Abstract

A field experiment was conducted during kharif season of 2009 at Main Agricultural Research Station, University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad to study the response of hybrid pigeonpea to planting geometry and fertility levels. The experiment was laid out in a factorial RBD with three replications. The experiment consisted of nine treatment combinations of hybrid pigeonpea (ICPH-2671) with two factors, three planting geometries (S1-60 x 30 cm, S2-90 x 30 cm and S3-90 x 45 cm) and three fertility levels (F1-25: 50, F2-37.5: 75 and F3-50: 100 N, P kg/ha) and pigeonpea variety Maruti (ICP-8863) with recommended package of practices as control plot The results revealed that the hybrid pigeonpea ICPH-2671 recorded significantly higher grain yield (24.04 q/ha) as compared to cv. Maruti (16.79 q/ha) and the magnitude of increase was 41.7% higher. The yield parameters like grain weight/plant, number of pods/plant and growth parameters like number of primary and secondary branches/plant, LAI and dry matter production and its distribution were higher with hybrid pigeonpea ICPH-2671 compared to variety Maruti. Significant differences were observed among the plant geometry and fertility levels and their interactions with respect to growth and yield parameters. The plant geometry of 90 x 45 cm recorded significantly higher grain yield (25.65 q/ha) as compared to closer geometry of 60 x 30 cm (21.88 q/ha). The fertility levels of 50: 100 N, P kg/ha resulted in significantly higher grain yield (25.74 q/ha) as compared to lower fertility levels of 25: 50 N, P kg/ha (22.28 q/ha). Among the treatment combinations, S2F3 (90 x 45 cm+50: 100 N, P kg/ha) recorded significantly higher grain yield (28.49 q/ha) and it was 42.8% higher than the control (16.79 q/ha). The growth and yield parameters followed the similar trend. The study indicated that hybrid pigeonpea ICPH-2671 had better response to wider geometry and higher fertility levels. It performed better than the cv. Maruti.