ORIGIN, AREA, PRODUCTION, VARIETIES, PACKAGE OF PRACTICES FOR PEAS

Peas - (Pisum sativum L.) (2n = 14) - (Hindi : Matar)

Pea (Pisum sativum L.), the famous plant in which G.H. Mendel worked out Mendel
Laws and Genetic Principles, is a noble and aristocratic vegetable. The crop is cultivated for its
tender and immature pods for use as vegetable and mature dry pods for use as a pulse. In both
cases, seeds are separated and used as vegetable or pulse. Peas are highly nutritive and
contain high content of digestible protein (7.2 g / 100g), Carbohydrate (15.8 g), Vitamin-C (9
mg), phosphorus (139 mg) and minerals. Tender seeds are also used in soups. Canned, frozen
and dehydrated peas are very common for use during off-season. Like any legume crop, pea is
an integral component of sustainable agriculture due to its soil enriching and conditioning
properties.

Origin
Vavilov (1926) listed different centres of origin for pea. Area comprising Central Asia, the
Near East, Abyssinia and the Mediterranean is the centre of origin based on genetic diversity.
Cultivated garden pea is not seen in wild state and it might have been originated from wild field
pea or other related species.
Botany
Pea is a diploid with 2n=14. Field pea with coloured flowers belong to Pisum arvense
and the garden pea with white flowers belong to P. sativum. Pea is a herbaceous annual plant
with tap root system. Stem is upright, slender and usually single. Leaves are pinnately
compound with the rachis terminating in a single or branched tendril. There are large stipules at
base of leaf. Inflorescence is a raceme arising from axils of leaves and individual flowers are
typical papilionaceous. Gynoecium is monocarpellary with ovules (up to 13) alternately attached
to placenta. Style bends at right angle to ovary and stigma is sticky. Pods are straight or curved
and seeds are smooth or wrinkled.

Varieties
Pea cultivars grown in different parts of the world exhibit wide variation in height of stem,
branching, pod size, seeds per pod, shelling percentage, smoothness of seeds (smooth /
wrinkled) etc.
The cultivars / varieties are grouped based on various characters as given below:
Basal on maturity period
• Early types – green pods will be ready for harvest by 65 days after sowing.
• Mid season types – pods will be ready for harvest by 85-90 days after sowing.
• Late main season types – pods will be ready for harvest by 110 days after sowing
Based on height of plant
• Bush or dwarf types
• Medium tall
• Tall
 Usually dwarf types are early and mid season types are medium tall. Late types are tall
and require support.
A brief description of improved varieties is given below:
Developing Variety Special features
institution
IIHR, Bangalore. Arka Ajit Resistant to powdery mildew and rust. Yield
10t/ha in 90 days.
UN 53-6 A snap pea where the whole pod is edible. Yield
8-9 t/ha in 90 days.
IARI, New Delhi. Arkel* Early season variety introduced from England
Dwarf plants bearing double pods at lower nodes
and single at upper nodes. Pods 8.8 cm long and
sickle shaped. Suitable for fresh market and
dehydration. Susceptible to collar rot at high
temperature. Yield 7.5 t/ha in 50-55 days.
Bonneville* Mid season variety introduced from USA.
Medium tall plants bearing double pods. Pods
more than 9 cm long. Yield 8.5 t/ha. Seeds green
and wrinkled.
Sylvia Introduced edible podded variety suitable for
kitchen garden. Pods curved, yellowish green
without parchment.
IARI, Regional Lincoln* Early season variety introduced from France.
Station, Katrain Medium tall plants bearing double pods of 8-9 cm
length and sickle shaped. Mature seeds
wrinkled. First picking 85-90 days after sowing
(DAS). Yield 68-10 t/ha.
IIVAR, Varanasi. VRP 2* Plants 50 cm tall. Pods straight and medium
sized. First harvest 55-58 DAS. Yield 10 t/ha.

