds and foliage, yet its productivity is severely constrained by the root rot complex caused predominantly by the soil-borne pathogen Fusarium solani f sp pisi. During the rabi season of 2023, a field experiment was conducted at the Department of Plant Pathology, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar, Haryana to assess the influence of sowing dates and row-to-row spacings on disease incidence and seed yield in the pea cultivar HFP-529. The pathogen was isolated from symptomatic roots, purified and its pathogenicity validated using Koch’s postulates. Early symptoms included reddish-brown lesions on roots, progressing to dark, coalescing necrosis and complete root disintegration. Sowing date significantly affected disease development: the earliest sowing (10 October) resulted in the highest incidence (33.61%) and lowest yield (18.78 q/ha), whereas, sowing on 10 November produced the maximum seed yield (22.25 q/ha). The lowest disease incidence (24.51%) was observed in the 25 November sowing. Row spacing also played a crucial role. A 20 cm spacing favoured the highest disease incidence (39.52%), while 50 cm spacing minimized disease (16.72%) but drastically reduced yield (14.30 q/ha). An intermediate spacing of 30 cm proved most effective, registering the highest yield (22.30 q/ha). The study demonstrates that optimizing cultural practices, particularly sowing window and plant spacing, offers an eco-friendly and practical strategy for reducing pea root rot and improving crop productivity.