Pigeonpea, or red gram, is a highly nutritious legume rich in protein, vitamins, and minerals, often consumed as 'dal' in India and incorporated into various food products. This plant thrives in tropical climates and has significant agricultural importance, particularly in India, where it accounts for a large portion of global production. Pigeonpea's cultivation practices include specific sowing methods, fertilization, and weed management strategies to optimize yield and ensure successful growth.

1. By: Akash Singh
(M.Sc. Agronomy)

2. • Uses
• Nutritional Value
• Origin
• Botany
• Area & Production
• Classification
• Production Technology
• Diseases
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3. USES
• Pigeonpea is the economical source of protein, carbohydrate, minerals and
vitamins such as B-complex particularly in the vegetarian diet. Along with
the cereals pigeonpea provide well balanced diet and can be comparable to
other dense protein sources like whey and soy.
• In India, red gram is mostly consumed in the form of ‘dal’ (decorticated
split cotyledons), after cooking in water, to the desirable degree of softness
and immature green seeds are used as vegetable.
• Nowadays pigeon pea is incorporated into food products like biscuits,
noodles, pasta, sausages as a novel ingredient for nutritional purposes,
owing to its high fibre and protein content, gluten-free status, low glycemic
index, antioxidants level.
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4. CONT’D.
• The roots are anthelmintic, sedative, expectorant and vulnerary. The root bark
contains numerous flavones including cajaflavanone and cajanone, and triterpenes.
Some of them are antimicrobial agents.
• An infusion of the leaves is used as a treatment for pulmonary conditions such as
coughs and bronchitis. The leaf juice is taken internally in the treatment of
hemorrhages, coughs and diarrhea.
• An infusion of the flowers and leaves is diuretic and is used as a diabetes remedy.
• Due to its hardiness, ability to grow on residual soil moisture, and slow early
growth, this species is an ideal, non-competitive crop to plant with cereals. The
plant has an extensive root system and is often grown to bind soil as well as acts as
a good green manure crop.
• An essential oil can be collected by the steam distillation of the leaves and other
aerial organs. It contains a mixture of compounds including the terpenoid alpha –
copaene. The macerated leaves are used as a deodorant.
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5. Name Amount
Water 10.59 g
Energy 343 kcal
Protein 21.4 g
Total Lipid (Fat) 1.49g
Total Dietary Fiber 15 g
Niacin (B3) 2.965 mg
Pantothenic Acid (B5) 1.266 mg
Glutamic Acid 5.031 g
Aspartic Acid 2.146 g
Calcium 73 mg
Iron 5.8 mg
Source: USDA
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6. ORIGIN
• The cultivation of the pigeon pea dates back to at least 3,500
years and is assumed that eastern part of peninsular India is
the center of origin (Van der Maeson 1995).
• Atylosia cajanifolia is considered to be the closest wild
relative of Pigeonpea followed by A. lineata. (Pundir & Singh
1985).
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7. • Kingdom: Plantae
• Order: Fabales
• Family: Fabaceae
• Genus: Cajanus
• Species: cajan
• Common name: Redgram, Arhar,
Tur
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8. CONT’D.
• It is an erect shrub. The plant show considerable variations in
height, ranging from 1-4 meters. In most of the types branching
begins from the sixth to the tenth node, i.e. from 15-20
centimeters above the ground.
• Root system
• Root system of pigeon pea consists of a central tap root with
numerous lateral and secondary branches. The length of the
lateral roots differs with the variety; usually tall, upright
varieties produce longer and more deeply penetrating roots,
whereas spreading types produce shallower, more spreading
and deeper roots.
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9. • Leaves
• Leaves are trifoliately compound; central leaflet longer
than lateral ones. The leaflets are entire and densely silky
on the lower surface. Stipules are small; lamina hairy with
the under surface grayish due to dense hairs. The
intensity of the green color of the leaves differs with the
variety. The total length of the leaf, as also the size, shape
and texture of leaflets also differ with the varieties.
CONT’D.
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10. CONT’D.
• Inflorescence
• The inflorescence is an axillary raceme often forming a terminal
panicle. The size of inflorescence varies in different types. The
flowers are distinctly papilionaceous. In the late maturing varieties,
the flowers are usually grouped together at the ends of the branches,
but in early maturing varieties, the flowers are produced at several
points along the branches. Usually flowers open at a time on the
same inflorescence, but the process of flowering continuous in each
plant almost up to the time of harvest. The flowers are self
pollinated, pollination takes place before the flowers open. Cross
fertilization may also occur to some extent.
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11. • Pods
• The fruit of pigeon pea is a pod. These vary in length,
width and nature of markings. The length varies from 5 to
10 centimeter, width from 0.6 to 0.9 centimeter. The pods
vary in color from green to dark brown. In some types,
they are broad and pendant with their tips pointing
downwards while in others they are quiet erect. The seed
with in the pod may vary in number, but there are usually
four to five in each pod in late maturing varieties and two
to three in early maturing varieties.
CONT’D.
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12. CONT’D.
• Seeds
• Seeds are differing in great deal
in size, shape and color. Seeds
are round or lens shaped, the
color of the seeds coat being
dirty white to silver white, light
brown to chestnut brown, dark
mottled brown and pinkish
black and the cotyledons yellow
colored.
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13. • In World, Pigeonpea covers an area of 82.82 Lha with production of 85.06 Lt
and average productivity of 1027 kg ha-1.
• India ranks first in terms of both area as well as production at global level.
Pigeonpea in India accounts for 64 % of area with 57% production.
• The country’s total area under Pigeonpea (2017-18) is 44.59 Lha with total
production (2017-18) of about 41.80 Lt.
• In terms of area India is followed by Myanmar (8.07 %), Tanzania (3.23 %)
and Malawi (2.97 %) while in terms of production India is followed by
Myanmar (7.38 %), Malawi (4.36 %) and Tanzania (3.20%).
• In terms of productivity (2016) Kenya ranked first with 1612 kg ha-1
followed by Malawi with 1506 kg ha-1 and Burundi with 1229 kg ha-1. While
India’s productivity (2017-18) is 937 kg ha-1
Source: FAO Statistics 2016 & DES-DAC & FW, GOI, 2017-18 12/6/2019 13

