Effect of Different Tillage, Nutrient Management Practices and Foliar Application of KNO3 and Borax on Yield Attributes and Yield of Pigeonpea [Cajanus cajan (L.)]

Abstract

Background: Pigeonpea productivity is low as it is grown in low fertility soils under inadequate fertilizer applications that has led to emergence of several nutrient deficiencies. The lower yield of pigeonpea is not only due to its cultivation in sub marginal lands, but also due to poor management, flower dropping and subsoil compaction that leads to restricted water infiltration, there by bringing many chemical and biological changes which affect the plant growth. It is important to adopt appropriate tillage practices in combination with proper nutrient management practices that avoid degradation of soil structure, reduce flower drop, maintain crop yield as well as ecosystem stability. Methods: A two year field experiment was conducted during two consecutive kharif seasons of 2019-20 and 2020-21 at S.V. Agricultural College, Tirupati Andhra Pradesh to study the effect of different tillage, nutrient management practices and foliar application of KNO3 and borax on yield attributes and yield of pigeonpea [Cajanus cajan (L.)] in a split-split plot design, consisting of three tillage practices in main plots, three nutrient levels in sub plots and three foliar sprays in sub-sub plots on sandy loam soil which was low in available nitrogen, medium in available phosphorus and available potassium. Result: Our investigations concluded that among combinations higher number of pod bearing branches plant-1, number of pods branch-1, total number of pods plant-1, number of seeds pod-1, hundred seed weight and seed yield of pegonpea was recorded with vertical tillage with subsoiler upto 60 cm deep at 1 m interval coupled with application of 125% RDF and with foliar application of KNO3 1% twice with 15 days interval at 50 per cent flowering stage.