Ecological stability, plasticity, and adaptability of asparagus pea (Tetragonolobus purpureus Moench) under different sowing dates

Abstract

This study aimed to examine the response of asparagus pea grown under different sowing dates to abiotic factors characteristic of the Right-Bank Forest-Steppe of Ukraine, considering their impact on marketable bean yield. The research employed a comprehensive approach, incorporating field experiments and statistical analysis of the obtained data. Asparagus pea yield was largely dependent on sowing dates and weather conditions. The average yield of pods ranged from 2.0 to 6.4 t/ha, depending on the sowing date. The lowest amplitude of yield fluctuations (0.2-0.3 t/ha) was observed for sowing in the third ten-day period of April and the first ten-day period of May, whereas for other sowing dates, this indicator was significantly higher (up to 0.5-0.6 t/ha). It was established that yield positively correlated with temperature (r =0.88) and precipitation (r =0.66). An increase of these climatic factors by 10 units contributed to a yield increase of 0.703-0.877 t/ha. Plants sown in the third ten-day period of April and the first ten-day period of May exhibited the lowest regression coefficient bi (0.77 and 0.40, respectively), indicating lower sensitivity to changes in growing conditions. In contrast, sowing in the third ten-day period of May and the first ten-day period of June resulted in greater sensitivity (bi = 1.55 and 1.28, respectively). The optimal sowing dates were the first ten-day period of May and the third ten-day period of April, as they ensured the highest productivity and stability, along with a high content of dry matter (20.3-25.4%), sugars (5.56.8%), vitamin C (49.5-51.8 mg/100 g), and total nitrogen (3.5-3.7%). The poorest indicators were recorded for later sowing dates

Keywords

• legumes
• productivity
• adaptive trait parameters
• limiting factors
• correlation