Abstract
In order to grow crops that reduce the negative impact on the environment, as well as meet the nutritional needs of the increasing human population, it is necessary to include new and more sustainable production strategies into current agricultural systems. The aim of our study was to evaluate the optimal nutritional conditions of semi-leafless pea productivity and ascertain the influence of meteorological factors on the productivity of these plants under boreal environmental conditions. The test involved three semi-leafless pea varieties, one of which was a new variety, and eight N fertilization treatments were used: (1) without fertilizers (N(0)), (2) without N fertilizers (N(0)), (3) N(15), (4) N(30), (5) N(45), (6) N(15+15), (7) N(60), and (8) N(60). Plots of the second-seventh treatment received a base application of P(40)K(80); the eighth treatment received P(80)K(160). Fertilizer efficiency depended on the meteorological conditions. Based on their productivity, the pea varieties were arranged in the following descending order: Ieva DS ˃ Respect ˃ Simona. Compared with unfertilized peas, NPK fertilizers enhanced the seed yield by 10.6-12.9% on average. Splitting the N(30) rate and applying N(60), under a background of P(40)K(80), was not efficient. The optimal rate of N(15-45)P(40)K(80) fertilizers for peas was determined. Meteorological factors significantly influenced seed yield by 75.2%, 44.1%, and 79.9% for varieties Ieva DS, Simona, and Respect, respectively.