Sowing of Pigeonpea

Seed and Sowing

Sow the seeds along with chemical fertilizers in seed drill.

Seed rate:

 Main crop       :   4 - 4.8 to 6kg/ac                                 

 Mixed crop    :   2.4 – 3.2kg/ac          

Seed treatment:

• Soak the seeds in 2% Calcium Chloride (Cacl₂) for 30 minutes.
• Dry under shade for 7hrs. followed by  Rhizobium treatment (200g/ac)
• Rhizobium treatment saves 50 % nitrogen (North East Transition Zone and North East Dry Zone – JB- 1 or JB-2 variety;  and Northern Dry Zone – CC-1 variety).

Or

•  Treat 15kg seeds with 60g. Sodium molybdate + 150ml.( 2%) Jaggery solution
•  Dry under shade
•   After this, treat the seeds with biofertilizers such as Rhizobium and Phosphate Solubilizing Bacteria (PSB).

Spacing:

Short duration variety          : 45cm x 10cm.

Medium duration variety       : 60 cm x 30cm.

Main crop (May-June)          :  90 cm x15cm.

Main crop (July)                   :  60 cm x15cm.

Sowing time                         : May – July. Early sowing helps to increase the yield level.

Method of sowing:

• Plough the land before sowing.
• After land preparation apply entire dose of N, P₂O₅, K₂O, Sulphur and Zinc in the rows as basal dose.
• If rock phosphate is used as basal dose then treat the seeds with PSB.
• Mixed cropping system can be followed - 8 : 2 ratio (Pigeonpea : Fingermillet/groundnut)

Depth of sowing : 5cm.