Kashi Early maturing variety developed through

Nandini* pedigree selection. Plants erect and dwarf. Pods
(VRP 3) long. Tolerant to leaf miner and pod borer. Yield
 6.5 t/ha with 80 % shelling percentage.
Kashi Mid season variety. Plants 80 cm tall with
Shakthi* attractive pods. Yield 7.5 t/ha.
(VRP 7)
Tamil Nadu Ooty 1 A dwarf variety with a yield of 11.9 t/ha in 90
Agricultural days. Resistant to white fly.
University.
NDAU&T, NDVP 8* Mid season variety with 10 t/ha.
Faizabad, UP.
NDVP 10* Mid season variety with 10 t/ha.
Punjab Punjab 88* Early season variety developed through selection
Agricultural from cross between Pusa 2 x Morrasis 55. Pods
University, dark green, long (8-10 cm) and slightly curved.
Ludhiana Days to first harvest – 100. Yield 15 t/ha with
47% shelling percentage.
Matar Early season dwarf variety. Tolerant to high
Ageta 6* temperature. Yield 6 t/ha with 44.67% shelling
percentage. Seeds smooth and green.
CSAUA&T, Azad P.2* Resistant to powdery. Plants tall (130-150 cm).
Kanpur. (PRS4) Straight and smooth pods. Yield 12 t/ha in 90-95
days.
Azad P-3* Early maturing variety. Pods straight, medium
(PRS 4) size. Yield 8 t/ha.
JNKV, Jabalpur. Jawahar Mid season dwarf variety with big, attractive
Matar 1* (JM green, 8-9 cm long pods containing 8-10 sweet
1, GL 141) green ovules.
Jawahar Pods dark green, big, curved with 8-10 sweet
Matar 2 ovules, wrinkle seeded, susceptible to powdery
mildew.
Jawahar Early season variety developed through selection
Matar-3 from cross between T 19 x Early Badger. First
(Early picking in 50 DAS, Pods 7 cm long, light green
December*) and round oval / ovules.
 Jawahar Mid season variety derived from T 19 x Little
Matar-4* Marvel. Plants 50-60 cm tall. Pods 7 cm long,
(JM 4, GL green. Mature seeds green and wrinkled.
195)
Jawahar Resistant to powdery mildew and Fusarium wilt.
Matar 15 Plants dwarf. Yild 13 t/ha.
Jawahar Powdery mildew resistant variety with big
Matar 54 incurved pods enclosing 8-9 big wrinkled seeds.
Yield 7 t/ha.
Jawahar Mid season powdery mildew resistant variety
Peas 83* developed through double cross (Arkel x JP 829)
x (46 C x JP 501). Plants dwarf. Pods big and
curved with 8 green and sweet ovules. Yield 12-
13 t/ha.
Harbhajan Early variety resembling to field pea. Susceptible
to powdery mildew. Av. Yield 3 t/ha.
GBPUA&T PM 2* Early variety developed through pedigree
Pantnagar selection from cross between. Early Badger x
Pant Uphar. Pods smaller than Arkel. Yield 10
t/ha.
Pant Uphar* Medium maturity, ready for harvest by 70-80
(IP3) DAS. Flowers white, Pods round. Seeds
wrinkled, Susceptible to powdery mildew.
Resistant to stem fly. Yield 10 t/ha.
Pant Sabji Early season variety with long curved pods with
Matar 3 8-9 ovules. Picking starts 60-75 DAS. Yield 9
t/ha.
HAU, Hisar. Hisar Harit* Developed through selection from cross between
(PH 1) Bonneville x P 23. Pods large, sickle shaped and
single or double. Yield 9 t/ha.
VPKAS, Almora VL Matar 3* Plants determinate. White flowers, straight and
double podded. Length – 6.8 cm. First picking is
100 DAS. Yield 10 t/ha.
 VL Agethi Early season dwarf variety. First picking in 120-
Matar 7* (VL 125 DAS. Pods 8 cm long, light green, slightly
7) curved. Seeds wrinkled. Yield 23-25 t/ha. with
42% shelling.
VL 8* Mid season variety with 10 t/ha.
Vivek* (VL Medium mature variety with straight, 6-7 cm long
Matar 6) pods. Seeds semi wrinkled. Moderately tolerant
to cold and moisture stress. Yield 11 t/ha.
TNAU, Ooty-1 Dwarf variety having a yield potential of 11.9 t/ha
Coimbatore in 90 days. Resistant to white fly.
* Varieties released / identified by AICRP (Vegetables)
In addition to the above improved varieties, cultivars like Asauji, Alaska, Meteor, Early Badger
etc. are also very popular among farmers.
Climate
Pea is typically a cool season crop and thrives well in cool weather. Optimum
temperature for seed germination is 22oC. Even though seeds germinate at 5oC, speed of
germination is less. At higher temperature, decay of seedlings is more. Early stage of crop is
tolerant to frost. But flowering and fruit development are adversely affected by frost. Optimum
monthly mean temperature for growth of plants is 10-18.3oC. As temperature increases the
maturity is hastened and yield is reduced. Quality of pods produced is also low at high
temperature due to conversion of sugars to hemicellulose and starch.
Soil
Crop prefers well drained, loose and friable loamy soil for early crop and clayey soil for
high yield. Ideal pH is 6.0-7.5 and it grows under alkaline soil. If soil is acidic, liming is
recommended.
Season
In plains of North India, pea is sown from beginning of October to middle of November. Yield is
drastically reduced when crop is sown after 4th December (Chaubey, 1977). Crop sown in
