Pigeon Pea — Package of Practices
A deep-rooted, long-duration kharif pulse — give it room and good drainage, and its deep roots carry it through dry spells to a heavy pod set.
Overview
Pigeon pea (tur/arhar) is a long-duration kharif pulse with deep roots and good drought tolerance, grown for its protein-rich split dal.
It needs space, free drainage and a long season; managing the pod-borer complex at flowering and guarding against wilt are the main tasks.
Climate & season
Pigeon pea likes warm weather (about 18–30 °C) over a long season.
- A kharif crop; medium and long types run well into the cool months.
- Deep roots make it notably drought-tolerant.
- Sensitive to waterlogging and frost.
Soil & land preparation
Best on a well-drained loam to medium black soil at pH 6.0–7.5.
- Prepare a deep, well-drained seedbed.
- Mix in 10–12 t/ha farmyard manure.
- Provide drainage channels in heavy soils.
Choosing a type & seed
Choose early, medium or long-duration types to suit your rainfall and rotation; it is often intercropped. No specific cultivar is named here.
Seed rate
- About 12–15 kg/ha for medium/long types.
- Wider spacing for long-duration, bushy types.
- Sow 3–5 cm deep.
Seed treatment
- Treat with a recommended fungicide, then a Rhizobium culture.
- Protects seedlings and aids nodulation.
Sowing & spacing
- Sow with the onset of the monsoon.
- Keep rows 60–90 cm apart (wider for long types).
- Space plants 20–30 cm within the row.
- Sow 3–5 cm deep into moist soil.
- Intercrop with a short pulse or cereal between the wide rows if desired.
Nutrient management
As a legume the crop fixes much of its own nitrogen, so heavy nitrogen is wasteful; give only a light starter dose with good phosphorus. A Rhizobium seed treatment improves fixation.
| Input | Dose | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Farmyard manure | 10–12 t/ha | Basal |
| Nitrogen (N) | 20 kg/ha | Light starter only |
| Phosphorus (P₂O₅) key | 40–50 kg/ha | Roots, nodules & pod set |
Water management
Largely rainfed thanks to deep roots, but protective water helps at the key stages.
- Most sensitive at flowering and pod filling.
- Give a protective irrigation then if a dry spell hits.
- Avoid waterlogging — it kills the deep roots.
Weed management
- Keep the wide rows weed-free for the first 45–60 days.
- One or two weedings (or a recommended herbicide) suffice.
- Inter-row cultivation also conserves moisture.
Plant protection
| Problem | Type | Watch for | Manage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pod borer complex | Pest | Caterpillars (incl. spotted pod borer) in flowers and pods | Pheromone traps, bird perches, Bt or recommended insecticide at flowering |
| Pod fly | Pest | Maggots inside pods; shrivelled seed | Monitor at pod set; recommended insecticide if needed |
| Pod-sucking bugs | Pest | Shrunken, discoloured seed | Scout at pod fill; spray only if severe |
| Wilt | Disease | Wilting, vascular browning | Resistant types, long rotation, bio-agent seed treatment |
| Sterility mosaic | Disease | Bushy, pale plants with no pods (mite-spread) | Resistant types, rogue affected plants |
| Phytophthora blight | Disease | Stem lesions, collapse in wet spells | Drainage, ridges, tolerant types |
- Sow treated seed of a wilt- and mosaic-tolerant type.
- Set pheromone traps and bird perches before flowering.
- Time protection to the flowering and pod-set window.
- Spray only at the threshold, following the label.
Use crop-protection inputs responsibly
Read the label, use the recommended dose, wear protective gear while spraying, and strictly observe the pre-harvest (waiting) interval before picking — on crops harvested repeatedly this matters at every picking. Prefer cultural and biological methods first and spray only when monitoring shows it is needed.
Harvesting & yield
Harvest when about 75–80% of the pods are mature and dry; duration is 150–270 days by type.
- Cut, dry, thresh and clean the grain.
- Yields of about 1.5–2.5 t/ha are achievable; the deep roots also enrich the soil.
