Productivity and soil moisture conservation studies of pigeon pea based intercropping systems as influenced by different land configurations

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted to study effect of various land configurations on soil moisture conservation and productivity of pigeonpea at experimental farm of AICRP for dry land Agriculture, V.N.M.K.V., Parbhani during kharif season of 2015 and 2016. Soil of experimental field was medium deep black with low in organic carbon, low in available nitrogen, medium in available phosphorus and high in available potassium.The experiment was laid out in split plot design with three main plot treatments and four sub plot treatments. The gross and net plot sizes are 7.2x5.4m2 and 5.4x3.6m2 respectively. The pigeonpea variety BDN-711 was used for sowing with spacing 90 x 20 cm. The main plot treatments were three land configurations as (L1) broad bed furrow (BBF), (L2) ridges and furrow and (L3) flat bed method. Sub plot treatments were four intercropping systems i.e. (I1) pigeonpea + soybean (2:1), (I2) pigeonpea + green gram (2:1), (I3) pigeonpea + black gram (2:1) and (I4) pigeonpea + cowpea (2:1). It was observed that seed yield of pigeon pea andpigeonpea equivalent yield were significantly affected due to different land configuration and intercropping systems. The highest pigeonpea seed yield (1588 kg ha-1) and pigeonpea equivalent yield (1823 kg ha-1) were obtained with Broad bed furrows (L1) followed by ridges and furrow (L2). Among the intercropping systems, pigeonpea + greengram intercropping system (I2) recorded higher seed yield (1574 kg ha-1) and pigeonpea equivalent yield(1832 kg ha-1).Periodical soil moisture observations in different land configuration considering depth of soil, higher average soil moisture was recorded under broad bed furrow followed by ridges and furrows while lesser was recorded under flat bed sowing.