Yield Enhancement of Pigeonpea [Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp.] through Drip Irrigation and Fertigation Management

Background: Pigeonpea an indeterminate pulse crop with profuse branching responds well to both irrigation and fertilizer. Erratic rainfall distribution pattern exposes this crop to dry spell during its vegetative stage and terminal drought at reproductive stage and the poor crop nutrition further results in to low yield. Under such circumstances it is very difficult to sustain the yield of pigeonpea. Agronomic practices like precise and timely application of drip irrigation along with judicious use of nutrients play a vital role to boost the yield of any crop. Thus the attempts were made to explore the yield potential of pigeonpea under drip irrigation and fertigation management. Methods: The present study was conducted at the experimental farm of AICRP on Irrigation Water Management, VNMKV, Parbhani (MS) during kharif 2018 and 2019. The experiment was laid out in split plot design with main plots comprising of four drip irrigation levels viz. 0.6, 0.8, 1.0 ETc (crop evapotranspiration) and convention& method and sub plots were allotted to four fertigation levels viz. control (no fertilizer), 80% RDF, 100% RDF (25: 50: 25 NPK kg ha(-1)) and 120% RDF. Result: Drip irrigation at 0.8 ETc recorded higher seed yield, harvest index, water use efficiency, nutrient use efficiency and net returns of pigeonpea followed by 1.0 ETc except in case of water use efficiency. As regards to fertigation studies, higher values of seed yield, harvest index and water use efficiency were recorded with drip fertigation @ 25:50:25 NPK kg ha(-1) closely followed by 20:40:20 NPK kg ha(-1). However higher nutrient use efficiency and net returns were obtained in drip fertigation @ 20:40:20 NPK kg ha(-1).