Pigeonpea Intercropping System Research Articles

Improving grain quality and nitrogen use efficiency of cereal-based cropping systems on vertisols in semi-arid tropics

ContextSemi-arid tropics is facing serious issues of malnutrition in population owing to poor quality of food grain production. Malnutrition is directly linked to lower grain protein and zinc yield due to inappropriate land and water, and nutrient management practices, which also resulted into reduced nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) in cereals. ObjectiveThe objectives of the study were to evaluate the effect of land and water and nutrient management on grain protein and zinc yield, and NUE of cereal-based cropping systems on vertisols soils in semi-arid tropics. MethodsThe study was carried out at Hyderabad in India during 2014–15 and 2015–16 and involved three cropping systems (two rotation systems: sorghum-chickpea and maize-groundnut; and one intercropping: pearl millet + pigeonpea), two land and water management i.e. flatbed and broad bed furrows and four nutrient management-N1: Control (no fertilizer), N2: 100% recommended application of macronutrient (nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium) through chemical fertilizer, N3: N2 + 100% recommended application of secondary nutrient (sulphur) and micronutrient (zinc and boron) through chemical fertilizer, and N4 (integrated nutrient): 50% of N2 + 50% nitrogen in cereals or phosphorus in legumes through organic fertilizer as vermicompost. ResultsIn sorghum-chickpea rotation system, the treatment interaction broad bed furrows with 100% recommended application of macronutrient, secondary nutrient and micronutrient recorded significantly higher grain zinc yield in both the years, while grain protein yield was significantly higher in second year. The grain protein and zinc yield in sorghum-chickpea rotation system, and agronomic nitrogen use efficiency in pearl millet+pigeonpea intercropping system was significantly higher in broad bed furrows than flatbed. The agronomic NUE of broad bed furrows was higher by 61% in 2014–15 and 65% in 2015–16 over flatbed. Among the nutrient management treatments, grain protein and zinc yield, and agronomic NUE were significantly higher in combined application of macronutrient, secondary nutrient, and micronutrients through chemical fertilizer i.e. N3 followed by N4, N2 and N1. ConclusionThe broad bed furrows and application of macronutrient, secondary nutrient and micronutrient could be an effective integrated land and water and nutrient management approach to improve grain quality and agronomic nitrogen use efficiency of cereal-based cropping systems in semi-arid tropics. ImplicationsThis study contributed to develop integrated land and water and nutrient management as an innovative agronomic management practice for cereal-based cropping systems, which needs to scale-up through Government agricultural policies to overcome the issue of malnutrition in population living in semi-arid tropics.

Yield and economic of pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan L. Mill sp.) intercropping system under Northern dry zone of Karnataka

Yield and economic of pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan L. Mill sp.) intercropping system under Northern dry zone of Karnataka

Effect of rhizobium inoculation on rhizosphere phosphorous dynamics and fertilised phosphorous use efficiency in a maize–pigeon pea intercropping system in weathered tropical soil

AbstractIntroductionLow phosphorus (P) use efficiency (PUE) of fertiliser is a critical problem in sustainable crop production, especially in strongly weathered tropical soils with a high P‐fixation capacity. Both intercropping and rhizobium inoculation have shown to improve the P availability of rhizosphere soil, but the effect of a combined approach of using both intercropping and rhizobium inoculation is still unclear. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the effect of rhizobium inoculation on the soil–plant P dynamics and fertilised PUE under the intercropping system in strongly weathered tropical soil.Materials and MethodsWe conducted an 85‐day cultivation pot experiment with pigeon pea (PP) and maize using highly weathered tropical soil under eight treatments: monocropping (CS) or intercropping, with or without rhizobium (Bradyrhizobium elkanii USDA61) inoculation (−I, +I) and with or without P fertilisation (0P, 50P) (2 × 2 × 2 = 8 treatments). We evaluated the effects of intercropping and rhizobium inoculation on plant growth parameters, P dynamics of the rhizosphere and bulk soil using the Hedley P fractionation method, the amount of organic acid from plant roots as a plant P‐mobilising capacity, and fertilised PUE.ResultsTotal plant P uptake per pot was significantly increased by intercropping but not by combining intercropping and rhizobium inoculation, resulting in better fertilised PUE only in intercropping. The available inorganic P (Pi) and less labile Pi of the soil were higher in the rhizosphere than those in the bulk by intercropping under 50P and were similar in PP + I under 50 P. The amount of organic acid per pot under 50P increased with each treatment, that is, intercropping and rhizobium inoculation, but not with their combination.ConclusionThe intercropping system has a strong potential to improve PUE by stimulating the P‐mobilising capacity of intercropping plant roots, whereas rhizobium inoculation of the intercropping system did not improve PUE in this study.