14. CONT’D.
• In India, more than 80% of Pigeonpea production has been realized from
MH, KA, MP, Telangana, UP, AP, GJ, JH, Odisha and Chhattisgarh.
• In terms of area, Maharashtra ranked first in terms of area with 12.29 Lha
followed by Karnataka with 8.85 Lha, Madhya Pradesh with 6.47 Lha.
• In terms of production, Maharashtra ranked first with 10.59 Lt followed by
MP with 8.39 Lt, Karnataka with 7.29 Lt.
Source: DES-DAC & FW, GOI, 2017-18
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15. • It is divided into two groups, viz.;
1. Cajanus cajan var. bicolor: This group includes late maturing
varieties having tall bushy plants. Flowers are either yellow or
purple colored. Pods are dark colored with 4-5 seeds.
2. Cajanus cajan var. flavus: This group includes early maturing
varieties having smaller plants. Flowers are yellow colored with
plain pods having 2-3 seeds.
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16. CLIMATIC REQUIREMENT
• Pigeonpea is predominantly a crop of tropical areas mainly cultivated
in semi arid regions of India.
• Pigeonpea can be grown with a temperature ranging from 260C to
300C in the rainy season (June to October) and 170C to 220C in the post
rainy (November to March) season.
• Pigeonpea is very sensitive to low radiation at pod development,
therefore flowering during the monsoon and cloudy weather, leads to
poor pod formation.
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17. SOIL TYPE & FIELD PREPARATION
• It is successfully grown in black cotton soils, well drained with a pH
ranging from 7.0-8.5. Saline-alkaline and waterlogged soils are unfit as
they adversely affect nodulation.
• Pigeonpea responds well to properly tilled and well drained seedbed.
A deep ploughing with soil turning plough in fallow/waste lands, zero
tillage sowing under intensive cropping system and Broad Bed
Furrow/Ridge-furrow planting in low lying as well as intercropping
areas is recommended.
• Raised Bed method of planting by dibbling at 2 inches depth with Row
to Row distance 4 to 5 feet also 15 feet gap (2 pairs of Tur on bed)
under intercropping of soybean under transplanting (Dharwad
method/SPI), 5 X 3 and 3 X 1.5 feet spacing is recommended.
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18. SOWING TIME & METHOD
• Early Maturing varieties- First fortnight of June.
• Medium & Late Maturing Varieties-Second fortnight of June.
• Line sowing by seed drill or desi plough or by dibbling on the ridge
and beds, both are recommended as per the area.
• Late sown crop is more likely to be damaged by frost in northern parts
of the country.
In HP, Arhar is sown during the Last week of May-1st Week of June.
Earthing up is an important operation. First earthing up after 25-30
DAS and Second one after 50-60 DAS.
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19. CONT’D.
• Three systems of sowings are practiced for pigeon pea. The common
is flat sowing, the other methods are broadbed-furrow (BBF) for
extra-early group and ridge-and-furrow for the late maturity group.
• Bund cultivation of Pigeonpea in rice fallow areas have also been
adopted in CG, MP and some rice fallow areas. The latter two methods
are useful in fields with poor surface drainage and water logging.
• The raised beds or ridges also provide better aeration and nodulation
in comparison to the flat sown crop. At ICRISAT a broad bed and
furrow system is used for sowing extra-early genotypes, and ridges-
and-furrows are used for medium and late duration genotypes.
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20. SEED RATE & SPACING
• Early Maturing Var. - 20-25 kg/ha
• Spacing: 45-60 x 10-15 cm
• Medium/Late Maturing Var.- 15-20 kg/ha
• Spacing: 60-75 x 15-20 cm
In HP, for traditional varieties spacing of 50 x 15-20 cm while for
dwarf varieties it is 30-35 x 15-20 cm is recommended.
Seed rate recommended for HP is 15 kg ha-1.
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21. VARIETIES

