Skip to main navigation menu Skip to main content Skip to site footer
Plant Science Today (PST)

Research Articles

Vol. 13 No. sp1 (2026): Recent Advances in Agriculture

Agronomic and economic investigation of spatial arrangement and companion crops in pigeonpea based intercropping system in Alfisols

DOI
https://doi.org/10.14719/pst.10617
Submitted
13 July 2025
Published
13-02-2026

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of planting geometry (normal and paired rows) and companion crops (field bean, vegetable soybean and chia) under a pigeonpea-based cropping system in Alfisols under dryland conditions. The experiment comprised 15 treatments, replicated thrice in a randomized complete block design. The trial was conducted for two seasons (kharif, 2020 and 2021). Treatments consisted of sole cropping and intercropping of companion crops (field bean, vegetable soybean and chia) with different row proportions (1:2, 1:3 and 1:4) in pigeonpea. The results revealed that among the different planting geometries, paired-row planting of pigeonpea at 120/60 cm spacing recorded significantly higher plant height (141.05 cm), number of branches per plant (15.61), number of pods per plant (130.90), pod yield per plant (105.25 g plant-1), seed yield per plant (40.45 g plant-1), seed yield (1483 kg ha-1) and stalk yield (3449 kg ha-1) as compared to normal row planting. Higher pigeonpea equivalent yield (1666 kg ha-1) was recorded with paired-row pigeonpea (120/60 cm) intercropping with chia and higher land equivalent ratio (1.67) recorded with paired-row pigeonpea (150/60 cm) intercropped with vegetable soybean (1:4) compared to other intercropping systems. These treatments were found agronomically superior. Paired-row planting pigeonpea (120/60 cm) intercropped with vegetable soybean (1:3) found to be economically superior, with higher gross returns (Rs. 201992 ha-1), net returns (Rs. 160431 ha-1) and cost benefit ratio (4.86). From this study it could be concluded that paired pigeonpea intercropped with vegetable soybean is profitable system under dryland conditions and can be recommended for regions with red or light-textured soils.