Effect of Tillage and Nutrient Management on Economics and Soil Status by Maize + Pigeon Pea Intercropping System

Effect of Tillage and Nutrient Management on Economics and Soil Status by Maize + Pigeon Pea Intercropping System

Pre and post - emergence herbicides with cultural practices on weed management in soybean - pigeonpea intercropping system under middle Gujarat conditions

To study the “pre and post-emergence herbicides with cultural practices on weed management in soybean-pigeonpea intercropping system under middle Gujarat condition”, an experiment was conducted at Agriculture Research Station, Anand Agricultural University, Derol, Dist: panchmahal, Gujarat, India during kharif seasons of the years 2017-18 and 2018-19. Ten treatments for weed management were studied in randomized block design with four replications. Result of field experimentation, it seems quite logical that potential production, profit and economic weed management can be achieved in soybean - pigeonpea intercropping system by interculturing + hand weeding at 20 & 40 DAS or post-emergence application of imazamox 35% + imazethapyr 35% (Pre mix)70 g ha-1PoE fb interculturing + hand weeding at 30 DAS.

Yield and Yield Attributes as Influenced by Nutrient Management Practices in Pigeonpea and Clusterbean Intercropping System

A filed experiment was conducted at College of Agriculture Farm, Gwalior on sandy clay loam soil during Kharif-2012 and 2013 to study the influence of nutrient management practices in pigeonpea and clusterbean intercropping system. On the basis of two year pooled data, results revealed that sole pigeonpea and clusterbean recorded significantly higher seed and stalk yield, harvest index, number of pods/plant, test weight, protein content, protein yield, dry matter/plant. Among the intercropping treatments T4(125% RDF to pigeonpea and no fertilizers to clusterbean) recorded significantly higher seed yield, stalk yield, harvest index, protein content, protein yield, yield attributes, pigeonpea equivalent yield and net return over other treatments except T3 and T5 which were onpar with T4 treatment.

Effect of in-situ Moisture Conservation Methods on Productivity in North Eastern Ghat Zone of Odisha

The study was conducted in the Budhadani village of Kandhamal District in north eastern ghat zone of Odisha under the National Innovations on Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA) programme of AICRP for Dry Land Agriculture, Phulbani, Odisha during kharif 2014 and 2015. Budhadani village always experiences scarce and erratic monsoon rainfall during kharif season. Practice of sole cropping was predominant in this area and often resulted in low yields or sometimes crop failure due to erratic monsoon rainfall. In such areas, in-situ moisture conservation methods and intercropping system are feasible options to minimize risk in crop production and ensure reasonable returns. The study was conducted for the cropping system as such sole maize, maize + cowpea (2:2) intercropping and maize + pigeon pea (2:2) intercropping system. In this experiment, three in-situ moisture conservation methods such as (i) summer ploughing, (ii) increase bund height and (iii) both summer ploughing and increase bund height were compared with the control treatment with no moisture conservation measures. Among the different moisture conservation methods, summer ploughing with increased bund height resulted in higher yield as compared to control treatment and other moisture conservation methods. Intercropping of rainfed crops such as maize + cowpea and maize + pigeon pea is an important risk minimizing strategy for drought proofing in the scarce rainfall zones.

