Assessment of efficacy and crop safety of SV KITONE on pea (Pisum sativum L.)

Abstract

Sustainable vegetable production demands nutrient inputs that enhance crop productivity while ensuring crop safety and environmental sustainability. Plant biostimulants have gained importance as integral components of integrated nutrient management due to their ability to improve nutrient use efficiency and plant physiological performance without adverse environmental effects. A field experiment was conducted during December 2023 to April 2024 at the Zonal Agricultural and Horticultural Research Station, Navile, Karnataka, India, to evaluate the bio-efficacy, crop safety and yield response of pea (Pisum sativum L.) to different modes and doses of the biostimulant SV KITONE. The experiment was laid out in a randomized block design with seven treatments and three replications. SV KITONE was applied as foliar spray (0.50, 1.25 and 2.00 ml L-1) and soil drenching (0.50, 1.00 and 2.00 L acre-1) at 20-25 and 40-45 days after sowing. Growth, physiological, yield attributes, soil nutrient status and phytotoxicity parameters were recorded and analysed statistically at P = 0.05. The results indicated that SV KITONE significantly improved plant height, leaf area, leaf area index and chlorophyll content compared to the untreated control. The highest green pod yield (6.34 t ha-1) was obtained with foliar application of SV KITONE at 2.00 ml L-1. No phytotoxic symptoms were observed at any application rate, confirming crop safety. Post-harvest soil analysis revealed efficient nutrient uptake without deterioration of soil chemical properties. The study concludes that SV KITONE is an effective and crop-safe biostimulant for pea cultivation and can be successfully integrated with recommended fertilizer practices for sustainable yield enhancement.