Pigeon pea (Red gram, Thuvarai in Tamil) production technology

Dear friends,

I have given below a brief account of pigeon pea cultivation practices as recommended by 'ICRISAT' (International Crop Research Institute for Semi Arid Tropics). In the second part of this same article, my actual cultivation experience of pigeon pea is explained in detail.

I. Pigeon pea (Red gram, Thuvarai in Tamil) production Practices:

• Native plant of India.

• It's drought tolerance and the ability to use residual moisture during the dry season makes it an important crop.

• It is a slow growing crop mainly cultivated in the raining season.

• When cultivated in fertile soils with proper irrigation the plants attain 3 -4 m height.

• At a wider spacing it may form a bush and at narrow spacing it remains compact and upright.

• Root nodules of 'Rhizobia' forms on the root system.

• Pigeon pea is sensitive to water logging. So, plant them in well drained soil for good root and nodule development.

• Before sowing at least two ploughing is necessary. Summer ploughing helps in minimizing the weed and to conserve moisture.

• Cultivation in ridges and furrows system is recommended.

• Sowing Depth: 4 to 5 cm.
• Response to Nutrients:
• Effect of Nitrogen is almost negligible. However a starter application of 25 kg of N / ha is beneficial.
• Response to 'P' application has been positive. Application of 17 -26 kgs / ha increases yield by 300-600 kgs/ha.
• Pigeon pea does not respond to K application unless it is grown on low Potassium available soils.
• Most of the pigeon pea cultivars are susceptible to Zinc deficiency. So foliar application of 2-4 ppm of Zinc Sulphate @ 0.5% with 0.25 % lime have been effective.
• NPK requirement: 20 : 17 : 17
• It is observed that rhizobial inoculation increase the grain yield from 19 to 68%.

 















IRRIGATION:

• Irrigation at the time of flower initiation and pod setting are essential. The drought stress symptoms are indicated by the leaves pointing towards the sun at noon.
• Excessive moisture promotes vegetative growth. Proper irrigation increases the seed yield by about 150 - 160% over the non-irrigated control at ICRISAT.

• HARVEST: It should be harvested when 80% of the pods become brown.

II. My actual cultivation experience of pigeon pea:

• Initially, ICRISAT's 'ICPL 87119'- a bold seed variety was sown. But heavy monsoon rains badly affected the seeds and only about 20% germination rate was observed. Gap filling for the remaining 80% is not feasible, so destroyed all the plants by ploughing and opted for a fresh crop.

• Next variety selected: ICPL 85063.

• Area : 3 acres.

• Field preparation: Ridges and furrows.

• Spacing: Row to Row - 2.5 feet on ridge slope. (Actual spacing requirement for the plant is 3 feet. Do not reduce the spacing in fertile soils with irrigation facility. The ICRISAT's recommendation of 70 cm spacing is for dry lands.

• Spacing: Plant to plant - 2 feet. (ICRISAT's recommendation of 20cm - 30cm is too narrow. Better go for above 1.5 feet - 2 feet spacing to avoid overcrowding. In my experience, I got more grain yield from sparsely populated areas. Please note that, at a wider spacing the plant will grow as a bush and at narrow spacing it remains compact and upright.)

• Seed requirement: If you sow single seed per pit, about 4 kgs (approx.) of seeds may be required for a spacing of 75cm x 60cm and if you opt for 2 seeds per pit then about 8 kgs (approx.) of seeds will be required. The quantity of seed requirement will also vary depending upon the size and weight of selected seed variety.

                                                 
About 1000 plants were raised in plugtrays / protrays for gap filling.

Presoaking of Seeds: Soaking the seeds in good water for 6 hours before sowing is an essential activity.

Seed Treatment: Since the procured seeds were already treated with the chemical fungicide 'Thiram', seed treatment using 'Rhizobium' was not done. So 'Rhizobium' was broadcasted over the field.
Inter crop: Black gram in a single row on opposite side of the red gram sown ridge.
Intercrop duration: 90 days.
Deweeding: A total of 5 manual deweeding was done.
Basal :

• FYM 5 Tons per Acre broadcasted before first ploughing..

• Rhizobium 1 kg + Azosphyrillum 2 Kgs + Phosphobacterium 2 kgs + Viridi 500 gms were thoroughly mixed with FYM 50 Kgs and broadcasted over an acre before I irrigation.

• 2 Kgs of Micronutrient Mixture for Pulses (M.N. mixture No:VII in Tamilnadu) mixed with 20 kgs of sand per acre was broadcasted before III irrigation.

