Effect of seed size and sowing depth on seedling emergence and seed yield of pea (Pisum sativum)

Abstract

A field experiment was carried out at experimental field of Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Naini Agricultural Institute, Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology and Sciences, Allahabad (U.P.) during November 2016 to February 2017. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Block Design (RBD) with 6 treatments and each replicated thrice. Seeds are graded into large (37.60g in 180 seeds) and small seeds (25.28g in 180 seeds) and sown at different sowing depth viz. 3cm, 5cm and 7cm. Large seed sown at 3cm depth produced maximum number of seedlings and higher plant height. Large seeds sown at 5cm sowing depth produced higher harvest index (66.46%). In small seeds, seeds sown at 5cm depth had higher shoot length (11.94 cm) and dry weight after harvest (11.15 g) and small seeds sown at 3cm depth produced better plant height (42.58) and higher number of leaves (72.75).