Because pea seed germinates in relatively cool soil (as low as 40°F), planting can begin in late March or early April and continue until May 20-30. Early plantings generally yield more than later plantings as they mature during the cooler part of summer.

Caution. Peas are very sensitive to atrazine residues. Do not plant in fields where more than one pound of atrazine was applied the previous year.

Plant at a uniform depth of no more than one inch unless the soil is exceptionally dry. Rolling or cultipacking the soil after planting will firm the ground and push stones into the soil, which facilitates machine harvest. Attaching the roller behind the drill eliminates an additional set of tractor wheel marks and too much soil compaction on some rows of planted peas.

In general, seed should not be inoculated with symbiotic bacteria that fix nitrogen. The application of nitrogen fertilizers and the presence of the bacteria in soil from previous pea crops make it a questionable practice. Fields with no history of peas in the rotation may benefit from inoculation, particularly if the nitrogen application is low.

Because seed size varies greatly between varieties, seeding rate must be adjusted accordingly. See Tables 21.2.1 and 21.2.2.

Table 21.2.1 Recommended spacing.
Type		In-row (plants/yard)	Row (inches)
Processing
	Early	18-22	7
	Late	16-18	7
Fresh		18-20	32-36

Table 21.2.2 Approximate number of seeds to drop to obtain 16 to 22 plants per yard of row when laboratory germination is as indicated.
	Laboratory germination (percent)
	100	95	90	85	80	75
Plants/yard	Number of seeds to drop per yard of row
16	16	17	18	19	20	21
17	17	18	19	20	22	23
18	18	19	20	22	23	24
19	19	20	22	23	24	26
20	20	22	23	24	25	27
21	21	23	24	25	27	28
22	22	24	25	26	28	30

21.3 Fertility

Maintain pH of 6.0-6.5. Do not apply fertilizer in the seeded row as salt injury will occur. See Table 21.3.1 for the recommended rates of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium.

21.4 Harvesting

Intact peas pea pods serve as controlled atmospheric storages that maintain quality for about one week at 32˚F and 90 to 95 percent relative humidity. Once shelled, quality deteriorates rapidly. For this reason, processing peas, which are shelled in the field, must be transported quickly to the processing facility.

Table 12.3.1 Recommended nutrients based on soil tests.
N pounds/acre	P₂O₅ pounds/acre			K₂O pounds/acre			Comments
	Soil Phosphorus Level			Soil Potassium Level
	low	med.	high	low	med.	high

*40-50*	*100*	75	50	*120*	80	40	*Total recommended*

40-50	100	75	50	120	80	40	Broadcast and disk-in or drill deep and mix into the soil

21.5 Disease Management

21.5.1 Seed decay and root rot diseases caused by Pythium ultimum, Rhizoctonia solani, Fusarium solani, and/or Thielaviopsis basicola.

Time for concern: At planting and early growth stages

Key characteristics: Seed decay and damping off diseases resulting in poor emergence and stand establishment. Later infections result in various root-rot symptoms, depending on the pathogen. Severely infected plants are stunted, yellow, yield poorly and may die prematurely.

*Management Option*			*Recommendation*
Scouting/thresholds			Soil can be indexed for diagnosing severely infested fields. No threshold levels are available.
Resistant varieties			No resistant varieties are available.
Crop rotation			Root rot is favored by short rotations. Peas should be planted only once every four years, and fields with a history of severe root rot should be avoided. Rotations with grain crops will improve soil structure and reduce disease severity.
Site selection			Plant on healthy soils and avoid planting on poorly drained or compacted soil.
Seed selection/treatment			Purchase vigorous seed treated with a combination of Apron plus captan, Maxim or thiram. Apron is effective in controlling seed decay and root rots incited by Pythium species, but is not effective against Aphanomyces and other root rot organisms. Captan and thiram are used to protect against seed-rotting organisms. Maxim is effective against Rhizoctonia and Fusarium.
Postharvest, and Sanitation			If possible, plow under crop debris and plant a cover crop.
Compound(s)
Common name		Rate/A		PHI	REI	Field
	Trade name	Product		(days)	(hours)	Use EIQ	Comments
mefenoxam
	Ridomil Gold EC or OLF	0.5-1 pt		—	48	7-14	Apply preplant or as a surface spray after planting. Controls Pythium species.

21.5.2 Fusarium wilt, Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. pisi

Time for concern: Planting to harvest, when the soil temperature exceeds 68°F

Key characteristics: Fusarium wilt causes the downward curling of leaves and stipules. Leaves and stems become brittle. Yellow to orange discoloration also occurs within the vascular tissue of roots and stems . See Reference 1.

*Management Option*	*Recommendation*
Scouting/thresholds	Soil can be indexed for diagnosing severely infested fields.
Resistant varieties	Several races of this pathogen exist. Check with seed companies about availability of resistant varieties.
Crop rotation	This fungus may remain in the soil for ten years, making rotation relatively ineffective. However, practicing rotation in relatively clean fields will help prevent disease/pathogen build-up.
Site selection	Plant in the earliest workable fields, so the crop develops during the period of the growing season when the soil temperature is below the optimum temperature for wilt development (68°F through 72°F).
Seed selection/treatment, Postharvest, and Sanitation	These are not currently viable management options.
Compound(s)	No pesticides are available to manage Fusarium wilt.