References

  1. 1. Mallik R, Paul A, Anand A, Bhattacharjee P, Chatterjee R. A comprehensive review on pigeon pea cultivation in saline region of West Bengal. Int J Adv Biochem Res. 2025;9(5):601-14. https://doi.org/10.33545/26174693.2025.v9.i5h.4388
  2. 2. Ali M, Shivakumar BG. Pulses production in India: Present status and future prospects. Indian Farming. 2007;56(8):4-8.
  3. 3. Reddy TY, Reddy GHS, Anjaneyulu K. Agronomy of field crops. Ludhiana: Kalyani Publishers; 2016.
  4. 4. Willey RW. Intercropping—Its importance and research needs. Part II. Agronomy and research needs. Field Crop Abstr. 1979;32:73-85.
  5. 5. Beets WC. Multiple cropping and tropical farming systems. Boulder (CO): Westview Press; 1982.
  6. 6. Kumar S, Gautam RC, Singh A. Intercropping in pigeonpea under rainfed conditions. Indian J Agron. 2008;53(1):39-43.
  7. 7. Rajanna GA, Raghavendra C, Nataraju MS. Effect of intercropping systems and nutrient management on pigeonpea productivity under eastern dry zone of Karnataka. J Food Legumes. 2017;30(3):197-200.
  8. 8. Natarajan M, Willey RW. The effects of water stress on yield advantages of intercropping systems. Field Crops Res. 1986;13(1):117-31. https://doi.org/10.1016/0378-4290(86)90015-8
  9. 9. Tomar SS, Namdeo KN, Gupta RK. Productivity and economics of pigeonpea-based intercropping systems under rainfed conditions. Indian J Agron. 2001;46(2):246-50.
  10. 10. Willey RW. Intercropping: Its importance and research needs. Part I. Competition and yield advantages. Field Crop Abstr. 1979;32(1):1-10.
  11. 11. Panse VG, Sukhatme PV. Statistical methods for agricultural workers. New Delhi: Indian Council of Agricultural Research; 1954. p. 359.
  12. 12. Maini R, Sandhu KS. Response of pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan) variety Pusa Arhar-16 to different row spacing and intercropping systems. Indian J Agron. 2022;67(2):212-5. https://doi.org/10.59797/ija.v67i2.125
  13. 13. Shanmugam PM. Production potential and economics of pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan)-based intercropping system with different levels and forms of phosphorus. J Farming Syst Res Dev. 2008;14(1):118-22.
  14. 14. Rani CS, Rani CS. Effect of different intercrops on growth and yield of pigeonpea in a paired-row planting system. Int J Chem Stud. 2020;8(4):2258-61. https://doi.org/10.22271/chemi.2020.v8.i4y.9965
  15. 15. Gamit VN. Evaluation of pigeonpea genotypes for intercropping with sorghum under south Gujarat condition. M.Sc. (Agri.) Thesis. Navsari: Navsari Agricultural University; 2014.
  16. 16. Kasbe AB, Karanjikar PN, Dhoke MK, Deshmukh RB. Effect of planting pattern on soybean and pigeonpea intercropping system. Int J Agric Sci. 2010;6(1):330-2.
  17. 17. Narendra K, Prasad SR, Rakesh K, Hari OM. Effect of integrated nutrient management on the performance of sole and intercropped pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan) under rainfed conditions. Indian J Agron. 2013;58(3):309-15. https://doi.org/10.59797/ija.v58i3.4223
  18. 18. Devika AR. Evaluation of different pigeonpea-based intercropping systems in Alfisols for higher productivity. M.Sc. (Agri.) Thesis. Bengaluru: University of Agricultural Sciences, GKVK; 2022.
  19. 19. Rekha MS, Dhurua S. Productivity of pigeonpea + soybean intercropping system as influenced by planting patterns and duration of pigeonpea varieties under rainfed conditions. Legume Res. 2009;32(1):51-4.
  20. 20. Turkhede AB, Nagdeve MB, Gabhane VV, Karunakar AP, Ganvir MM, Damre PR. Productivity of soybean + pigeonpea intercropping system under dryland condition. Res J. 2014;38(2):42-9.
  21. 21. Kavya S, Pushpa K, Krishnamurth R, Somu G. Effect of sorghum–legume intercropping system with different row proportion on performance of sorghum. Mysore J Agric Sci. 2022;56(3):147-51.
  22. 22. Yamuna BG. Studies on maize-based intercropping system for southern dry zone of Karnataka. M.Sc. (Agri.) Thesis. Bengaluru: University of Agricultural Sciences, GKVK; 2013.
  23. 23. Vaka V. Performance of maize (Zea mays L.) + field bean (Dolichos lablab L.) intercropping system under different planting geometry. M.Sc. (Agri.) Thesis. Bengaluru: University of Agricultural Sciences, GKVK; 2018.
  24. 24. Mandal MK, Banerjee M, Banerjee H, Alipatra A, Malik GC. Productivity of maize (Zea mays)-based intercropping system during kharif season under red and lateritic tract of West Bengal. Bioscan. 2014;9(1):31-5.
  25. 25. Mary J, Veeranna HK, Girijesh GK, Dhananjaya BC, Gangaprasad S. Effect of different spacings and fertilizer levels on growth parameters and yield of chia (Salvia hispanica L.). Int J Pure Appl Biosci. 2018;6(2):259-63. https://doi.org/10.18782/2320-7051.6040
  26. 26. Shrivastava GK, Choubey NK, Khanna P, Tripathi RS. Planting pattern and weed management in pigeonpea + soybean intercropping system. J Indian Soc Soil Sci. 2000;42(2):313-5.
  27. 27. Kumar A, Rana KS. Performance of pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan) + greengram (Phaseolus radiatus) intercropping system as influenced by moisture-conservation practices and fertility level under rainfed conditions. Indian J Agron. 2007;52:31-5. https://doi.org/10.59797/ija.v52i1.4884
  28. 28. Pushpendra Singh B. Assessment of pigeonpea in various cropping systems under rainfed situation. M.Sc. (Agri.) Thesis. Jabalpur: Jawaharlal Nehru Krishi Vishwa Vidyalaya; 2017.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.