Moisture Conservation and Zinc for Pigeonpea

Pigeonpea is the fifth prominent legume crop in the world and second in India, next to chickpea. India accounts for more than 90% of the world’s pigeonpea production and area. India occupies 2.90 million hectares and produces 1.95 million tonnes with annual productivity of 672 kg ha-1. Rainwater conservation is a critical factor in stabilizing and stepping up of rainfed pigeonpea crop yields. Broad bed & furrow and subsoiling improve infiltration of rainwater and thus helps to improve moisture storage in soil profile for plants compared to flat bed method. About 50% of Indian soils are deficient in Zn and 20% soils have its hidden deficiency. Therefore, much research focused on zinc and zinc fertilization has become an essential component in the package of practices for ensuring higher crop productivity. It is now abundantly clear that integrated fertilizer-rain water management holds the key to higher fertilizer and moisture use efficiency and any practice which would conserve and/or recycle rainwater will be very valuable for dryland farming, be it land configuration, tillage, mulching, water harvesting or anything else.