21.5.3 Ascochyta leaf spot, Ascochyta pisi

Time for concern: Seedling through harvest

Key characteristics: Ascochyta spp. causes leaf lesions with concentric ring pattern. Other species of Ascochyta affect seeds and developing seedlings. See Reference 1.

*Management Option*			*Recommendation*
Scouting/thresholds			Record the occurrence and severity of Ascochyta leaf spot. No thresholds have been established.
Resistant varieties			No resistant varieties are available.
Crop rotation			Two- to three-year rotation will be effective in reducing disease severity.
Seed selection/treatment			Purchase vigorous and fungicide treated seed. In the absence of seed treatments, pea seed should be held for one year to reduce pathogen level to one-third its previous level.
Postharvest			If possible disk and plow under crop debris immediately after harvest to reduce this source of inoculum.
Site selection, and Sanitation			These are not currently viable management options.
Compound(s)
Common name		Rate/A		PHI	REI	Field
	Trade name	Product		(days)	(hours)	Use EIQ	Comments
pyraclostrobin
	Headline EC	6-9 fl oz		7	12		No aerial application in NYS. Do not make more than 2 applications of this on other strobilarin fungicides (group 11) per season.

21.6 Insect Management

21.6.1 Seedcorn maggot, Delia platura

Time for concern: At planting

Key characteristics: Adult flies are slender, 1/4 inch long, and grayish black in color. Maggots are yellowish white. Infested seeds and other plant parts are hollowed out. Damaged plants are weak and may not develop. See Reference 2.

*Management Option*			*Recommendation*
Scouting/thresholds			Record the occurrence and severity of seedcorn maggot damage. No thresholds have been established.
Natural enemies			Predators, parasitoids, and pathogens, including nematodes, help suppress infestations. Use Reference 3 or www.nysaes.cornell.edu/ent/biocontrol/ for identification of natural enemies.
Resistant varieties			No resistant varieties are available.
Site selection			Root maggots prefer soil with high organic matter. Incorporate crop residues well before planting. Do not spread manure directly before planting.
Seed selection/treatment			Purchase seed that has been treated with a fungicide, such as Apron, captan, or thiram, and then treat with an insecticide.
Crop rotation, Post-harvest, and Sanitation			These are not currently viable management options.
Compound(s)
Common name		Rate/A		PHI	REI	Field
	Trade name	Product		(days)	(hours)	Use EIQ	Comments
thiamethoxam
	Cruiser 5FS (seed treatment) 5 lb/gal	1.28 fl oz/ 100 lbs of seed		—	—	—	Seed must be treated commercially and purchased outside of New York.
*Restricted use only

21.6.2 Slugs

Time of concern: Early spring and fall

Key characteristics: Adult slugs are between one and two inches in length. Slugs can overwinter at any stage of development. Although slugs cannot survive prolonged subzero temperatures or desiccation, the burrows of small mammals and worms provide insulation. Slugs begin to move, hatch, feed, and lay eggs in the spring when temperatures are consistently above 40°F. There is often little or no slug activity in the field during periods of dry weather; however, there may be extensive feeding in damp areas. See www.slugcontrol.iacr.ac.uk/SlugsBrochure.pdf

*Management Option*			*Recommendation*
Scouting/thresholds			Record the occurrence and severity of slug damage. No thresholds have been established.
Resistant varieties			No resistant varieties are available.
Site selection/planting, Crop rotation, Post-harvest, and Sanitation			Practices that help dry the soil surface (e.g. conventional tillage and good weed control) will reduce slug populations.
Compound(s)
Common name		Rate/A		PHI	REI	Field
	Trade name	Product		(days)	(hours)	Use EIQ	Comments
metaldehyde
	Deadline Bullets	20-40 lbs		_	12	13-27

21.7 Weed Management

Key characteristics: Weed fact sheets provide a good color reference for common weed identification. See Reference 4. See Chapter 4 for information on scouting/thresholds, site selection, cultivation, and banding of herbicides.

Compound(s)
Common name		Rate/A	PHI	REI	Field
	Trade name	Product	(days)	(hours)	Use EIQ	Comments
preplant incorporated
trifluralin (broadleaves and grasses except ragweed and mustard)
	Treflan HFP 4 lb/gal	0.5-0.75 qt		12	13-20	Apply and incorporate about 2” within a few hours. Stunting may occur in cold, wet soils.
pendimethalin (grasses, some broadleaves, and velvetleaf, but not ragweed or mustard)
	Prowl 3.3EC 3.3 lb/gal	1.2-2.4 pt		24	13-27	Apply and incorporate 2” within a few hours. Stunting may occur in cold, wet soils.
	Prowl H2O 3.8CS	1.5-3 pt		24	17-35

