Role of Different Soil Conditioners on Pea Productivity and Calcareous Soil Properties

Sustainable agriculture aims to simultaneously increase crop productivity and quality while enhancing soil health to satisfy the escalating food demand due to population growth. The objective of this investigation was to assess the impact of soil conditioners on pea growth, productivity, quality, and the characteristics of sandy calcareous soil. The experiment was conducted during the winter growing seasons of 2021/2022 and 2022/2023 using a sprinkler irrigation system and comprised eight treatments: Control (C), potassium humate (KH), sheep Manure (SM), agricultural sulfur (S), KH + SM, KH + S, SM + S, and KH + SM + S. The use of soil conditioners enhanced plant growth and production, improved seed quality, and increased soil nutrient availability. Concerning time intervals, the second interval exhibited a markedly higher pea yield compared to other intervals, accounting for 52.32% of the total yield. The combined treatment (KH + SM) achieved the highest yield of green pods exhibiting a 61.52% increase on average over two seasons compared to control, with no significant difference observed from the combined triple treatment (KH + SM + S). The application of soil amendments, specifically SM as a singular treatment and in conjunction with KH and S, improved easily oxidized organic carbon, total organic carbon, and organic matter. The combined triple treatment considerably enhanced the availability of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium in the soil. Furthermore, the developed cluster analysis validated the beneficial impact of soil conditioners on the enhancement of soil properties and productivity of plants. This investigation emphasizes the importance of the synergistic integration of soil conditioners and essential soil factors for sustainable pea cultivation.