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CROP INFORMATION
CROP : RED GRAM (Cajanus cajan)
Red Gram belongs to the family Leguminoseae.
It is an erect shrub. The leaves are trifoliately compound.
The inflorescence is an axillary receme often forming
a terminal panicle. Usually two flowers open at a time
on the same inflorescence. The flowers are self-pollinated,pollination
takes place before the flowers open. The fruit is a pod.
Seeds are round or lens shaped.
Red gram (pigeon pea) is less suitable for the tropics.
The most favourable temperature range is 18-30ºC.
The crop is grown at a wide range of elevation. Red gram
can be grown in almost all soil types that are not very
poor in lime and are not subjected to waterlogging. Optimum
growth and yield are obtained in deep loam soils. Red
gram can be grown as mixed crop with groundnut, paddy
or tapioca or as a pure crop.
Variety: SA 1
Seed rate
Pure crop 15-20 kg/ha
Mixed crop 6-7 kg/ha
Sowing
Sowing can be done in two seasons. As a mixed crop,
sow the seeds in June-July. When sown with groundnut,
spacing recommended between rows is 3 to 3.5 m. Red
gram can also be sown in paddy fields after the harvest
of mundakan crop either broadcast or dibbled. In the
dibbled crop, a spacing of 35 cm between rows is recommended.
Thinning is to be done, if necessary.
Red Gram is deep rooted crop and can tolerate
drought. During rainy season water should not stand in
the field.In the case of prolonged drought during reproductive
phase, one or two irrigation may be given.
Manuring
Lime 500
kg/ha
Cattle manure 3000 kg/ha
N 40
kg/ha
P2O5 80
kg/ha
Weeding and intercultivation once in three
weeks will ensure a good crop.
Pod borer is the main pest. For controlling
this, spray the crop with 0.1% quinalphos suspension at
the time of flowering. The blister beetle, Zonabris, gregariously
feeds on the flowers. Against this, malathion 10% DP may
be applied at the flowering stage
Harvest the pods when tree-fourths of pods
turn brown.The harvested plants are sun dried and threshed
by beating the pods with a stick.
Threshed and cleaned produce should be
further sun dried to reduce the moisture content ot less
than 11%.
2-2.5 tons of grains per hectare
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