The effect of different sowing dates and plant densities on plant development periods in pea under rainfed conditions in early springs

This study aimed to examine the effect of different sowing dates (5 March and 26 March) in early spring and plant densities (40, 60, 80, 100 seeds/m2) on plant growth and development under rainfed conditions in semiarid areas over six harvest times on pea. The research was carried out during March-June 2022 in the Dicle University, Faculty of Agriculture, in Diyarbakır, Turkey. Plants were harvested after emergences in every 10 days, and plant height, number of nodes, leaves, stipules and leaflets per plant and leaf area were measured. Absolute growth rate (agr), leaf area ratio (lar), leaf area index (lai), leaf area duration (lad), specific leaf weight (slw), specific leaf area (sla) values were calculated. Maximum absolute growth rate (AGR) was in 100 seeds per m2 and in 55 DAE for the first sowing time and in 40 seeds per m2 and in 35 DAE for the second sowing time. Maximum leaf area index (LAI) was in 100 seeds per m2 and in 55 DAE for the first sowing time and in 100 seeds per m2 and in 35 DAE for the second sowing time.