Effect of dates of planting on the growth characters and seed yield of transplanted pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan L. Mill Sp.)

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted at Research-cum-Instructional farm of the Indira Gandhi Krishi Vishwavidalaya, Raipur (Chhattisgarh) to evaluate the performance of transplanted pigeonpea at different dates of planting. An experiment comprising of seven treatments including one farmers practice of direct seeding on 17th July (T1) and six dates of transplanting viz. 17th July (T2), 27th July (T3), 6th August (T4), 16th August (T5), 26th August (T6) and 5th September (T7) laid out in randomized complete block design with three replication. Results revealed that all the growth and yield attributes of pigeonpea influenced significantly due to varying dates of planting. Crop planted on 17th July resulted in taller plants with a maximum height of 197.55 cm coupled with greater number of branches (33.70 plant-1), nodule counts (52.11 plant-1) and their dry weight (109.67 mg plant-1), dry matter accumulation (158.10 g plant-1) and LAI Superior yield attributes such as pods (198 plant-1), as well as total seeds (790.33 plant-1) were also recorded from early transplanted crop i.e. 17th July among all the dates of transplanting as well as with direct seeded pigeonpea. The better growth and yield attributes of pigeonpea planted on 17th July resulted in highest grain (2074 kg ha-1) and stover (9142 kg ha-1) yields, as well as net returns (84032 ha-1) and B:C ratio (3.46) from transplanted pigeonpea compared to rest of treatments.