Effect of different spacing, land configuration and intercropping on growth and yield of pigeonpea” (Cajanus cajan L. Mill)

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted during Kharif 2024 at ARS, Badnapur, on clayey soil. Pigeonpea variety BDN 2013-41 (Godavari) was sown with eight treatments viz., four sole pigeonpea spacings 90×20 cm (T1), 120×30 cm (T2), 150×30 cm on ridges and furrow (T3) and 180×30 cm on ridges and furrow (T4), two paired row planting on BBF 60-120×30 cm (T5) and 90-150×30 cm (T6) and pigeonpea + soybean intercropping systems with two ratios 1:4 (T7) and 2:4 (T8), respectively. The trial was laid out in RBD with three replications. Sowing was done by dibbling on 11 July 2024. Wider spacing of 180 × 30 cm on ridges and furrow (T₄) significantly improved growth attributes like plant height, branching, dry matter and plant spread over closer spacing (90 × 20 cm) (T1), leading to higher pods plant⁻¹ (193), pod weight (138.9 g) and seed yield plant⁻¹ (99.2 g). This treatment also recorded the highest seed yield (1840 kg ha⁻¹), biological yield (8141 kg ha⁻¹) and straw yield (6301 kg ha⁻¹). However, significantly highest pigeonpea equivalent yield (PEY) (2262 kg ha-1) was recorded with 2:4 pigeonpea + soybean (T8) and was comparable with 1:4 pigeonpea + soybean (T7) (2195 kg ha-1) and both intercropping systems recorded significantly more PEY over rest of the treatments.