• Maturity / Age: 160 - 180 days.

• Irrigation: To arrest the vegetative growth of the plant, irrigation was stopped by 140 th day to induce flowering.

• After flowering, controlled irrigation was provided enabling the pods to get filled up.

• Fertilisers:N:P:K applied was 46:32:32 against the ICRISAT recommended dosage of 20:17:17.

• Top dressing of M.N Mixture 5 kg per acre on 60th day.

• Foliar application of Zn So4 two times.

                                                 
Pest Control:

Steps to control Pod borer attack.

• Used 'Phremon traps' / 'Lures' of 'Helicoverpa armigera' @ 10 per acre at the time of flowering and changed them after 45 days with fresh ones.

• Foliar spray of Bacillus thuringiensis (B.T, Brand: HALT) @ 4%/litre - 3 applications with a gap of 15 days between each spray.

• Released 'Trichogramma Kilonis' an egg parasite @ 3 cc per acre (15 strips of eggs) - 3 times with a gap of 15 days between each one.

• Harvesting procedure (Conventional): Cut the stem at the base ==> bundle the plants ==> shift them to thrashing floor ==> bundles to be stacked in upright position for 2-3 days for effective drying and fall of leaves ==> beat the dry plants with sticks ==> remove dusts and collect seeds.

• Using Mechanical thrasher: By using "All purpose mechanical Thrashers", one can reduce the cost of harvesting expenses considerably.

• Yield attained: Total yield 2115 Kgs in 3 acres (i.e) 705 Kgs per acre.
• Yield attained from the inter crop 'Blackgram': 140 Kgs per acre

• Gross income per acre: Pigeon pea: Kgs.705 x Rs 36 = 25380

• Gross income from Black gram:Kgs.140 x Rs 42 = 5880

• Total income from Pigeon pea and Black gram: Rs.31300

• Expenses per acre:Rs. 9800 approx.

(About 50% of this expense was incurred in harvesting and for manual cleaning. I was not able to get the mechanical thrasher at the time of harvest, though it had been booked well in advance. If I had got the mechanical thrasher in time, I would have minimized the harvesting expenses and the total expenses would be around Rs.7000 only)

• Net income per acre from both main crop and inter crop: Rs. 21500 (Rd) in a period of 6 months.

Please note that organic practices were adopted for pest control and chemical fertilizers were used to attain the recommended N:P:K level.

I have learned a very good lesson from this crop and I will be more happy if our dear farmers took a balanced view of the recommendations to attain more yield and mechanize the farming activity to get more profits.

Please have a look at one more interesting post on Pigeon Pea (Red gram / Thuvari) by me at this LINK  (Second Green Revolution and Dismal Pulses production in India) before leaving out of this page.

 
Regards,
Vishnu Sankar.

Agricultural Technologies developed by Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI)

The Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) is the country's premier national institute for agricultural research, education and extension. The institute has generated technologies, package of practices and processes for higher crop productivity.

The proponents of organic agriculture are strongly criticizing the role IARI played at the time of 'Green revolution and post Green revolution eras, when it introduced dwarf wheat and rice varieties, chemical fertilizers as necessary inputs for the responsive varieties to push up crop productivity at farmer's fields in the name of country's self sufficiency.

The criticism of the emerging group of 'Organic growers' about the present day farming as prescribed by the scientific community all over the world cannot be simply rubbed aside since they point to the unpalatable hard facts, faulty govt. policies and the resultant problems to the farmers.

The wrong policies ultimately led the nation to witness a steady negative growth in agriculture in the past decade, erosion of profits in agriculture to an unsustainable levels and above all the deterioration of the soil health due to excessive chemical use.

The primary concern of every government is to check the prices and they conveniently and purposely forgot to fix remunerative prices for the agricultural produce. Attaining country's self sufficiency in food production by robbing the hapless farmer (robbing the fruits of his labour and robbing the health of his farm soil) in the name of 'modern agricultural technology' is nothing but bringing disgrace to our nation for which we all should be feel ashamed of.

Other than the technological advancements to enhance 'Crop productivity', there are many more agricultural technologies, developed by the scientific community to bring in prosperity to the farming community.

Some of the farmer friendly technologies released by IARI are enumerated below:

Division of Genetics:

• More than 100 high yielding (?) (demerits already discussed), pest as well as disease resistant varieties of Rice and Wheat were released.

• Developed and released improved varieties for maize, chickpea, pearl millet, pigeonpea, mungbean, fieldpea, lentil and oil seed crops like Mustard.

