Performance of Extra Early Pigeonpea Genotypes under Different Planting Geometries in Rainfed Kharif Conditions in Coastal Odisha, India

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted over three years (2019-20 to 2021-22) to evaluate the performance of extra early pigeonpea genotypes with varying planting geometry under rainfed kharif upland condition of coastal Odisha at the Nutri-Crops Research Station (OUAT), Berhampur-761001.  Altogether 04 genotypes (AL-882, PA-16, ICPL-20338 and ICPL-11255) were taken in three planting geometry arrangements i.e. 30cm×10cm; 30cm×20cm and 45cm×10cm. The trial was laid out in Factorial Randomized Block Design (FRBD) with three replications. The pooled data revealed that pigeonpea variety PA-16 recorded plant height (103.3cm), significantly highest number of primary fruiting branch plant-1 (5.54), effective pods plant-1 (40.59), seeds pod-1 (3.44), seed index (10.55) and ultimately the highest grain yield (873 kg ha-1). Stover yield, chaff yield and biological yield followed the same trend as the grain yield. Significantly maximum harvest index (HI) was recorded with PA-16 (34.27) followed by AL-882 (33.66). Among planting geometry 45cm×10cm registered maximum grain yield (863 kg ha-1). The treatment combination of variety PA-16 sown with 45cm×10cm spacing recorded maximum grain yield of 1044 kg ha-1, highest yield day-1 (8.82kg), net monetary return (Rs.31,971 ha-1), B:C ratio (2.03) and return per day (Rs. 532 day-1). Thus it is recommended to grow extra early genotype of pigeonpea (PA-16) with planting geometry of 45cm×x10cm under kharif rainfed upland situation of coastal Odisha, especially to fulfil the demands for utilization of a narrow growing window.