ASSESSMENT OF SODICITY TOLERANCE IN PEA (PISUM-SATIVUM)

Sodicity tolerance in pea (Pisum sativum L. sensu lato) was assessed by growing it in a sodic field as well as in pots filled with sodic soil during 1988-89 and 1989-90. The plants survived and set seed at exchangeable sodium percentage 68 and pH 9.8, but showed 50% reduction in seed yield from the threshold value at exchangeable sodium percentage 35 and pH 9.3. The tolerance of pea genotypes varied with the growth stage. The predicted sodicity levels for 100% reduction (C0) in different plant attributes indicated that vegetative growth is tolerant (plant height having C0 102.7 exchangeable sodium percentage), flowering stage sensitive (pods/plant, seeds/plant and seed yield/plant having C0 49-50 exchangeable sodium percentage) and maturity stage tolerant (seeds/pod and 100-seed weight being least affected) to sodicity. Pods/plant and seeds/plant were highly affected by sodicity and were the major factors contributing to reduction in grain yield. Excess moisture in sodic fields during 1989-90 adversely affected the seed yield of pea genotypes. On account of less effect of sodicity on 100-seed weight, the varieties with high seed weight are preferable for sodic soils for less reduction in the total seed yield under such conditions.