Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-t8hqh Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-03T04:20:14.365Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Growth, development and nutrient uptake in pigeonpeas (Cajanus cajan)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2009

A. R. Sheldrake  and
A. Narayanan
A. R. Sheldrake
Affiliation:
International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICBISAT), Hyderabad – 500016 A.P., India
A. Narayanan
Affiliation:
International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICBISAT), Hyderabad – 500016 A.P., India
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Summary

The growth and development of two early (Pusa ageti and T-21) and three mediumduration (ST-1, ICP-1 and HY-3C) cultivars of pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp.) were compared at Hyderabad, India, in 1974 and 1975; in 1976 cv. ICP-1 was studied. The pigeonpeas were grown on a Vertisol and on an Alfisol. The crop growth rate in the first 2 months was low. The maximum rate of 171 kg/ha/day was found in the fourth month of growth of cv. ICP-1 on Alfisol. The early cultivars, one of which (cv. Pusa ageti) was morphologically determinate, and the other (cv. T-21) indeterminate, did not differ in the proportion of dry matter partitioned into seeds. The mean dry weight of the ab ove-ground parts of the medium cultivars on Vertisol in 1975 was 8·45 t/ha, including 2·23 t/ha of fallen plant material. The mean harvest index (ratio of grain dry weight to total plant dry weight) of these cultivars was 0·24 excluding fallen material and 0·17 taking fallen material into account. Starch reserves were present in the stems during the vegetative phase, but disappeared during the reproductive phase. In 1974 the maximum leaf-area index on Vertisol was 3 and on Alfisol 12·7. The net assimilation rate tended to decline throughout the growth period, but in the medium cultivars increased at the end of the reproductive phase, probably because of photosynthesis in pod walls and stems.

In 1974 and 1975 the growth of roots and distribution of nodules in Vertisol was investigated by means of soil cores. Roots extended below 150 cm and root growth continued during the reproductive phase. Most nodules were found within the first 30 cm of soil, but some were found below 120 cm. In cv. T-21, grown in brick chambers150 cm deep, at the time of harvest about three-quarters of the mass of the roots was found in the first 30 cm, and the shoot:root ratio was around 4:1.

In 1975 the mean uptake of nitrogen by the medium cultivars on Vertisol was 120 kg/ha, including 34 kg/ha in fallen material. In 1976 the uptake of nitrogen by cv. ICP-1 was 89 kg/ha on Vertisol and 79 kg/ha on Alfisol, including 32 and 23 kg/ha respectively in fallen material. Nitrogen uptake continued throughout the growing period. The percentage of nitrogen in stems and leaves declined as the plants developed and there was a net remobilization of nitrogen from these organs. The pattern of uptake and remobilization of phosphorus resembled that of nitrogen. In 1976 the total uptake of phosphorus by cv. ICP-1 on Vertisol was 5·8 kg/ha and on Alfisol 5·0 kg/a.

The relatively low yields of pigeonpeas result from a restricted partitioning of dry matter into pods, which may be related to the plants' perennial nature.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Journal of Agricultural Science , Volume 92 , Issue 3 , June 1979 , pp. 513 - 526
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1979

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Akinola, J. O. & Whiteman, P. C. (1974). Agronomic studies on pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp.). I. Field responses to sowing time. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 26, 43–56.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Akinola, J. O., Whiteman, P. C. & Wallis, E. S. (1975). The agronomy of pigeonpea. Review Series 1/1976. Hurley: Commonwealth Bureau of Pastures and Field Crops.Google Scholar
Anon. (1976a). Chickpea physiology. In CBISAT Annual Report 1975–76. Hyderabad: International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics.Google Scholar
Anon. (1976b). Farming system research. In ICRISAT Annual Report, 1975–76. Hyderabad: International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics.Google Scholar
Derieux, M. (1971). Quelques données sur le comportement du pois d'angole on Guadoloupe (Antilles Françaises). Annales de l'Amélioration dea plantes 21, 373–407.Google Scholar
Egli, D. B. & Leqgett, J. E. (1973). Dry matter accumulation patterns in determinate and indeterminate soyabeans. Crop Science 13, 220–222.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Evans, L. T. (1975). The physiological basis of crop yield. In: Crop physiology (ed. Evans, L. T.). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Koenig, H. A. & Johnson, C. R. (1942). Colourimetric determination of phosphorus in biological materials. Industrial and Engineering Chemistry (Analytical Edition) 14, 155–164.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mahta, D. N. & Dave, B. B. (1931). Studies in Cajanus indicus. Memoirs of the Department of Agriculture in India (Botanical Series) 19, 1–25.Google Scholar
Pathak, G. N. (1970). Red gram. In Pulse Crops of India. Edited by Kachroo, P.. New Delhi: Indian Council of Agricultural Research.Google Scholar
Reddy, R. P. & Rao, N. G. P. (1974). Inheritance and relation with some yield components of plant and flowering habit in Cajanus. Indian Journal of Genetics and Plant Breeding 34, 94–99.Google Scholar
Sinha, S. K. (1977). Food legumes: distribution, adaptability and biology of yield. FAO Plant Production and Protection Paper 3. Rome: FAO.Google Scholar
Wallis, E. S., Whiteman, P. C. & Akinola, J. O. (1974). Pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp.) research in Australia. In (Proceedings of) International Workshop on Grain Legumes, pp. 149–166. Hyderabad: International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics.Google Scholar