RESPONSE OF PEA (PISUM SATIVUM) TO SALINITY AND IRRIGATION WATER REGIME

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of different salinity and irrigation water regime on yield, plant growth and water consumption of pea (Pisum sativum). Commercial variety of Rona was used as plant material. Salinity and irrigation water regime experiments were set up in pots as randomized plot experimantel designs with five replications. The first experiment focused on pea responses to irrigation water salinity by irrigating the crops using five different levels of saline water (0.7, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0 and 7.0 dS m(-1)) with a constant leaching fraction (LF = 0.30). The other experiment was conducted to determine pea responses to irrigation regime. For the second experiment, four different amounts of water (1.43, 1.0, 0.75 and 0.50 times of required water) were applied to pea plants throughout the study period. It was determined that seed yield of pea decreased 13.3% for per unit increase in soil salinity after 0.6 dS m(-1) which is the threshold value of pea. As soil salinity increases due to saline water applications, water consumption of pea decreased. Pea yield response factor to irrigation regime and salinity experiments was determined as 2.2 and 2.5, respectively. According to these results, it can be concluded that pea is very sensitive to water stress either due to irrigation regime or salinity. Since water stress and/or salinity causes high yield losses on pea, cultivation of this crop under limited irrigation water and/or saline conditions should not be suggested. In addition, because of sensitivity of pea to excess water, it should not be cultivated on soil with infiltration problem unless this problem is maintained.