PIGEON PEA (TUR)

It is a popular pulse crop and it is rich source of protein. It is cultivated in tropical and semi-tropical regions. It is important legumes crop of rainfed and semi-arid tropics and it can be grown as single crop or intermixed with cereals. It enriches soil through symbiotic nitrogen fixation. Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh are major Pigeon pea producing states in India.

It grows on variety of soil. It gives best result on fertile and well drained loamy soils. The saline-alkaline or waterlogged soils are unfit for its cultivation. It can grow successfully on soils having pH ranges from 6.5 to 7.5.

Manak (H 77-216): Early maturing, medium heighted variety. Ready to harvest in 125-130 days. Gives average yield of 7-8 qtl/acre.

Paras (H 82 1): Semi spreading, early maturing variety. Ready to harvest in 135-140 days. Gives average yield of 7-8 qtl/acre.

T 21: Medium duration variety, ready to harvest in 160 days. Gives average yield of 7-8 qtl/acre.

UPAS-120: Ready to harvest in 130-140 days. These are medium tall and semi spreading varieties. Seeds are small and light brown color. The average yield is 6 quintals per acre. It is susceptible to sterility mosaic disease.

Other States varieties

Pusa 992: Ready to harvest in 130-140 days. Gives average yield of 7-8 qtl/acre.

Pusa 855: Ready to harvest in 145-150 days. Gives average yield of 9-10 qtl/acre.

PAU 881: It is early maturing variety. It matures in 132 days. Plants are 2m tall. Each pods contains about 3-5 yellow brown and medium size seeds. It gives average yield of 5.6 qtl/acre.

ICPL 151 (Jagriti): Ready to harvest in 120-130 days. It gives average yield of 4 to 5 qtl/acre.

Pusa Ageti: Dwarf bold seeded variety, ready to harvest in 150 to 160 days. It gives average yield of 4 qtl/acre.

Pusa 84: Medium tall, semi spreading variety, ready to harvest in 140 to 150 days. 

IPA 203 and IPH 09-5 (Hybrid)

Prepared land by taking one deep ploughing followed by two or three times harrowing. Planking should be followed after each ploughing. It cannot withstand in waterlogging conditions, prepared field in such a way that water stagnation should not take place.

Crop Rotation: Follow crop rotation of Arhar with Wheat or Barley or Sufed Senji or Sugarcane.

Time of sowing
Timely sowing of crop is important as delay in sowing leads to yield loss. Under irrigated conditions, sow T 21 variety in middle of March to middle of June. For UPAS 120, March-first week of July is optimum time for sowing. For Paras and Manak variety complete sowing from June-Middle of July. For rainfed areas, complete sowing with onset of monsoon.

Spacing
For sowing use spacing of 40cm between the row while 25cm between the plant.

Sowing Depth
Seed are sown with help of seed drill at depth of about 7-10cm.

Method of sowing
Seeds can be sown by broadcasting method but line sowing with help of seed drill is more efficient way of sowing for good yield.

Seed Rate
For good yield use seed rate of 5-6 kg per acre.

Seed Treatment
Select healthy seeds and bold seeds for sowing. Treat seeds with Carbendazim or Thiram@2gm per Kg of seeds. After chemical treatment, treat seed with Trichoderma viride@4gm/kg of seeds or Pseudomonas Fluorescens@10gm/Kg of seeds.

Fertilizer Requirement (kg/acre)

Nutrient Requirement (kg/acre)

Apply Nitrogen and Phosphorus@8:16kg/acre in form of Urea@17kg and DAP@35kg or SSP@100kg/acre. Drill all fertilizer in soil at time of sowing. Apply fertilizer based on soil testing results. Also potash should be apply when soil testing show deficiency of it.

Three to four week after sowing apply first irrigation. Remaining irrigations are depending upon rainfall intensity. Flower initiation and pod setting stages are the most crucial to drought stress. Therefore, irrigation at these stages is essential for good yield. Avoid excessive irrigation as it leads to more vegetative growth and incidence of Phytophthora and Alternaria blight.