Related crops
Pigeon Pea — Package of Practices
A deep-rooted, long-duration kharif pulse — give it room and good drainage, and its deep roots carry it through dry spells to a heavy pod set.
Overview
Pigeon pea (tur/arhar) is a long-duration kharif pulse with deep roots and good drought tolerance, grown for its protein-rich split dal.
It needs space, free drainage and a long season; managing the pod-borer complex at flowering and guarding against wilt are the main tasks.
Climate & season
Pigeon pea likes warm weather (about 18–30 °C) over a long season.
- A kharif crop; medium and long types run well into the cool months.
- Deep roots make it notably drought-tolerant.
- Sensitive to waterlogging and frost.
Soil & land preparation
Best on a well-drained loam to medium black soil at pH 6.0–7.5.
- Prepare a deep, well-drained seedbed.
- Mix in 10–12 t/ha farmyard manure.
- Provide drainage channels in heavy soils.
Choosing a type & seed
Choose early, medium or long-duration types to suit your rainfall and rotation; it is often intercropped. No specific cultivar is named here.
Seed rate
- About 12–15 kg/ha for medium/long types.
- Wider spacing for long-duration, bushy types.
- Sow 3–5 cm deep.
Seed treatment
- Treat with a recommended fungicide, then a Rhizobium culture.
- Protects seedlings and aids nodulation.
Sowing & spacing
- Sow with the onset of the monsoon.
- Keep rows 60–90 cm apart (wider for long types).
- Space plants 20–30 cm within the row.
- Sow 3–5 cm deep into moist soil.
- Intercrop with a short pulse or cereal between the wide rows if desired.
Nutrient management
As a legume the crop fixes much of its own nitrogen, so heavy nitrogen is wasteful; give only a light starter dose with good phosphorus. A Rhizobium seed treatment improves fixation.
| Input | Dose | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Farmyard manure | 10–12 t/ha | Basal |
| Nitrogen (N) | 20 kg/ha | Light starter only |
| Phosphorus (P₂O₅) key | 40–50 kg/ha | Roots, nodules & pod set |
Water management
Largely rainfed thanks to deep roots, but protective water helps at the key stages.
- Most sensitive at flowering and pod filling.
- Give a protective irrigation then if a dry spell hits.
- Avoid waterlogging — it kills the deep roots.
Weed management
- Keep the wide rows weed-free for the first 45–60 days.
- One or two weedings (or a recommended herbicide) suffice.
- Inter-row cultivation also conserves moisture.
Plant protection
| Problem | Type | Watch for | Manage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pod borer complex | Pest | Caterpillars (incl. spotted pod borer) in flowers and pods | Pheromone traps, bird perches, Bt or recommended insecticide at flowering |
| Pod fly | Pest | Maggots inside pods; shrivelled seed | Monitor at pod set; recommended insecticide if needed |
| Pod-sucking bugs | Pest | Shrunken, discoloured seed | Scout at pod fill; spray only if severe |
| Wilt | Disease | Wilting, vascular browning | Resistant types, long rotation, bio-agent seed treatment |
| Sterility mosaic | Disease | Bushy, pale plants with no pods (mite-spread) | Resistant types, rogue affected plants |
| Phytophthora blight | Disease | Stem lesions, collapse in wet spells | Drainage, ridges, tolerant types |
- Sow treated seed of a wilt- and mosaic-tolerant type.
- Set pheromone traps and bird perches before flowering.
- Time protection to the flowering and pod-set window.
- Spray only at the threshold, following the label.
Use crop-protection inputs responsibly
Read the label, use the recommended dose, wear protective gear while spraying, and strictly observe the pre-harvest (waiting) interval before picking — on crops harvested repeatedly this matters at every picking. Prefer cultural and biological methods first and spray only when monitoring shows it is needed.
Harvesting & yield
Harvest when about 75–80% of the pods are mature and dry; duration is 150–270 days by type.
- Cut, dry, thresh and clean the grain.
- Yields of about 1.5–2.5 t/ha are achievable; the deep roots also enrich the soil.