Division of Vegetable Science:

• Developed more than 200 improved varieties of 43 vegetable crops and two dozen hybrids for commercially important vegetables like Brinjal, Bottle gourd, Bitter gourd, sponge gourd, Cucumber Etc.,

• Low cost Poly-house Technology for Raising Nursery.

• Ratooning of Brinjal.
  

Division of Fruits and Horticultural Technology:

• Varieties / Hybrids for Mango,Grape, Citrus, Papaya Etc.,

• High Density Planting technology developed for Mango, Kinnow, Guava and Papaya.
  

Division of Floriculture and Landscaping:

• Varieties developed for Marigold, French Marigold, Gladiolus, Chrysanthemum and Rose.

Division of Seed Science and Technology:

• Farmer Participatory Seed production programmes: The breeder seed of the varieties / parental lines of hybrids were provided to the farmers for production of quality seeds under regular supervision and monitoring by the scientists.

• Farmers are provided with hands on training in seed production technology and storage practices.

Centre for Protected Cultivation Technology:

• Plug tray / Protray Nursery Raising Technology for Vegetables.

• Low cost insect proof net house technology for virus free nursery raising in Vegetables.

• Plastic low tunnel technology for off season cultivation of vegetables.

• Production Technology of Tomato under Zero Energy Greenhouse.
  

With this technology, a farmer can obtain about 3.5 Kg of Tomato seeds woth Rs.70,000 from 100 Square meter area and 15 Kg of hybrid seed of Brinjal of worth Rs.60,000 from 500 Square meter area.

• Production technology of Parthenocarpic Cucumber under Zero Energy naturally ventilated Greenhouse:

Division of Entomology:

• Suggestions for effective management of insect pests in Rice, Wheat, Vegetables, pulses Etc.,
  

• Integrated Pest Management regime

• Plant based formulations

• Alternatives and supplements to agrochemicals.

Division of Agricultural Chemicals:
PUSA HYDROGEL:

This product is to enhance the crop productivity per unit area with the available water and nutrients in moisture stress areas.

• Natural polymer based. (Not Synthetic)
  
• Absorbs water 400 times of its dry weight and gradually releases the same.
• Exhibits maximum absorbency @ temperatures (40-50*C) characteristic of arid soils.
• Less affected by salts as compared to commercially available purely synthetic products.
• Low rates of soil application - 1-2 Kgs / ha for nursery horticulture crops; 5-7 Kg / ha for field crops.

Division of Plant Pathology:

• Bio-formulations for the Management of Plant Diseases.

• Biological control of Plant Pathogens.

Division of Agronomy:

• Zero-tillage Technology for Efficient Resource conservation.

• Nitrogen Economy through Summer Legumes in Cereal based Cropping Systems.

• Bed planting Technology for Enhancing Crop Productivity.

• More Rice with Less Water. (SRI - System of Rice Intensification)

Division of Agricultural Physics:

• Agromet-advisory services to the farmers. Weather based weekly advisories are released for the benefit of farmers.

Division of Microbiology:

• Research and production of bio fertilizers.

Division of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry:

• Soil test based balanced fertilizer recommendations for targeted yield of crops.

Division Agricultural Engineering:

• Has developed number of farm equipments and machinery for Crop production and Agro-processing to make farm operations more easy, efficient, cost effective and with considerable saving time and energy.

Pusa Agua Ferti Seed Drill (Rear View):


Pusa Agua Ferti Seed Drill (Front View):


Bund former:


Model of Laser Leveller:


Water Technology Center:
For Low Rainfall receiving Rainfed regions:

• Surface mulching

• (a) Application of Biological Mulching Material on the ground.
• (b) Plastic mulching.
• (c) Incorporation or mixing the biological materials in the soil.

• Cultivation of low water requiring crops.

For Highly Arid Rainfed Regions:

• Deep ploughing of field before monsoon.
• Marginal and peripheral bunding.
• Pot / pitcher Irrigation system.

For Very High Rainfall receiving Rainfed regions:

• Construction of Engineering structure

• (a) Ploughing against land slope

• (b) Rain water harvesting tanks / ponds and proper re-use.

• (c) Vegetative water way or Drainage channels.

• (d) Cover management.

• AFFORESTATION

Division of Plant Physiology:

• Improving the productivity by cultural / Management practices for all the crops.
• Post Harvest Management of fruits and flowers.

Dear friends,

The effort of the scientific community to reach the farming community with latest technologies is at a snails pace. It is imperative on the part of our government to augment speedy deployment and utilization of implementable technologies for the benefit of the farmers as well our Nation.