Compound(s)
Common name		Rate/A	PHI	REI		Field
	Trade name	Product	(days)	(hours)		Use EIQ	Comments
preemergence
clomazone (annual grasses and selected broadleaf weeds, e.g. velvetleaf))
	Command 3ME 3 lb/gal	1.3 pt	45	12		5	See comments below
Apply only as a preemergent soil applied treatment prior to seeding or after seeding but prior to crop emergence. Place seed below the chemical barrier when planting. Slight to moderate injury (whitening of leaf tissue) may occur after crop emergence. This injury is generally transitory. Residual carryover of Command 3ME may injure fall-planted wheat or rye crops. See label for additional rotational restrictions.
postemergence
bentazon (nutsedge, Canada thistle, ragweed, mustard species)
	Basagran 4 lb/gal	1-2 pt	10		48	9-18	Peas must have 3 pairs of leaves before application. Two applications are necessary for control of yellow nutsedge and Canada thistle. Caution: crop oil cannot be used with Basagran on peas.
imazamox
	Raptor 1 lb/gal	3 fl oz	10 see comments below		4	<1	See comments below
Delayed flowering is a concern with this product. Raptor should be applied to peas at least 3 inches tall but prior to 5 nodes before flowering. Basagran MUST BE used with all Raptor applications as this decreases flowering delay. PHI is 10 days when used with Basagran. Only a non-ionic surfactant may be used (i.e., nitrogen based fertilizers may not be used).
sethoxydim (annual grasses)
	Poast 1.5 lb/gal	1-1.5 pt	15	12		5-7	Apply when grasses are actively growing and not under stress. Apply with 2 pt oil concentrate per acre.
quizalofop P-ethyl (annual and perennial grasses)
	Assure II 0.88 lb/gal	0.375-0.75 pt	30	12		2-4	Apply when grasses are growing, 2-6” tall (annuals) or 6-10” tall (perennials) and not under stress. Use with 1% v/v petroleum-based oil concentrate or with 0.25% v/v nonionic surfactant. Two applications may be necessary for adequate control of quackgrass. Do not apply more than 14 oz/A in a growing season. Tank mixes with postemergence broadleaf herbicides may reduce efficacy.
	Targa 0.88 lb/gal	0.375-0.75 pt	30	12		2-4
metribuzin (broadleaves)
	Sencor DF 0.75 lb/lb	2-2.66 oz	21	12		3-4	See comments below
NOTE: Use requires Section 24 (c) label. Apply when weeds are less than 2 inches in height or diameter. Peas should have a minimum of 3 nodes (2 expanded leaf pairs) at application. Peas should NOT be treated after reaching 6 inches in height or in the flowering stage. Sencor DF may be tank mixed with Basagran to increase the number of weed species controlled. Sencor DF should be tank-mixed with Basagran at 1 pt/acre. Sencor DF may not be tank-mixed with Thistrol or Rhomene. Do not use surfactants with Sencor DF applications.

Compound(s)
Common name		Rate/A	PHI	REI	Field
	Trade name	Product	(days)	(hours)	Use EIQ	Comments
Postemergence (continued)
MCPB (broadleaves)
	Thistrol 2S 2 lb/gal	2 pt		12	9	Do not apply later than 3 nodes before flowering. In early peas, those at nodes 9-11, the timing of this postemergence application is critical. Late applications in early peas cause nonuniform flowering resulting in uneven maturity.
MCPB+bentazon (broadleaves)
	Thistrol 2S 2 lb/gal	2 pt		12 (alone)	19	This combination effectively controls many emerged broadleaves if applied when the weeds are at the recommended stage of development. Note that REI for tank mix is 48 hours.
	+	+
	Basagran 4 lb/gal	1 pt		48 (alone)	17
preplant incorporated, preemergence, or postemergence
imazethapyr (nightshade, redroot pigweed, and mustard species)
	†Pursuit 2 lb/gal	2-3 fl oz	30	4	<1	See comments below
Postemergence applications require a nonionic surfactant. May not be used PPI or preemergence where Treflan has been or will be applied. If applying postemergence to Treflan-treated beans, reduce the rate to 2 fl oz. Caution: do not apply to sandy or loamy-sand soils. Carefully observe the crop rotation restrictions as this is a persistant herbicide. For example, the rotation restriction periods are 18, 26, and 40 months for sweet corn, potatoes, and cabbage, respectively.

21.8 References

1 Hagedorn, D. J., ed. 1984. Compendium of Pea Diseases. American Phytopathologic Society. Saint Paul, Minnesota. 57 pp.

2 Vea, E. V., D. R. Webb, and C. J. Eckenrode. 1975. Seedcorn maggot injury. New York’s Food and Life Sciences Bulletin 55. 4 pp.

3 Hoffmann, M. P., and A. C. Frodsham. 1993. Natural Enemies of Vegetable Insect Pests. Cornell Cooperative Extension. 64 pp.

4 Pennsylvania State University. 1987. Weed identification, pp. 1-32. Pennsylvania State University Cooperative Extension, University Park.

5 Shelton, A.M. and R.C. North. 1987. Injury and control of onion thrips on edible podded peas. J. Econ. Entomol. 80: 1325-1330.

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