Evaluating the Performance of Pigeon Pea under Raised Bed Technology for Climate Resilient Agriculture in Vertisols of Vikarabad District in Telangana, India

Abstract

Vikarabad district of Telangana is major pulse-producing district. the district yields are lower on average than the state yields. Vikarabad district are mostly Vertisols having the higher clay content also creates deep cracks in case of drought spells and water logging under the heavy rains. There is a usual practice of flatbed sowing of pigeon pea in the district. These aggravate the situation and subsequently adversely affect to the crop productivity. To address the above issue, an assessment was conducted by sowing pigeon pea variety TDRG-59 on raised bed, during the year kharif - 2022 and 2023 in five different locations of Vikarabad district by the DAATT centre PJTAU, Tandur. Treatments included raised bed sowing (T1) and flatbed sowing (T2). Results revealed that raised bed sowing improved pigeon pea performance compared to flatbed sowing. Average plant height (195 cm), number of pods per plant (209), and yield (2094 kg/ha) were higher with raised bed sowing, the benefit-cost ratio was also higher 2.77 for raised beds, when compared to 2.33 for flatbed. These findings demonstrate that sowing pigeon pea under the raised bed method is more effective for improving yield and profitability, particularly in the Vertisols of Vikarabad district, Telangana. This system ensures effective water management, promoting sustainable agriculture and maximizing productivity under diversify farming conditions.