Regards,
Vishnu Sankar

High Density Planting Technology

Many farmers falsely believe (especially Mango. Kinnow and Guava growers) that 'HIGH DENSITY PLANTING TECHNOLOGY' (hereafter 'HDP') is nothing but to plant more number of trees, get yields up to 6-7 years and when the canopy of the trees in one row touches the next row thereby curtailing farming operations and reduction in yield, simply fell / uproot the trees in alternate rows and continue farming with the remaining plants.

But, the full meaning of HDP, which is one of the highly successful orchard management practices, its basic concepts and benefits should be taught to every farmer for their ultimate economic uplift.

About HDP:
It is a system in which a higher number of plants of same or different crop species is accommodated (normally dwarf varieties) within a unit area in comparison to the conventional planting density so as to obtain maximum output by utilization of land, light and externally applied inputs Viz, nutrients, water, pesticides etc.

• Semi intensive HDP system accommodates 500 -1000 trees/ha.
• Intensive HDP system accommodates 1000 -10000 trees/ha employing specialized training systems.
• Super intensive HDP system with 20,000 to 1,00,000 plants/ha require more capital to establish and is more productive and profitable, if followed scientifically.

Components of HDP:

1. Selecting dwarf scion varieties
2. Dwarfing root stocks and inter stocks
3. Proper training and pruning
4. Proper use of chemicals
5. Suitable crop management practices.

Advantages of HDP:

1. High density planted plants are precocious (showing premature development), easily manageable because of their small size.
2. They have higher yield potential with better quality produce resulting in higher returns/unit area.
3. Better utilization of solar radiation because of dense planting.
   
4. HDPT is amenable to modern input application techniques such as drip/fertigation, mechanization etc.,
5. Higher harvest index as well as early economic returns.
6. Considering the shrinking land resource, continued decline in cultivable land, rising energy cost and land costs together with the mounting demand for more agricultural produce have given us no other option than to adopt HDP.

Constraints in adoption of HDP system:

1. Non-availability of complete package for HDP system and there is no efficient extension system to disseminate the HDP knowledge to the willing farmers.
2. Non availability of planting material for dwarf varieties.
3. Non availability of vegetatively propagated root stocks in different fruit crops and plantation crops.
4. Non availability of mechanization technology for the use of in densely planted fields.
   
5. Overcrowding of trees in some orchard crops (especially in Mango) after 11-12 years.
   

Estimated cost and return from traditional and HDP in MANGO:

Sl. No.	PARTICULARS	TRADITIONAL SYSTEM	HDP SYSTEM
1	SPACING	10 m X 10 m	2.5 m X 2.5 m
2	No.OF PLANTS/ha	100	1600
3	COST OF ESTABLISHING THE ORCHARD	Rs.30,000	Rs.75,000
4	ANNUAL MAINTENANCE COST	Rs.20,000	Rs.35,000
5	AGE OF STABLE YIELD	8 to 10 years	7 to 8 years
6	PRODUCTION (kg /ha)	6000 to 8000	16,000 to 19,000
7	SALE OF PRODUCE (Rs.7 per kg - Whole sale price)	Rs.42,000 to Rs.56,000	Rs.1,12,000 to 1,33,000
8	NET RETURN	Rs.22,000 to 36,000	Rs.77,000 to 98,000

So, my dear farmer friends. before adopting HDP, acquire full knowledge in tree architecture, physiology of tree size control, development of dwarfing root stocks and about chemical growth retardants for a successful HDP farming venture.

(Source:"Improved Technologies for fruit cultivation" (TB-ICN : 63/2009) Division of Fruits and Horticultural Technology, ICAR, New Delhi 110 012)

Regards,
Vishnu Sankar

Tree felling at an alarming rate!

Dear friends,

Tree felling is made easier and easier with the advancement of technology. You will marvel at the awesome power of tree felling machines displayed at the videos given below.

But at the end of show, there will be no doubt, that you will be worried man, when the reality strikes you in the face that this kind of rapid denuding of the mother earth takes place daily with thousands of such monstrous machines.

After so many summits, meetings, speeches, agreements and disagreements, solution to this grave problem is still not yet in sight.

Mass tree planting drives with massive government funding (irrespective of GDPs and without any discrimination like developed, developing, under developed countries) all over the world will definitely minimize harmful effects of indiscriminate felling of trees.

For our part as an individual and as a responsible human being, we should act now and plant as many trees as possible to insure our mother earth's safety.

Regards,

Vishnu Sankar

Feller buncher cum cutter:



Feller buncher: