Effect of Foliar Application of Different Chemicals on the Growth of Field Pea (Pisum sativum var. arvense L.) under Terminal Heat Sress

Abstract

Heat stress is one of the main factors that restrict crop production and field pea (Pisum sativum L.) is one of the most affected crops. A temperature beyond the optimum for the crop causes irreversible damage to the growth and whole plant development. The objective of this study was to assess the different exogenous chemicals in terms of their effectiveness in counteracting high-temperature stress in field pea. A field trial was held during the rabi seasons of 2023-24 and 2024-25 at the Chandra Shekhar Azad University of Agriculture and Technology, Kanpur. The experimental design adopted was randomized block design with twelve treatments and three replications. The results showed that salicylic acid foliar application (400 ppm) significantly increased the plant height, reduced the days to 50 % flowering, and days to maturity under high temperature stress conditions. Salicylic acid and thiourea, in general, enhanced plant growth and productivity due to enhanced antioxidant defense mechanism. Thus, the foliar application of these types of exogenous chemicals could be a practical and highly effective method to reduce heat stress and maintain the production of field peas even in conditions of increasing temperatures.