COOKING QUALITY, YIELD AND SEED WEIGHT OF FIELD PEAS AS AFFECTED BY IRRIGATION, NITROGEN, PHOSPHORUS AND HARVEST DATE

Abstract

The yellow-seeded field pea (Pisum sativum L. ’Century’) was grown at two levels of soil moisture, two levels of N and P and harvested at four dates in a 3-yr field study to determine the effects of these factors on cooking quality as indicated by the color, weight and viscosity of the puree of cooked samples. Nitrogen lowered cooking quality where yields were not improved but maintained quality when yield was increased. Phosphorus applications improved yield and cooking quality, with highest improvements in yield coinciding with greatest improvements in quality. Harvesting too early or too late resulted in lower cooking quality.