Chemical weed control
Take one hoeing, about three weeks after sowing and another hoeing about six week after sowing. Apply Pendimethalin@ 1Ltr/acre in 150-200ltr of water as pre-emergence herbicide within 2 days after sowing, followed by hand weeding six to seven weeks after sowing.

• Insect Pest and their control

Blister beetles: Also known as flower beetles, they feed on flower and thus reduces pod numbers. Adults are black beetles with bright red colouration on the forewings.

To control it, spraying Deltamethrin 2.8EC@200ml or Indoxacarb 14.5SC@200ml per acre using 100-125 litre of water per  acre. Take spray in evening hours and if necessary repeat the spray after 10 days.

Pod Borer: This is the most serious pest and causes damage up to 75% reduction in yield. It feeds on leaves causes skeletonization of leaves also feeds on flower and green pods. On pods they make circular holes and feed on grains.

Install Pheromone traps for Helicoverpa armigera@5/acre. In case of low infestation, hand picked grown up larvae. At early stage use HNPV or Neem extract@50gm/Litre of water. Use of chemicals are necessary after ETL level. (ETL: 2 early instar larvae/plant or  5-8 eggs/plant).

If incidence is observed, spray crop with Indoxacarb 14.5SC@200ml or Spinosad 45SC@60ml/100-125 litres of water per acre using manually operated knapsack sprayer. Take spray in evening hour.

• Disease and their control

Cercospora leaf spot: Greyish brown to dark spots are observed under surface of leaves. In severe condition spots are observed on petioles and stems along with leaf drop.

To control this disease, use disease free seeds and before sowing treat seeds with Captan or Thiram@3gm per kg seed.

Wilt: This disease causes considerable loss in yield. It can affect at the seedling stage as well as in an advanced stage of plant growth. Intially affected plant show dropping of patioles and gives dull green color. Afterwards all leaves turn yellow and become straw colored.

Grow resistant varieties. In primary stage of wilt, to control mix 1 kg of Trichoderma in 200 kg well decomposed cow dung and keep it for 3 days, then apply it in wilt affected area. If wilt is observed in fields, spray 200 ml Propiconazol with 200 Litre of water per acre.

Canker: It causes due to various fungus. Cankers are developed on stem and twigs. It causes breaking of plants at affected place.

Follow suitable crop rotation. In severe conditions, spray crop with Mancozeb 75WP@2gm per Litre of water.

Sterility Mosaic: It is caused due to eriophyid mite. Due to infection of this disease, either no flowering or little flowering is observed. Leaves are of pale color. Plant gives bushy appearance.

Grow resistant variety. For mite control spray Fenazaquin 10% EC@ 300 ml/acre with 200 Ltr water.

Phytophthora stem blight: If it occurred at seedling stage, young seedling dies after emergence. Brown or black necrotic lesions are observed on stem. On leaflet, circular or irregular lesions are form and whole foliage become blighted.  

If Infestation Phytophthora blight observed, to control spray with Metalaxyl 8%+Mancozeb 64%@2gm/Ltr of water.

For vegetable purpose harvest plant when leaves and pods are of green color. For grain purpose, when 75-80% pods turn brown and dry, it is right time of harvesting. Delay in harvesting result in damage of seeds. Harvesting can be done manually by cutting stem or by machine. After harvesting keep bundles of plant upright for drying purpose. Grains are removes from plant by threshing or by traditionally i.e beating plants with sticks.

Grains of harvested crop must be well dried before storage. And take care to avoid the pulse beetle infestation in storage.

1.Punjab Agricultural University Ludhiana

2.Department of Agriculture

3.Indian Agricultural Research Instittute, New Delhi

4.Indian Institute of Wheat and Barley Research

5.Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare

It is a popular pulse crop and it is rich source of protein. It is cultivated in tropical and semi-tropical regions. It is imporatnt legumes crop of rainfed and semi-arid tropics and it can grown as single crop or intermixed with cereals. It enriches soil through symbiotic nitrogen fixation. Andhra Pradesh, Gujrat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh are major Pigeon pea producing states in India.