Effect of plant density and fertility levels of <italic>kharif</italic> groundnut (<italic>Arachis hypogaea</italic> L.) + pigeon pea (<italic>Cajanas cajan</italic>) intercropping system under red and laterite zone of West Bengal, India

A field experiment was conducted during <italic>kharif</italic> season of 2005 and 2006 to find out the plant density and fertility levels of <italic>kharif</italic> groundnut (<italic>Arachis hypogaea</italic>) – pigeon pea (<italic>Cajanus cajan</italic>) intercropping system. Growing of groundnut as sole crop recorded higher pod yield (1490 kg ha<sup>−1</sup>) over groundnut in intercropping system. The highest pod yield (889 kg ha<sup>−1</sup>) of groundnut among the intercropping system was obtained with the treatment received 100 % of both RDF and plant density of groundnut and pigeon pea respectively. Which was closely followed by T<sub>9</sub> (850 kg ha<sup>−1</sup>), T<sub>2</sub> (846 kg ha<sup>−1</sup>), T<sub>11</sub> (828 kg ha<sup>−1</sup>) and (825 kg ha<sup>−1</sup>) and they were statistically at par among each other. Growing of pigeon pea as sole crop recorded higher <sup>T</sup>10 grain yield (1584 kg ha<sup>−1</sup>) over pigeon pea in intercropping system. Among the intercropping system the maximum pigeon pea grain yield was found in T<sub>1</sub> (1013kg ha<sup>−1</sup>) which was at par with T<sub>10</sub> (978 kg ha<sup>−1</sup>), T<sub>11</sub> (950 kg ha <sup>−1</sup>), T<sub>2</sub> (946 kg ha<sup>−1</sup>), T<sub>9</sub> (939 kg ha<sup>−1</sup>), and T<sub>5</sub> (903 kg ha<sup>−1</sup>). Among the cropping systems, intercropping of groundnut with pigeon pea resulted in maximum groundnut equivalent yield (2155 kg ha<sup>−1</sup>) in T<sub>1</sub>. Among the intercropping systems, groundnut with pigeon pea in 4:2 row proportions with 100% both plant density and RDF in all the crops was most remunerative in respect of net return (Rs.28400) and economic return: cost ratio (2.85).

Sustainable Land Use Diversification and Investment Potential in Peri-urban, Semi-urban and Rural Areas of Telangana State, India

A study was carried out in Telangana State of India using net returns accrued from crops, fruit trees and livestock in three distressed districts namely Adilabad, Nalgonda and Warangal. The study identified sustainable and profitable land uses, estimated credit requirement and formulated credit investment action plan. A total of 270 respondents were selected from three districts at 90 respondents per district. Profitable annual and perennial crops and livestock enterprises were identified based on the calculated value of system index and benefit-cost ratio. Benefit-cost ratio varied from 1.58 in cotton + pigeonpea intercropping system in rural areas to 3.98 in soybean + pigeonpea in peri-urban agriculture in Adilabad, from 1.69 in the production of chillies to 2.65 in cotton + pigeonpea in rural areas of Nalgonda and from 1.71 in the production of vegetables in rural to 7.14 in the production of turmeric in peri-urban agriculture in Warangal. The economic indicators taking a lifespan of 15 years for fruit trees showed a payback period of 5 and 7 years; BCR of 1.61 and 2.07 and NPV of 267 crores and 109 crores constant at 2010 prices for sweet orange and mango in Nalgonda and Warangal districts, respectively. Every one rupee invested in sweet orange and mango fruit trees provide an income of 1.61 and 2.07, respectively. Every one rupee invested on rearing of large ruminants for dairy accrues 3.04, 3.44 and 3.32 while small ruminants rearing gives 4.05, 5.28 and 5.54 in Adilabad, Nalgonda and Warangal districts, respectively. A district level investment action plan taking full credit requirement for crops, fruit trees and livestock was formulated which has policy implication as there is a large credit demand from the farming community.

