Extra-Short-Duration Pigeonpea for Diversifying Wheat-Based Cropping Systems in the Sub-Tropics

Abstract

The performance of newly developed extra-short-duration pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan) genotypes and traditional short-duration pigeonpea cultivars was compared in rotation with wheat in onfarm trials conducted in 1996±97 and 1997±98 in Sonepat (288 N) district in Haryana, and in 1996±97 at Ludhiana (308 N) district in Punjab, India. At both locations, a wheat crop (Triticum aestivum cv. HD 2329) followed pigeonpea. At Sonepat, an indeterminate extra-short-duration genotype ICPL 88039 matured up to three weeks earlier, yet gave 12% higher yield (1.57 t ha 71 ) and showed less susceptibility to borer damage than did the short-duration cv.Manak. At Ludhiana, extra-short-duration pigeonpea genotypes, ICPL 88039, ICPL 85010 and AL 201 gave similar grain yields to the short-duration T 21 in spite of maturing three to four weeks earlier. Yields of wheat crops following extra-short-duration genotypes were up to 0.75 t ha 71 greater at Sonepat and up to 1.0 t ha 71 greater at Ludhiana. The results of the study provide empirical evidence that extra-short-duration pigeonpea genotypes could contribute to higher productivity of pigeonpea±wheat rotation systems. Most of the farmers who grew on-farm trials in Sonepat preferred extra-short-duration to short-duration pigeonpea types for their early maturity, bold seed size, and the greater yield of the following wheat crop.introdution Pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan) is one of the most important wet-season grain legume crops in South Asia. The average yield of the crop is around 0.75 t ha 71 and it occupies the ®eld for 6 to 9 months. Crop improvement efforts in pigeonpea, as for other legumes (Siemonssma and Anwari, 1988;Lawn, 1989), have been directed both to improve yield of traditional types (Sharma et al., 1981;Sheldrake and Narayanan, 1979;Willey et al., 1981) and to develop new plant types that ®t well into the new production systems (Wallis et al., 1981;Laxman Singh et al., 1990). The emphasis has been on traditional types because most of the area under the crop is planted to them. Traditional cultivars and landraces are photoperiodsensitive and more resilient to adverse conditions (Sharma et al., 1981). These

Origin of early maturing pigeonpea germplasm and its impact on adaptation and cropping systems

“…This crop rotation has undoubtedly brought food security through the famous ‘green revolution’; but it also played a major role in displacing the soil‐rejuvenating high‐protein grain legumes from the farming systems. The persistence of cereal‐cereal cultivation over decades is now showing its ill effects on soil health in terms of soil compaction, poor drainage, increase in soil salinity and poor response to added fertilizers and declined productivity per se (Dahiya et al, ; Kataki, ). Overall, this rotation is becoming unsustainable and more research with respect to crop diversification is warranted.…”

“…Soon this variety was replaced by an earlier maturing cultivar ‘UPAS 120’. Even this variety was often found to delay wheat sowings due to extended maturity caused by early winter rains and poor drainage (Dahiya et al, ). Therefore, need of a variety which could mature earlier than ‘UPAS 120’ was felt.…”

“…In this cropping sequence, the wheat also benefitted by the preceding pigeonpea crop by recording additional yield of around 1,000 kg/ha. Such yield increases were attributed to the timely sowing of wheat and various beneficial residual effects of pigeonpea including incorporation of nutrient‐rich organic matter to the soil through heavy leaf fall and extensive root biomass (Dahiya et al, ).…”

Accomplishments and challenges of pigeonpea breeding research in India

“…Initially, an early variety UPAS 120 was used in this system but often it delayed the wheat sowings due to delayed maturity of pigeonpea caused by excess moisture or early winter rains. Although pigeonpea-wheat is less profitable than ricewheat rotation but certain production constraints such as reducing productivity, increasing soil salinity and poor response to added fertilizers are forcing researchers to look for some alternatives; and the option of pigeonpea-wheat rotation has been found to be a viable option (Dahiya et al 2002).…”

Teores de taninos e produção de gases in vitro da silagem de sorgo com adição de níveis crescentes de guandu

“…Dentre elas, o guandu (Cajanus cajan L. Millsp) é uma das principais leguminosas cultivadas nas diferentes regiões do mundo (TANGTAWEEWIPAT; ELLIOTT, 1989), altamente palatável, produz elevadas quantidades de forragem com altos teores de proteína e minerais durante a época da seca (DAHIYA et al, 2002).…”