Economic effect of mechanical intervention through sub-soiling on growth and yield of rainfed pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan)

C RAMANA; P SUDHAKAR; G KRISHNA REDDY; K V NAGAMADHURI; T PRASHANTHI; P LAVANYA KUMARI; T GIRIDHRA KRISHNA; A HEMASRI

doi:10.56093/ijas.v85i7.50096

Authors

C RAMANA Principal Scientist, Regional Agricultural Research Station, Acharya N G Ranga Agricultural University, Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh
P SUDHAKAR Senior Scientist, Regional Agricultural Research Station, Acharya N G Ranga Agricultural University, Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh
G KRISHNA REDDY Principal Scientist, Regional Agricultural Research Station, Acharya N G Ranga Agricultural University, Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh
K V NAGAMADHURI Senior Scientist, Regional Agricultural Research Station, Acharya N G Ranga Agricultural University, Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh
T PRASHANTHI Principal Scientist, Regional Agricultural Research Station, Acharya N G Ranga Agricultural University, Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh
P LAVANYA KUMARI Scientist, Regional Agricultural Research Station, Acharya N G Ranga Agricultural University, Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh
T GIRIDHRA KRISHNA Associate Director of Research, Regional Agricultural Research Station, Acharya N G Ranga Agricultural University, Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh
A HEMASRI Farm Manager, Regional Agricultural Research Station, Acharya N G Ranga Agricultural University, Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh

https://doi.org/10.56093/ijas.v85i7.50096

Keywords:

Morphological attributes, Pigeonpea, Rainfed, Sub-soil tillage, Yield

Abstract

A two-year field experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of sub-soiling on plant growth, root morphology and yield of rainfed pigeonpea [Cajanus cajan (L. ) Millsp.] (Var LRG 41) during 2012-13 and 2013-14. Crop exposed to moisture stress condition from flowering to harvest (120 days) during 2013-14, compared to experiment conducted during 2012-13. The results indicated that sub-soil tillage sustained higher shoot, root growth and seed yield during the year 2013-14, which coincided with end of season drought compared to conventional tillage treatment. Crop growth in terms of plant height, leaf area/plant significantly improved due to sub-soiling compared to conventionally tilled treatment. Similarly sub-soiling recorded significant increase in drought tolerant traits, viz. root length (234%), root dry weight (274%) and relative water content (37%). Consequently, sub-soil tillage recorded significant increase in number of pods/plant by 59%, 100 seed weight by 12% and pod yield by 219% compared to conventionally tilled treatment. Sub-soil tillage proved efficient method of mechanical intervention for drought mitigation under rainfed pigeonpea cultivation.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Abbaspour Y, Khalilian A, Alimardani R, Keyhani A and Sadati H. 2014. Effects of soil texture, moisture content, electrical conductivity, and tractor speed on energy requirements of variable-depth tillage. Iranian Journal of Agricultural Science 35(2): 1 036–42.

Adamchuk V I, Morgan, M T and Sumali H. 2012. Application of a strain gauge array to estimate soil mechanical impedance on-the-go. Transactions of ASABE 48(6): 1 377–83.

Andrade-Sanchez P, Upadhyaya S K, Jenkins and B M. 2014. Development, construction, and field evaluation of a soil compaction profile sensor. Transactions of ASABE 50(3): 719– 25. DOI: https://doi.org/10.13031/2013.23126

Andrade-Sanchez P, Upadhyaya S K, Plouffe C and Poutre B. 2013. Development and field evaluation of a field-ready soil compaction profile sensor for real-time applications. Journal of American Society Agricultural Biology and Engineering 24(6): 743–50. DOI: https://doi.org/10.13031/2013.25362

Annonymous. 2012. National Rainfed Area Authority. Prioritization of rainfed areas in India. Study report 4, NRAA, New Delhi, p 100.

Barrs H D and Weatherley P E.1962.A re-examination of the relative turgidity techniques for estimating water deficits in leaves. Australian Journal of Biological Science 15: 103–12. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1071/BI9620413

Bolton M. 2013. A Guide to Soil Mechanics. John Wiley & Sons, New York.

Chung S O, Sudduth K A and Hummel J W. 2013. Design and validation of an on-the go soil strength profile sensor. Transactions of ASABE 49(1): 5–14. DOI: https://doi.org/10.13031/2013.20229

Evans S D, Lindstorm M Y, Voorhees W B, Moncrief G A and Nelson G A. 1996.Effect of sub-soiling and subsequent tillage on soil bulk density, soil moisture and corn yield. Soil and Tillage Research 38: 35–46. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/0167-1987(96)01020-3

Glancey J L, Upadahyaya S K, Chancellor W J and Rumsey J W. 2014. An instrumented chisel for the study of soil-tillage dynamics. Soil and Tillage Research 14: 1–24. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/0167-1987(89)90017-2

Gorucu S, Khalilian A, Han Y J, Dodd R B and Smith B R. 2013. An algorithm to determine the optimum tillage depth from soil penetrometer data in coastal plain soils. Applied Engineering and Agriculture 22(5): 625–31. DOI: https://doi.org/10.13031/2013.21993

Hongguang Cai, WeiMa, Xiuzhi Zhang, Jieqing Ping, Xiaogong Yan, Jianzhao Liu,Jingchao Yuan, Lichun Wang and Jun Ren. 2014. Effect of sub-soil tillage depth on nutrient accumulation, root distribution and grain yield in spring maize. Crop Journal 2: 297–307. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cj.2014.04.006

Khalilian A, Han Y J, Marshall M W, Gorucu, S, Abbaspour- Gilandeh Y and Kirk K R. 2014. Evaluation of the Clemson instrumented sub-soiler shank in coastal plain soils. Computers and Electronics in Agriculture 109: 46–51. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compag.2014.09.002

Raper R L. 2013. Sub-soiling, Reference Module in Earth System and Environmental Sciences. Encyclopaedia of Soils and Environment, pp 69–76.

Rekika A K, Matsui T and Kobayasi K M. 2000. Temperature stress induced impairment of chlorophyll biosynthetic relations in rice and wheat. Plant Physiology 117: 851–8. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1104/pp.117.3.851

Sidhu D and Duiker S W. 2006. Soil compaction in conservation tillage: Crop impacts. Agronomy Journal 98: 1 257–64. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2134/agronj2006.0070

Soltanabadi M, Heidari,Miranzadeh M ,Karimi M,Varnamkhasti M, Ghasemi, Hemmat A. 2008. Effect of sub-soiling in condition of strip tillage on soil physical properties and sunflower yield. Journal of Agricultural Technology 4(2): 11– 9.

Song R, Wu C S, Mu J M and Xu K Z .2000. Effect of subsoiling on root growth of maize. Journal of Jilin Agricultural University 22: 73–5.

Sudhakar P, Babitha M, Latha P, Prasanthi L and Reddy P V.2006. Thermostability of cell membrane and photosynthesis in blackgram genotypes differing in heat tolerance. Journal of Arid Legumes 3(2): 12–6.

Vanaja M, Ram Reddy P R, Lakshmi N J, Abdul Razak S.K, Vagheera P, Archana G, Yadav S.K, Maheswari M and Venkateswarlu B. 2010. Response of seed yield and its components of red gram (Cajanus cajan) to elevated CO2. Plant, Soil and Environment 56: 458–62. DOI: https://doi.org/10.17221/51/2010-PSE

Wang L C, Ma H and Zheng J Y. 2008. Research on rational plough layer construction of spring maize soil in northeast China. Journal of Maize Science 16: 13–7.