Weed control studies in pearlmillet (Pennisetum g1aucum)- pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan) intercropping system under rainfed condition

A field experiment was carried out during rainy (kharif) season of 1997 and 1998 to assess the production potential of intercropping of pearlmillet [Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br. emend. Stuntz] with pigeonpea [Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp.] in relation to various measures of weed control. Treatments consisted of 3 intercropping systems (sole pearlmillet, sole pigeonpea and pearlmillet+ pigeonpea) and 4 methods of weed control (control hand-weeding twice, fluchloralin @ 1.0 kg/ha and pendimethalin@ 1.0 kglha). lntercropping did not influence the population and dry-matter accumulation by weeds. Grain yield of pearlmillet did not vary significantly due to various methods of cropping. However, sole pigeonpea gave significantly higher yield than pearlmillet + pigeonpea intercropping. Highest total productivity in terms of pearlmillet equivalent was recorded with pearlmillet + pigeonpea intercropping system. Weeding caused significant reduction in weed infestation and improvement in grain yield of pearlmillet and pigeonpea and total productivity compared with the control. Best results were achieved with hand-weeding twice closely followed by fluchloralin @ 1.0 kgha.

Yield performance and complementarity of rice (Oryza sativa) with greengram (Phaseolus radiatus), blackgram (Phaseolus mungo) and pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan) under different rice-legume associations

In a field investigation during the wet season of 1991 and 1992, the performance of rice (Oryza sativa L.) with associated legumes, viz. greengram (Phaseolus radiatus (L.) Millsp.], blackgram (Phaseolus mungo L.) and pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan L.) was studied under different inter- and mixed cropping systems. In rice, the number of effective tillers/m2, number of filled grainstpanicle, 1,000-grain weight and grain yield increased when intercropped with greengram and blackgram and decreased when mixed cropping of rice + pigeonpea was practiced. In associated greengram, blackgram and pigeonpea, the total number of branchestplant, number of filled podsfplant, number of seeds/ pod, 1,000-seed weight and seed yield increased in different intercropping systems. The highest net returns and net returntrupee of investment were obtained from sole crop of pigeonpea. The relative crowding coefficient (RCC) and competitive ratio (CR) values were always greater than unity with all the intercropping systems. The land-equivalent ratio (LER) and monetary advantage (MA) were the highest with rice+greengram intercropping system at a higher level of fertility, whereas rice+pigeonpea intercropping system at a higher level of fertilityshowed the highest values of area-time equivalent ratio (ATER).

Effect of row ratio of fodder sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) in pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan) intercropping system on productivity, competition functions and economics under rainfed conditions of north India

An experiment was conducted during the rainy season of 3 consecutive years from 2000 to 2002 at the Live- stock Research Centre of the Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar, to study the effect of row ratio of fodder sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] in pigeonpea [Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp.] intercropping systems. Intercropping of fodder sorghum in narrow row space of pigeonpea (75 cm) with a row ratio of 1:2 recorded the highest pigeonpea-equivalent yield (34.36 qlha), net returns (Rs 30,179/ha), benefit : cost ratio (4.96), aggressivity index (0.533), area-time equivalent ratio (1.21), land-equivalent ratio (1.583) and relative crowding co-efficient (15.07).Thus, the intercropping system may be adopted for higher net return, benefit: cost ra- tio and pegionpea-equivalent yield.

Production potential and economic feasibility of sunflower (Helianthus annuus) and pigeonpea (Cajnnus cajan) intercropping system on rainfed upland condition

A field experiment was conducted during the rainy season of 1999 and 2000 at Baruipur, to evaluate different planting patterns of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) and pigeonpea [Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp.] intercropping. Various growth and yield attributes and yield of sunflower and pigeonpea were superior under sole cropping. Inter cropping of sunflower and pigeonpea in 3:l row proportion and in 2:2 row proportion showed better manifestation of growth and yield attributes in sunflower and pigeonpea respectively. All the intercropping patterns were superior in terms of sunflower equivalent yield and income equivalent ratio (IER) values to sole crops. Intercropping of sun flower,and pigeonpea in 3:l row proportion was the best system, recording the highest sunflower equivalent yield (2,480 kglha), land equivalent ratio (1.38), product of crowding coefficient (k 5.94), income equivalent ratio (1.73), benefit : cost ratio (2.06), gross (Rs 19.840lha) and net returns (Rs 10,212lha) and monetary advantage (Rs 5,463/ha).

