Pigeon Pea (Tur) Crop Cultivation in India: Techniques, Tips and Harvesting Practices

Table of Contents

• Introduction to Pigeon pea (Tur) Farming
• What is the Global & Domestic Production Scenario of Tur Dal?
• What are the Different Varieties of Tur Grown in India?
• What is the Step-by-step Process of Tur Dal Cultivation in India?
  • Climate & Soil Requirements
  • Land Preparation
  • Seed Rate & Spacing
  • Seed Treatment & Sowing
  • Irrigation
  • Intercropping in Tur Crop
  • Fertilizing & Manuring
  • Weed Management
  • Disease & Pest Control
  • Harvesting & Storage
  • Yield

Introduction to Pigeon pea (Tur) Farming

Pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan) is an annual legume from the family Leguminaceae. It is known by various names such as Red Gram, Pigeon Peas, Split Pigeon Peas, Arhar Dal and popularly Tur dal. Tur is known to be one of the oldest grown legumes in the world. It was domesticated on the African continent more than 3,500 years ago and found its way to Indian land through trade and colonization. Tur is the second most important pulse crop in the country. It is commonly cooked and consumed in the form of split pulse (dal) and used to make various Indian dishes ranging from dal-fry to lentil fritters. Red Gram is rich in iron, iodine, and essential amino acids like lycine, threonine, cystine, and arginine. It is therefore seen as an important addition to everyday dietary needs.

What is the Global & Domestic Production Scenario of Tur Dal?

Pigeon pea or Tur ranks as the fourth most important pulse crop globally. Approximately 83% of the total world production comes from the developing countries of Asia and 14% comes from the continent of Africa. India is a leading producer of Red Gram (Tur), yielding 4.34 million tonnes across 5.05 million hectares, achieving a productivity rate of 859 kg per hectare (2023–24). The global market is projected to reach 23.6 million tons by the year 2027. The major Tur producing states in India in 2023-24 are:

What are the Different Varieties of Tur Grown in India?

Different varieties of Tur grown in India are commonly cultivated types that vary by states, yield and disease resistance. Here are some notable varieties –

What is the Step-by-step Process of Tur Dal Cultivation in India?

The step-by-step guide to Tur crop cultivation in India involves several steps, such as understanding the right climate and soil conditions, sowing, irrigation and harvesting & yield. Let’s discuss all the steps in detail:

Climate & Soil Requirements

Pigeonpea is a tropical crop, mainly cultivated in semi-arid regions of India. Pigeonpea can be grown with a temperature ranging from 26^oC to 30^oC in the kharif season (June to October) and 17^oC to 22^oC in the post rainy (November to March) season. In terms of soil requirement, the crop thrives in well-drained, black cotton soil with pH ranging from 7.0 - 8.5. Arhar or Toor Dal crop requires an average rainfall of 600-650 mm with moist conditions for the first eight weeks and drier conditions during flowering and pod development stage.

Land Preparation

Red gram or Toor Dal is a deep-rooted crop. For this reason, it responds well to a properly ploughed and well-drained seed bed. You can start by ploughing the soil deeply in unused or fallow land. For low-lying areas or when growing two or more crops together, use Broad Bed Furrow or Ridge and Furrow planting technique. At least one ploughing is required during the dry season followed by 2 or 3 harrows and disc plough. Clear the land from weeds and other debris, plough the field to a depth of 15-20 cm, and level the land.

Seed Rate & Spacing

The seed rate for pigeon pea differs based on factors, such as the desired plant density for different genotypes (early, medium, or late), the type of cropping system (pure, mixed, or intercropping), and the seed's germination capacity. For early-maturing types, a seed rate of 20–25 kg per hectare is recommended, with row spacing of 45–60 cm and plant spacing of 10–15 cm. For medium to late-maturing varieties, 15–20 kg per hectare is sufficient, with rows spaced 60–75 cm apart and plants spaced 15–20 cm within rows.