September will be susceptible to wilt disease. In hills, pea is sown in March for summer crop
and in May for autumn crop.
Sowing and seed rate
Soil is prepared to a fine tilth by disc ploughing followed by one or two harrowing. Seeds
are sown in flat or raised beds by broadcasting or by dibbling at 2.5-5.0 cm depth. Early
varieties are sown at a closer spacing of 30 x 5-10 cm and the seed rates is 100-120 kg/ha. Mid
season and late varieties are sown at wider spacing of 45 x 10 cm. Late varieties are sown on
either edge of raised beds which are 120-150 cm wide with furrows in between. Seed rate for
late varieties is 80-90 kg/ha. Overnight soaking of seeds in water or GA 3 (10 ppm) improves
germination.
Manure and fertilizers
A crop yielding 4-5 tonnes of green peas removes 55 kg N, 20 kg P 2 O5 and 40 kg K 2O.
High does of N have adverse effect on nodule formation and N fixation. N at 25 kg/ha is
sufficient to stimulate early growth of pea. Phosphatic fertilizer increases yield and quality by
increasing N fixation and nodule formation. Potassium fertilizers also increase N fixation ability
of plants and yield. In addition to 10 tonnes of farmyard manure, a fertilizer dose of 25 kg N, 70
kg P 2 O 5 and 50 kg K 2 O are recommended for one hectare and the entire dose is drilled at the
time of sowing seeds. If fertilizers are coming in contact with seeds, there will be severe injury to
seeds. Fertilizer should be applied in bands at 7-8 cm away and 2.5 cm deeper from seeds.
Application of sodium molybdate @ 40 kg/ha either as per or post emergence spray is reported
to increase yield and collar rot resistance in peas.
Application of fertilizers in Tamilnadu
Apply FYM at 20 t/ha and 60 kg N, 80 kg P and 70 kg K/ha as basal and 60 kg N/ha 30
days after sowing.
Irrigation
Pea, like any legume vegetable, is sensitive to drought and excessive irrigation.
Excessive irrigation immediately after sowing results in poor germination due to hard crust
formation. Excessive irrigation in earlier stags increases vegetative growth. Light irrigations t
10-15 days intervals is given for pea. Flowering, fruit set and grain filling periods are critical
stages and care should be taken to irrigate crop at these stags. Four irrigations at pre-bloom,
pod set and fruit picking stages are recommended for variety Bonneville under Bangalore
conditions.
Weed control
Care should be taken to remove weeds in early stags of crop. Lasso (alachlor) @ 0.75
kg a.i. or tribunal @ 1.5 kg a.i./ha or pendemethalin 0.5 kg a.i. / ha as pre emergence spray
along with one hand weeding at 25-45 days after sowing is very effective for weed control.
Inter-culture
When plants are 15 cm high, tall varieties should be stacked with wooden sticks or twigs
for trailing. A single row of stakes fixed in middle of raised bed will support both rows of plants in
each bed.
Earthing up and hoeing is also important operations in peas and helps in root development and
growth of plants. This is usually done after weeding and fertilizer application.
Harvesting
Since tender peas with high sugar content fetch premium price in market, care should be
taken to harvest pods at correct maturity. During maturity, sugar content decreases and
polysaccharides and insoluble nitrogen compounds like protein increases. Calcium migrates to
seed coat and becomes tougher during ripening. Toughness of seeds is determined using
Tendrometer, especially for processing purposes. Peas with low tendrometer reading is offered
high price.
Many workers calculated heat units to ascertain maturity and harvesting of peas. Number of
degree hours above 4.4 oC required to bring a variety to maturity is calculated and it varies from
variety to variety.
Peas for fresh market are harvested when they are well filled and when colour changes
from dark green to light green. Usually 3-4 harvests at 10 days intervals are possible. Green
pod yield varies with duration of variety and is 2.5-4.0 t/ha for early varieties, 6.0-7.5 t/ha for mid
season varieties and 8.0-10.0 t/ha for late varieties. Shelling percentage ranges from 35-50.
Seed yield varies from 2.0 to 2.5 t/ha. Peas after harvesting are packed in gunny bags or crates.
Fresh unshelled peas can be stored for two weeks at 10oC and 90-95% RH.
Pests and Diseases
Stem fly, pea aphid, leaf miner and pod borer are major pests and wilt and root-rot,
powdery mildew, rust, Ascochyta blight and pod rot are major diseases of pea.
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1. Botanical name of peas _______________
2. Origin of peas _________________
3. Chromosome number of peas _____________
4. ___________ is an example for edible poded variety of pea
5. Peas are highly rich in ____________