Productivity and economic viability of a palmarosa–pigeonpea intercropping system in the subtropical climate of north India

The poor viability of the perennial aromatic grass, palmarosa (Cymbopogon martinii Stapf. var. motia), in the first year of planting, restricts its popularity among farmers in India. Two pigeonpea cultivars, Bahar (late maturing), and UPAS–120 (early maturing) were intercropped at different row spacings with palmarosa at a row spacing of 60 cm, in the subtropical climate of Lucknow, north India in 1988/89 and 1989/90. Intercropping with the late maturing cv. Bahar at 300 cm row spacing produced 1·26 t/ha grain (2-year mean) without affecting the growth and yield of the palmarosa. Intercropping improved land-use efficiency by 47%, relative net return by 58% and net economic return by Rs. 12500/ha over a sole palmarosa crop. The grain, stalk and total dry matter yield per plant of pigeonpea was considerably improved when grown at the wider row spacing in the intercropped system than when grown as a sole crop. This indicates that the competition between pigeonpea plants was not reduced when palmarosa was present. Palmarosa tiller production and herb and oil yield were significantly reduced when the distance between rows of pigeonpea was narrowed, demonstrating both the greater susceptibility of palmarosa to lack of light, and also that in palmarosa–pigeonpea intercropping systems, competition exists mainly for light rather than for nutrients and moisture, possibly because the two crop components acquire their nutrients and moisture from different soil layers.Intercropping with the high yielding, late maturing pigeonpea cultivar, Bahar, at 300 cm row distance is recommended to make palmarosa cultivation economically viable in the first year of planting. The selection of high yielding, late maturing pigeonpea cultivars with an upright growth habit is suggested as a further way of improving the economic benefits of a palmarosa–pigeonpea intercropping system.

Effect of Crop Geometry (Row Proportions) on the Water Balance of the Root Zone of a Pigeonpea and Rice Intercropping System

SUMMARYRice, pigeonpea and rice + pigeonpea systems (in the row proportions of 1:2 and 2:5) were compared. Soil water depletion and percolation were determined during selected dry spells and yields ascertained after harvest. The mean evapotranspiration rates of rice, pigeonpea, rice + pigeonpea (1:2) and rice + pigeonpea (2:5) were 0.28, 0.79, 0.40 and 0.35 cm d−1, respectively, during a dry spell around 60 days after sowing. In general low rainfall intensity and frequent dry spells in the growing season increased pigeonpea yield but depressed that of rice. Intercropping thus ensured yield stability and hence the profitability of the system as a whole.

Effects of Genotype in Cereal/Pigeonpea Intercropping on the Alfisols of the Semi-Arid Tropics of India

SUMMARYIn a 2 row cereal: 1 row pigeonpea intercropping system, four sorghum and two millet genotypes were examined with four of pigeonpea on a medium-deep Alfisol during 1978 and 1979. The cereals usually produced a large proportion of their sole crop yields. Millets matured relatively early which allowed large yields of later-maturing pigeonpea. A tall millet gave the best total Land Equivalent Ratio (LER) of 1.78 and most monetary returns. Early and/or short sorghums produced large LERs (1.51–1.59) and combinations with an early hybrid also gave good returns. A tall late sorghum gave poor yields of both components, smallest total LER (1.30), and little return. Pigeonpea intercrop yields became larger as the maturity difference between the cereal and pigeonpea increased. A combination of a short, early but large-yielding cereal with a pigeonpea that is as late as possible without incurring undue risk of moisture stress may be ideal.