22. CONT’D.

23. CONT’D.
Source: Seed-net GOI, Min. of Agri. & FW, & ICAR-IIPR, Kanpur 12/6/2019 23

24. CONT’D.
• For HP: ICPL-85010 (Sarita).
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25. SEED TREATMENT
• Fungicide: Thiram (2gm) + Carbendazim (1gm) or Thiram @ 3 gm, or
• Trichoderma viride 57g /kg of seed
• Culture Rhizobium and PSB culture 7-10 g /kg seed.
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26. FERTILIZER APPLICATION
• This crop is a heavy feeder on the soil nutrients, hence, it should not
suffer from lack of nutrients. Being a leguminous crop it utilizes
atmospheric nitrogen through symbiotic nitrogen fixation with the
help of nodule bacteria to meet a major part of their nitrogen
requirement under normal conditions.
• A dose of 20-30:80-100: 40-60 kg NPK/ha is recommended.
• Soils deficient in zinc should get ZnSO4 @ 25 kg/ha at the time of
sowing.
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27. IRRIGATION & DRAINAGE
• Being a deep rooted crop, it can tolerate drought. But in case of
prolonged drought there is need of three irrigation
• 1st at branching stage (30 DAS)
• 2nd one in flowering stage (70 DAS), and
• 3rd at the time of pod formation stage (110 DAS).
• A pre-requisite for the success of Pigeonpea is proper drainage. Ridge
planting is effective in areas where sub-surface drainage is poor. This
provide enough aeration for the roots during the period of excess
rainfall.
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28. WEED MANAGEMENT
• The first 60 days is very critical and harmful for the Arhar crop.
• Two mechanical weeding's one at 20-25 days and another at 45-50
days after sowing but before flowering.
• The Pre-emergence application of Pendimethalin @ 0.75- 1 Kg a.i. ha-1
in 400-600 liter of water kills the germinating seedlings of weeds and
keep the field weed free for the first 50 days.
• If weed found from long time use then, Fluchloralin 50 % EC (Basalin)
1 kg a.i. ha-1 in 800-1000 liter water & well incorporated in the soil
before sowing or Alachlor 50 % EC (Lasso) 2-2.5 kg a.i. ha-1 in 400-500
liter of water as pre-emergence.
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29. RESEARCH DATA WRT WEED MANAGEMENT
• Pre-emergence application of Pendimethalin @1kg ha-1 followed by one
Hand Weeding at 45 DAS gave seed yield of 2.23 t ha-1 (Dhonde et al., 2009).
• Pre-emergence application of Pendimethalin @0.75 kg ha-1 followed by
application of Post emergence herbicide Paraquat dichloride @0.48 kg ha-1
at 42 DAS gave seed yield of 1.82 t ha-1 (Padmaja et al., 2013).
• Application of Imazethapyr @246 g ha-1 as post emergence gave seed yied of
2.56 t ha-1 (Bidlack et al., 2006)
• Application of pre-emergence Pendimethalin @1 kg ha-1 followed by
application of Imazethapyr as post emergence @0.10 kg ha-1 at 30-35 DAS
has been found effective towards weed control in pigeonpea (Kaur et al.,
2015).
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30. CONT’D
• Other Recommendations (Kaur et al., 2015) include:
• Clodinafop-proparagyl @50-60 g ha-1 as Post emergence
• Quizalofop @125 g ha-1 as post emergence
• Imazethapyr @ 100 g ha-1 as post emergence
• Pendimethalin @1 kg ha-1 as pre emergence followed by
Quizalofop @ 50 g ha-1 as post emergence.
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31. CROPPING SYSTEM
• Important cropping systems followed are:
1. Maize–Pigeonpea (Rabi)
2. Pigeonpea-Urd-Wheat
3. Pigeonpea-Sugarcane
4. Mung + Pigeonpea-Wheat
5. Pigeonpea (early)-Potato-urdbean.
• Pigeonpea is commonly intercropped with a wide range of crops. In India, it was
estimated that 80 - 90 % of the Pigeonpea were intercropped:
1. With cereals (sorghum, maize, pearl millet, finger millet and rain-fed rice)
2. With legumes (groundnut, cowpea, mung bean, black gram, soybean)
3. With long-season annuals (caster, cotton, sugarcane, and cassava).
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32. HARVESTING & THRESHING
• With two third to three fourth pods at maturity judged by changing their color to
brown is the best harvesting time. The plants are usually cut with a sickle within 75-25
cm above the ground.
• Harvested plants should be left in the field for sun drying for 3-6 days depending on
season.
• Threshing is done either by beating the pods with stick or using Pullman thresher. The
proportion of seed to pods is generally 50-60%. The clean seeds should be sun dried
for 3-4 days to bring their moisture content at 9-10% to safely store in appropriate
bins.
• To avoid further development of bruchids and other storage pests, it is recommended
to fumigate the storage material before onset of monsoon and again after the monsoon
with ALP @ 1-2 tablets per ton. The small quantity of the produce can also be
protected by mixing inert material (soft stone, lime, ash, etc.) or by smearing
edible/non-edible vegetable oils or by mixing plant products like neem leaf powder at
the rate of 1-2% w/w basis.
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33. YIELD
• With use of improved technology of agronomic practices pigeon pea
may yield about 25-30 q/ha from irrigated condition and 15-20 q/ha
from un-irrigated condition. (depending upon maturity group of
variety and climate) and 50-60 q/ha of straw for fuel, as well.
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34. 12/6/2019 34