Seed treatment & Sowing

Seeds should be treated with Carbendazim or Thiram@ 2 g/ per kg, 24 hours before sowing. A powder formulation of Trichoderma Viride@ 4g/ per kg or Pseudomonas fluorescens@ 10 g/per kg can also be used.

Pigeon pea (Tur) is typically sown as a Kharif (rainy season) crop. The recommended period for sowing the crop is between June to July, coinciding with the beginning of monsoon season. However, in some areas, sowing is also done between the months of August and September. Seeds are sown with the help of a seed drill at a depth of about 7-10 cm. A spacing of 50 cm between rows and 25 cm between plants should be maintained. Line sowing procedure is often used for sowing Pigeon pea, which is considered more efficient than the broadcasting method.

Irrigation

Pigeon peas are naturally drought-tolerant and typically cultivated under rain-fed conditions. However, in those areas experiencing drought, light to moderate irrigation is necessary at key growth stages. The first irrigation should be applied three to four weeks after sowing, followed by the second during the flowering phase (around 70 days after sowing), and the third during pod formation (approximately 110 days after sowing). During dry spells, weekly irrigation is recommended, while in the rainy season, watering every two weeks is sufficient. Overwatering should be avoided, and good drainage and aeration should be ensured in order to avoid root damage.

Intercropping in Tur Crop

Pigeon peas are commonly cultivated in an intercropping system with a wide variety of crops. In India, it was estimated that 80 - 90 % of the pigeonpea are intercropped:

a) With cereal (sorghum, maize, pearl millet, finger millet and rain-fed rice).

b) With legumes (groundnut, cowpea, mung bean, black gram, soybean).

c) With long-season annuals (caster, cotton, sugarcane, and cassava).

Fertilizing & Manuring

FYM and Rockphosphate should be applied at the time of field preparation i.e., 15 – 20 days before sowing and mix thoroughly with the soil.

Weed Management

For weed management in Tur crop, carry out two mechanical weedings: one at 20–25 days after sowing and another at 45–50 days, before flowering. Apply Pendimethalin at 0.75–1 kg per hectare, mixed in 400–600 liters of water, immediately after sowing to prevent weed growth for about 50 days. For persistent weeds, incorporate Fluchloralin 50% EC (Basaline) at 1 kg a.i./ha in 800–1000 liters of water into the soil before sowing, or use Alachlor 50% EC (Laso) at 2–2.5 kg a.i./ha in 400–500 liters of water as a pre-emergence treatment.

Disease & Pest Control

Diseases

Some of the most common diseases seen in Pigeon Pea are Wilt, Sterility mosaic disease, Phytophthora blight, Alternaria blight, and Powdery mildew. The wilt and stem rot can be controlled by using resistant varieties, providing well drained soil conditions, and adopting a nice crop rotation. The sterility mosaic can be controlled by using resistant variety and three to four sprayings of Metasystox 0.1% solution when the mites (Eriophyid mute) start attacking the crop and first attacked plant is visible in the field.

Pests & Insects

Common insect and pest infestation in Tur crop include pod borers, tur pod fly, plume moth, hairy caterpillar, leaf hopper, bean fly, etc. Most of the insects or almost all of them can be killed by spraying of 0.2 to 0.3 per cent solution of Endosulfan 35 EC or Nuvacrone 40 EC. The spraying should be repeated for their complete control and if needed a higher concentration of 0.4 or 0.5 per cent may be used for spraying.

Harvesting & Storage

Arhar is ready for harvesting in 5-6 months after planting. The crop is harvested when two-thirds to three-fourths of pods become brown in color. The plants are usually cut with a sickle within 75-25 cm above the ground. After that they’re left in the field for sun drying for 3-6 days to lower the moisture content. Grains are removed from plants by using a thresher machine or by traditionally i.e. beating plants with sticks.

Yield

Pigeon peas typically produce about 25–30 quintals per hectare under irrigated conditions and 15–20 quintals per hectare under rainfed (un-irrigated) conditions. Depending on the variety and the local climate, it can also yield 50–60 quintals per hectare of sticks, which are often used as fuel.