Effect of organic fertilization treatments on grasspea (Latyrus sativus L.)

A better knowledge of important relationships between soil and crop production is necessary to develop sustainable agricultural systems. It is often stated that only a few staple crops produce the majority of the food supply. This might be correct but the important contribution of many minor species should not be underestimated. Legumes have always been used as a source of nutrient-rich organic matter and nitrogen for crops. The grass pea (Lathyrus sativus L.) is a food, feed and fodder crop belonging to the family Leguminosae . This crop has over the past decade received increased interest due to its adaptability to arid conditions and contains high levels of protein, a component that is increasingly becoming hard to acquire in many developing areas. In Italy, after a drastic decline in the last 50 years, there is great potential for an expansion in the utilization of grass pea in the sustainable crop systems of the marginal areas of southern Italy. The diffusion of grass pea cropping is subject to the evaluation of the potential grain yield in the semi arid areas of south Italy. The objectives of this study were to investigate the impact of different organic fertilization treatments on quantity and quality traits of grain and the effects of crop-residue application on yields in a grass pea-durum wheat rotation system. The results show that the grass pea has not been able to take advantage from high fertilizer input. Good yield performance was obtained from cultivar Gecon 15 in the studied crop rotation system.