35. WILT
1. Seed Treatment with Trichoderma viride @
10 g/kg of seed
2. Thiram (2 gm) + Carbendazim (1gm)/kg of
seed
3. Soil application-T. viride–2.5 kg/ha + 50 kg of
well decomposed FYM or sand at 30 days
after sowing
4. Uproot wilted plants
5. Avoid over or under watering plants
6. Grow resistant varieties like Amar, Azad,
Asha (IPCL-87119), Maruthi, C-11, BDN-1,
BDN-2, NP-5, JKM-189, C-11, JKM-7, BSMR-
853 & BSMR-736
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36. STERILITY MOSAIC DISEASE
1. Spray Fenazaquin 10 EC (Magister) @ 1
ml/liter of water on 45 and 60 DAS
2. Rogue out the infected plants in the early
stages of growth
3. Crop rotation with non host crop like tobacco,
sorghum, pearl millet, cotton
4. Grow resistant varieties like Pusa-885, Asha,
Sharad (DA11),Narendra Arhar1, Bahar,
BSMR-853, BSMR 736, Rajeev Lochan, BDN-
708
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37. PHYTOPHTHORA BLIGHT
1. Seed treated with Metalaxyl 35 WS @3 g/ kg
of seed
2. Good drainage in the fields and the plants
should be protected from stem injury
3. Crop rotation should be followed
4. Grow resistant varieties like ICPL 7916/
12055/12114/12161, JKM-189, JA-4
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38. ALTERNARIA BLIGHT
1. Spray the crop with Mancozeb 75 WP @ 2
g/liter or Carbendazim 50 WP @ 1g/liter of
water
2. Cultivation of Pigeonpea on ridges with
proper drainage system and avoiding the
sowing in heavy soil helpful in disease
management
3. Grow resistant varieties like DA- 2, MA 128-1,
MA 128-2.
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40. POD BORERS
• Use H. armigera pheromone trap @
12/ha
• Spray the crop with Emamectin
benzoate 5% SG @220 g/ha. or
Indoxacarb 15.8% SC @333 ml/ha
• The caterpillar should be picked by
hand after shaking the plants and
destroyed in the early stages of attack.
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41. TUR POD FLY
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• Spraying Neem seed kernel
extract (NSKE) 5% at 50%
flowering stage to manage the
insect’s populations
• Pest can be controlled by spraying
the crop with Monocrotophos
36% SL @1L ha-1 in 800-1000
litres.

42. PLUME MOTH
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• Apply the Neem oil 2%
• Spray the crop with Azadirachtin
0.03 % WSP 2500-5000 g/ha or
Emamectin benzoate 5% SG @
220 g/ha or Indoxacarb 15.8% SC
@ 333 ml/ha.

43. POD SUCKING BUGS
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• Soil application of carbofuran 3G @ 15
kg/ha at sowing
• Immature bugs can be handpicked and
destroyed. The main natural enemies of
bugs are egg parasitoids, ants and birds
reported reduce feeding by green shield
bugs
• Spraying with aromatic plants (e.g. gums,
lantana, Neem-based pesticides

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