Vol. 9, Special Issue 10, Part O (2025)

The present investigation entitled “Variability studies in pea (Pisum sativum L.)” was carried out during Rabi season of 2024-25 at Instructional Cum-Research Farm, Department of Horticulture, College of Agriculture, Latur. The statistical design adapted was Randomized Block Design (RBD) with twenty two treatments replicated twice. Pea sowing was done on 25th November 2024 at the spacing of 30 cm x 15 cm. In each treatment there were 111 plants of each genotype in a replication. Five plants were randomly selected from each treatment to record observations on twenty two characters. A wide range of variation observed among the genotypes for all the characters. The high genotypic coefficient of variation as well as phenotypic coefficient of variation were observed for number of primary branches per plant, number of tendril per plant, green pod yield per plot, green pod yield per hectare, green pod yield per plant, pod width, pod length, number of seed per pod, number of pod per cluster.The high heritability were found for protein content, number of primary branches per plant, total soluble solid, pod width, shelling percentage, pod length, number of seed per pod, number of cluster per plant, crop duration, number of picking, number of tendril per plant, plant height, number of pod in cluster, number of picking, green pod yield per plot, green pod yield per hectare, green pod yield per plant, days to 1^st picking and days to 50% flowering. Highest value of genetic advance were recorded for number of primary branches per plant, number of tendril per plant, pod width, green pod yield per plot, pod length, green pod yield per hectare, green pod yield per plant, number of seed per pod, protein content, number of pod per cluster, plant height, number of picking, number of cluster per plant, shelling percentage and days to 1^st picking. There was wide range of variation in pea genotypes for all the character, from the present investigation, it can be concluded that genotype Arka Uttam, Green Arrow and Arka Priya was found superior performance than rest of genotype. The genotype Arka Priya was found early observed for character days to initiation of first flowering, days to 50% flowering, days to first picking and highest number of primary branches per plant was found in Kashi Uday. Therefore, based on the current investigation, it can be said that the genotypes Arka Uttam, Green Arrow and Arka Priya were superior for yield and yield contributing characters. The genotypes Arka Uttam, Green Arrow and Arka Priya were found to be superior for yield and quality contributing characters in the Marathwada region for commercial cultivation and to further enhance pea through breeding programs.