Effect of land configuration, post-monsoon irrigation and phosphorus on perfor- mance of sole and intercropped pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan)

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted during the rainy season 2001-02 to find out the effect of land configura- tion, post-monsoon irrigation and phosphorus fertilization on performance of pigeonpea [Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp.] grown sole and intercropped with urdbean [Vigna mungo (L.) Hepper]. The broad-bed and furrow plant- ing and post-monsoon irrigation at 0.4 IW : CPE ratio improved the yield attributes (podslplant and seedslpod) of pigeonpea over flat planting and unirrigated pigeonpea, leading to similar increase in grain yield of pigeonpea by 10%. An intercropping of pigeonpea with urdbean had no effect on pigeonpea yield, but the additional urdbean yield in intercropping resulted in markedly higher total productivity in terms of pigeonpea-equivalent yield. The grain yield of pigeonpea increased up to 40 kg P,O, /ha only. However, total productivity in terms of pigeonpea-equivalent yield increased with increasing rates of P up to 80 kg P,O, /ha.