Leveraging Genotype × Management Synergies to Enhance Pigeonpea Productivity, Profitability, and Sustainability in Semi-Arid Tropics

Gajanan Laxmikant Sawargaonkar¹Prasad Kamdi^1*Santosh Kale¹Santosh Shinde²Susree Snigdha Das¹Harihar Kausadikar²Ramesh Singh¹M L Jat¹

• ¹International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), Patancheru, India
• ²Vasantrao Naik Marathwada Agricultural University, Parbhani, Maharashtra, India

Pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan L.) is a major legume crop in the semi-arid tropics that integrates well into various rainfed cropping systems. Despite its immense yield potential and wide adaptability to different agro-ecologies, farmers realise lower productivity primarily due to non-adoption of climate resilient technologies and improper selection of site-specific genotype (s), particularly under climate change situations. This strategic research was conducted during the rainy season of 2013 and 2014 at ICRISAT, India, to study the synergetic effect of genotypes and management practices on pigeonpea productivity and sustainability. The treatments included three genotypes: ICPH2740, Maruti, and TS3R, and seven management practices comparing direct seeding and transplanting seedlings at 14, 21, 28, 35, 42, and 49 days. The results revealed that transplanting of seedlings at 21 days significantly increased grain yield (2536 and 2430 kg ha⁻¹) followed by transplanting at 28 days (2458 and 2337 kg ha⁻¹) and 35 days (2297 and 2177 kg ha⁻¹) during 2013-14 and 2014-15, respectively. Among the cultivars, medium duration ICPH2740 recorded significantly higher grain yield, water productivity (WP), and economic water productivity (EWP) under seedling transplanting at 21, 28, and 35 days compared to direct seeding and other transplanting treatments. In contrast, transplanting of short duration TS3R recorded the lowest yield compared to direct seeding during both years. Transplanting seedlings at 21, 28, and 35 days significantly (p<0.05) enhanced WP, EWP, soil organic carbon stock, carbon sequestration, and carbon buildup rates compared to direct sowing and other transplanting treatments. As regards to genotype × management interaction, ICPH2740 transplanted at 21 days recorded significantly highest grain yield, WP, and EWP followed by transplanting at 28 and 35 days. The results of the present study concluded that transplanting medium-duration genotypes (Maruti and ICPH2740) between 21 and 35 days could be a potential climate-resilient technology capable of maximizing the pigeonpea productivity and profitability while ensuring resilience under climate change scenarios in the semi-arid tropics.