Unit II
Chapter 6- Pigeon Pea
Common Name: Arhar, Tur
• Husks used in the preparation of drugs.
• Used in Cattle feed
Scientific name: Cajanus cajan
Kingdom: Plantae
Family: Leguminoceae
Order: Fabales
Origin: India
• After chickpea, Arhar is the second most important pulse crop in the country.
• Seed is rich in iron & iodine.
• They are rich in essential amino acids.
• Husk of pods & leaves are valuable cattle food.
• Enhanced fertility by improving soil physical properties and fixing atmosphere nitrogen.
• Drought resistant crop and used as an intercrop with other crops.
Economic Importance
• India contributes nearly 90% of the worlds red gram production.• Husks used in the preparation of drugs.
• Used in Cattle feed
Distribution, Area and Production
• India is the largest producer and consumer of pulses. ( 27% of total production and 30% total consumption)
• India accounts for 90% of the world's crop.
• Myanmar, Malawi and Uganda ( highest productivity) are other major producers.
Botany
• It is an erect shrub.
• Height from 1-4 m.
• Branching begins from the sixth to the tenth node.
Root System
• Central Root System with numerous laterals and secondary branches.
• Length of lateral roots differ with variety.
Leaves
• Trifoliately compounded.
• Central leaflet is longer than the lateral ones.
• The leaflets are entire and densely silky on the lower surfaces.
Inflorescence *
• The Inflorescence is an axillary raceme often forming a terminal panicle.
• The flowers are self-pollinated
Pods
• The fruit of Pigeon pea is a pod.
• Length- 5 to 10 cm, width 0.6 to 0.9 cm.
• Green to dark brown colour
• Seeds in pod vary in numbers (usually 4 to 5)
Seeds
• Round or lens-shaped
• Dirty white to silver-white colour.
• Cotyledons are yellow in colour.
Climate and Soil Type
Arhar needs warm (hot and moist) weather.
Temperature:
• During germination - 30-35C
• During active vegetative growth- 20-25C
• During flowering and pod setting- 15-18C
• At maturity it needs higher temperature- 35-40C
Soil
• Sandy loam to Clayey Loam soil
• Successfully grown in black cotton soils with proper drainage
• Neutral pH
Varieties
• Prabhat
• Pant A-3
• UPAS-120
• CO1 and CO2
Sowing Management
Land Preparation
• Deep ploughing with soil turning plough followed by two or three cross harrowing and proper levelling
• Being deep rooted crop, it requires a deep and well pulverized fiels.
Seed and Sowing
• Treat the seeds with Thiram or Bavistin at the rate of 3 g per kg seed before sowing.
• Sowing in first week of june
• Sowing is done with seed drill or by plough in furrowa. Depth should be 5cm.
• Row to Row Spacing = 60-75cm, plant to plant= 25-30 cm.
• Seed rate = 12-15kg/ha
Nutrient Management
• 10 tons of FYM followed by 20-30kg N/ha, 80-100 kg phosphorus/ha, 20-30 kg potassium/ha.
• Fertilizer should be drilled at the time of sowing so that it will be placed at 10-15 cm deep in soil and to the side of the seed.
• Soils deficnt in zinc shold be peovided with zinc sulphate at the rateof 20 kg per ha at the time of sowing.
Water Management
• Being deep rooted, it can tolerate drought.
• one or two pre-monsoon irrigations should br given
• After the start of monsoon, no need of irrigation.
• After germination, need 2-3 light irrigations which should be given at 45-50 DAS and 75DAS.
• Proper Drainage should be there.
Weed Management
• Slow initial growth rate making it less competitive with weeds.
• Intercropping reduces weed by 50-70%.
• Critical Period is 30 DAS.
Weeds
Echinochloa sp., Eleusine indica, Cynodon dactylon
Control
• Two hand weedings- 1st at 25-30 DAS and 2nd at 45-50DAS
• Use:• Fluchloralin 1.0kg/ha (PPI)
• Pendimethalin 10 kg/ha (as pre-emergence)
• Imazethapyr 75 g/hs (as pre-emergence)
Insect, Pest and Disease Management
Wilt
Stem rot
Harvesting
• Harvested soon after seed is mature.
• Done with sickle and crop is left on field to dry for 1 week.
Yield:- 20-25q/ha
