Production potential of pigeon pea based intercropping systems under various land configurations in Marathwada region of Maharashtra

Pigeon pea is suitable for intercropping with different crops like soybean, green gram, black gram and cowpea for increasing production, proper land utilization and maintaining soil fertility. The initial slow growth rate and deep root system of pigeon pea offers a good scope for intercropping with fast growing early maturing and shallow rooted crops. Abiotic stresses of dry land farming can be alleviated by effective moisture conservation practices. Considering these points an experiment was conducted to evaluate comparative performance of the pigeon pea based intercropping system with short durational legumes like soybean, green gram, black gram and cowpea under different land configurations.

A field experiment was conducted at experimental farm of AICRP for Dryland Agriculture, V.N.M.KV, Parbhani during kharif season of 2015–16 and 2016–17 to study the production potential of pigeon pea based intercropping systems under various land configurations. The present investigation consisted of 12 treatment combinations comprising of three land configurations in main plot and four intercropping systems in sub plots.

Yield attributes and yield of intercrops was influenced significantly by different land configurations. In case of intercrops mean seed yield, mean number of pods plant¹, weight of pods plant¹, weight of seed plant¹, number seeds pod⁻¹ and number of seeds plant⁻¹ found to be higher in broad bed furrow than ridges furrow and flatbed method. Similarly, higher seed yield, straw yield, biological yield, harvest index of pigeon pea and pigeon pea equivalent yield was recorded with Broad bed furrows followed ridges and furrow system. Among the intercropping systems, pigeon pea + green gram intercropping systems recorded maximum seed yield, straw yield, biological yield, harvest index of pigeon pea and pigeon pea equivalent yield than other intercropping systems.